Reed Smith, the international law firm, has launched a tax practice in Germany with the addition of Thomas Gierath to its partnership. He previously worked at Dechert, another global law firm.

Gierath advises on domestic and international tax matters across private equity, venture capital, corporate, real estate and financial products. He has structured cross-border private equity and merger and acquisition deals for European and international private equity funds and strategic investors, as well as international mergers and joint ventures for multinational companies.

He also advises on structuring domestic and offshore private equity, real estate and other alternative funds, securitisation vehicles and investment funds. Gierath has also advised on Shariah-compliant financing.

The appointment follows that of Dr Justus Binder, who joined the firm’s Munich office earlier in 2012 to head its private equity practice in Germany.