Business regulation agency with a brand new identify and an expanded companion base – World Authorized Chronicle

The team of the commercial law firm previously operating under the name SMP with offices in Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne starts today under the new name YPOG and a new corporate identity. The dynamic development of recent years and the strategic expansion of the business areas are the main reasons for the new corporate identity. The new name YPOG, in conjunction with the new claim ‘Partners of Gamechangers’, is intended to put the entire team and customers in the foreground. “Our law firm has developed rapidly and dynamically since it was founded, exceeding all of our expectations. With constantly growing structures and a large number of well-known customers, it is now time to take this next big step, ”says Helder Schnittker, Co-Managing Director. “With our new external appearance we can also better express that we want to use the opportunities of digitization in the future in order to expand our advisory offer beyond the offer of a traditional law and tax consultancy”, adds Jörn Wöbke, co-managing partner.

At the same time, YPOG is expanding its partner base:

Frederik Gärtner becomes Equity Partner
With the start under the new name YPOG, the law firm Frederik Gärtner expands into its circle of equity partners. Since September 2018, Gärtner has strengthened the transaction team in the Berlin office of the predecessor company SMP as an Associated Partner. He has a wide range of experience on both the law firm and corporate side and as a co-founder of the legal tech company CONNY. Before that, he was in-house counsel at FinTech Raisin in Berlin. He began his legal career at Hengeler Mueller. During his time as Associated Partner at YPOG’s predecessor SMP since 2018, he was involved in important consulting mandates such as the sale of Data Artisans to Alibaba, Allcyte’s exit from Exscientia and the advice of FinTech Unicorn Trade Republic. “As a former in-house counsel and founder, Frederik knows the needs of our clients very well,” says YPOG partner Benjamin Ullrich. “With his expertise in venture capital, M&A, FinTech and corporate law, he has already greatly enriched us over the past three years. Frederik’s combination of entrepreneurial experience, specific industry knowledge and legal skills should be unique, ”adds YPOG partner Tim Schlösser.

Matthias Kresser becomes an associated partner
Matthias Kresser becomes Associated Partner at YPOG. Since joining SMP in 2020, he has been advising investors, startups and other companies on venture capital transactions (with a focus on venture debt), other equity and debt financing, M&A transactions and general corporate law matters. Matthias Kresser is setting up a Banking & Finance Practice Group at YPOG, which – in line with the YPOG profile – focuses on venture debt financing, other loans for startups, scaleups and growups as well as credit lines for venture capital funds (so-called capital call facilities). Matthias Kresser studied law in Mannheim and at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). During his time at SMP, he advised IDnow on the acquisition of Wirecard Communication Services from insolvency, Magazino, Quantum-Systems, SellerX and Next Gen Foods on venture debt financing, various VC funds on financing rounds and as a partner in sofatutor on sale to Emeram Partners. Until 2020, Kresser was a Principal Associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Hamburg. From this time he has many years of experience in advising investors and companies in crisis situations and insolvencies. Among other things, Kresser advised the Air Berlin Group in the run-up to insolvency and on filing for insolvency, the BARTEC Group on its financial restructuring, Hamburg Commercial Bank AG on liability management in connection with the hybrid capital instruments it issued, and OSRAM Licht AG on the sale of its Siteco lighting business.

About YPOG
YPOG is a boutique law firm specializing in tax and commercial law, which operates in the core areas of Tax, Funds, Corporate, Litigation and Transactions. YPOG’s lawyers and tax specialists represent a wide range of clients, ranging from aspiring technology companies and family-run SMEs to large corporations and private equity and venture capital funds. YPOG has developed into one of the leading players for venture capital, private equity and fund structuring in Germany. The law firm and its partners have received national and international awards from JUVE, Best Lawyers, Legal 500, Focus and Chambers and Partners. Today YPOG employs more than 70 experienced lawyers and tax specialists at three locations in Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne.

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