Matthew Devey

Matthew has led the German employment and incentives practice since 2017. He advises companies, financial institutions and investors on a wide range of strategic German and global employment law issues. He regularly manages and coordinates cross-border employment projects, including M&A-related work, restructurings and distressed M&A, carve-outs, benefits changes, outsourcings, business transfers and pensions work. Further, he has a wealth of experience in the private equity sector and advising US clients about their European employment affairs. He also provides strategic advice to clients about their important personnel issues, including management changes, restrictive covenants, dealing with works councils and unions, hiring and firing and benefits queries.

With his extensive international work experience, Matthew leads the largest and most complex cross-border transactions. His impressive and far-reaching international network contributes to the continuous expansion of our client base. He is also co-head of our US desk and acts as our main global contact for regional US firms.

Under Matthew’s leadership, the German employment practice to be nominated for law firm of the year (JUVE) for the first time in 2020 and was ranked as one of the leading lawyers in Germany for Employment law by WirtschaftsWoche (2020), by Handelsblatt (2020) and  as a Top Employment Lawyer in M&A by MergerLinks (2023).

Work highlights 

• Allianz Direct: advising the European direct insurer of the Allianz Group on legal consolidation in the Netherlands and Spain.
• Australian pension fund: advising on the investment of €1.5bn in one of the largest data centre businesses in Europe.
• AURELIUS: advising on the €356m sale of the Distrelec Group to the RS Group.
• Carrier Global Corporation: advising on (i) the acquisition of Viessmann Climate Solutions for €12 bn, (ii) the sale of its security business for US$4.95bn to Honeywell International Inc, (iii) the sale of its global commercial refrigeration business to its long-time joint venture partner Haier for US$775m, including approximately US$200m of net pension liabilities, (iv) the sale of substantially all of the assets of Kidde-Fenwal, Inc. and certain contributed assets to an affiliate of Pacific Avenue and others. 
• DigitalBridge Investments: advising on the completion of its approximately €2.5bn Investment Partnership with a consortium of investors led by MEAG and Infranity along with funds affiliated with the investment management platform of DigitalBridge Group, Inc.
• Körber: advising on (i) the sale of the Tissue Business Area to the Finnish technology and services group Valmet, (ii) the acquisition of the Siemens mail and parcel logistics business.
• Macquarie: advising Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund 4 on the sale of a stake in Open Grid Europe to Fluxys.
• Nestlé: advising on the joint venture with the private equity company PAI Partners for the frozen pizza production in Europe.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: advising on the acquisition of The Binding Site Group for £2.25bn.
• Vantage Data Centers: advising on a €2.5bn investment partnership with a consortium of investors to expand growth in the EMEA region.
• Vyaire: advising on sale of the Vyaire consumables business to SunMed

Matthew has been working at Linklaters since 2001 and was appointed partner in 2011.

Matthew studied German and English Law (LL.B.) at the University of Kent in the UK. He also completed a Master of Laws (LL.M.) at the University of Marburg. He is admitted as a British, European and German lawyer. 

He speaks German, English and Swedish.