By opening the Düsseldorf office in February 2012, Mayer Brown has concentrated its German practice on two substantial economic centers in Germany. From Düsseldorf, about 20 lawyers will advise industrial companies, funds and banks, predominantly in the areas of corporate law/M&A, as well as in real estate law. The North-Rhine Westphalian State Capital and its surrounding area are a traditional location for important companies and large German mid-sized companies, as well as for banks. Many foreign industrial companies have their German branches in Düsseldorf; furthermore, for many companies the city along the Rhine is a stepping stone from Asia into the German market. Düsseldorf, along with Frankfurt, belongs to the important, globally intertwined economic centers in Germany.