EMEA
Allen & Overy Finance Partner Flies to Bird & Bird in Warsaw
Piotr Lesinski, a debt capital markets and finance regulatory partner based in Warsaw, had been with A&O since 1998. He became an A&O partner in 2010, according to a person with knowledge of the hire. Bird & Bird has also hired a Dentons partner in Madrid.
French Firm Moncey Hires Veteran Linklaters Partner
Fabrice de La Morandière had been a partner at Linklaters for 22 years and headed the firm’s private equity practice and corporate department.
Norton Rose South Africa Boosts Mining Law Capabilities with Bar Hire
It is a significant hire for the firm in Johannesburg. Anneke Higgs’ joins NRFSA as a director—the equivalent of partner—from the bar where she has been an advocate for 15 years.
Addleshaw Goddard, DWF Scale Up in Dubai with Partner Hires
Several law firms are scaling up in the Middle East amid liberalizing markets. Sandeep Puri joins Addleshaws from Baker & McKenzie, having worked in the UAE for over two decades, advising on banking, finance and capital market matters, on both the lender and sponsor sides, according to a firm statement.
King & Spalding, Fieldfisher Add Partners in Paris
Fieldfisher has hired a biotech partner along with two associates while King & Spalding is building in arbitration. Amy Frey, an international arbitration partner, has rejoined King & Spalding after less than a year at McDermott Will & Emery.
Latham & Watkins Loses Veteran PE Partner in Hamburg to German Rival Gleiss Lutz
Stefan Widder, a 21-year veteran of Latham, will bring the number of partners at Gleiss Lutz Hamburg to seven and the total number of lawyers at the Hamburg office to 33.
The firm said it is seeing an increase in demand for advice on white-collar investigations, competition, litigation, and other compliance-related issues. The team will include current Stephenson Harwood lawyers as well as significant new recruits from outside the firm, including a compliance specialist from Baker McKenzie in Paris and a former French member of Parliament who was instrumental in drafting new laws extending legal privilege for in-house counsel.
APAC
RPC Adds Contentious Practice Partner to Hong Kong
Ivan Chang was a partner in the shuttered Hong Kong office of Addleshaw Goddard.
Appleby Adds First Shanghai Partner Almost a Decade After Office Launch
Appleby became the first offshore law firm licensed to provide offshore legal advice in mainland China in 2014. Hannah Yao is the firm’s first ever partner hire to be based full time in Shanghai, where it has had a presence since 2012. Admitted in the U.S. and in China, Yao was a counsel at Beijing firm Fangda Partner and formerly a lawyer at King & Wood Mallesons.
K&L Gates Hires Tech Partner from Seyfarth Shaw Hong Kong
Paul Haswell becomes the 19th partner at K&L Gates Hong Kong.
Yulchon Grows Disputes and Antitrust Practices With Duo Partner Hire in Seoul
Big Six South Korean law firm Yulchon has recently made two key partner hires from the Korea Fair Trade Commission and Korea’s international dispute resolution law firm KL Partners. Following the recent addition of partner Jooyup Chae, who was previously the general counsel of Korea’s biotechnology company SK Biopharmaceuticals, the Seoul-based firm has further deepened its dispute resolution bench with the hire of international arbitration lawyer Eun Nyung Lee.
Former Rouse Disputes Head Set to Join Hong Kong Firm Tanner De Witt
Douglas Clark, who started his legal career as an associate at Hogan Lovells in 1993 left Rouse in 2022 to set up his own practice.
Clifford Chance Lands M&A Partner From Linklaters in Hong Kong
Hong Kong-based M&A lawyer Alex Bidlake was a lead partner on Cathay Pacific Airways’ $5.3 billion government bailout in 2020.
PwC Australia Departures Continue, Melbourne Partner Joins Pinsent Masons
Florence Riviere joins Pinsent Masons’ property team in Melbourne.
All of Proskauer’s Full-Time Greater China Partners Depart
The firm no longer has any full-time partners in China or Hong Kong, but it says it will continue to operate in Hong Kong and will not be leaving the market.
The Americas
Clifford Chance Hires Jones Day Energy Partner in Houston
Jones Day energy partner David Stringer joined Clifford Chance as a partner in Houston on Tuesday, as the U.K. firm continues to build an energy and infrastructure team in its new office.
Bennett Jones Grabs Partner From Blake Cassels for New Montreal Office
Yannick Beaudoin has been part of some of the biggest infrastructure and financing projects in the region.
Shearman & Sterling Lures Capital Markets Attorney Back From Linklaters
Alejandro Gordano is rejoining the firm as a New York-based partner in the Latin America group, after working at Linklaters and in an in-house role.
Holland & Knight Welcomes Zubin Khambatta to Growing Health Care Practice in Texas
Holland & Knight has strengthened its health care regulatory and enforcement practice group with the addition of Zubin Khambatta as a partner in Austin, the law firm said. He was previously a partner with Perkins Coie.
DLA Litigator Returns to Dentons as a Partner in Dallas
DLA Piper trial lawyer Matthew Nickel rejoined Dentons as a partner in Dallas on Monday, saying it was the ‘right time’ for his career.
Another Kirkland Partner Heads to Phillips Lytle, as Firm Builds Out Midwest Base
Former Kirkland partner Jaran Moten, now at Phillips Lytle, said he thinks clients are more often hiring multiple firms to work certain matters, and the ability to do so successfully will help give firms like his an edge.
McDermott Hires Former EY GC From Gibson Dunn, as Accounting Firms Face More Scrutiny
Ron Hauben’s arrival at McDermott coincides with increased regulatory activity from the SEC and PCAOB.
“This law firm functions as a team,” Bohrer said. “They’re all supportive of each other. It’s not like in a Big Law firm, where people are competing for that partnership spot.”
King & Spalding Continues Texas Growth With Locke Lord ‘Heavy Hitter’
Locke Lord partner Mitchell Tiras, who joined King & Spalding on Monday as a partner in Houston said his move provides his clients with broader-based services as they evolve.
Eversheds Sutherland Builds ‘Gateway to a Global Firm’ With New San Francisco Tax Partner
Michael Lebovitz, the co-head of the international tax and transfer pricing team at Mayer Brown, joined Eversheds as it builds its San Francisco presence.
McDermott Lands International M&A Partner From Dechert
Howard Kleinman has a focus on South America and cross-border transactions.
Milbank Adds Cahill Partner Who Will Co-Lead White Collar Defense Practice
The addition of Nola Heller boosts the firm’s pitch to land on clients’ most important matters, said Milbank’s George Canellos.
Troutman Pepper Takes 2 Private Equity Partners as Midmarket Deal Work Moves Ahead
Bruce Steinert, a Perkins Coie partner, joined the firm in San Francisco, while Gibson Dunn of counsel Jonathan Homer joined the firm in New York.
Baker McKenzie Regulatory Co-Chairs, Seeking Greater ‘Support,’ Jump to K&L Gates
Amy Greer and Jennifer Klass were recruited to build the practice from scratch in 2019, but they said they ultimately needed a firm that offered a broader set of skills and expertise to serve their clients.
Dilworth Paxson to Hire Up to 20 Lawyers From Dissolving Schnader Harrison
The group is composed of attorneys who’d previously belonged to Schnader’s trusts and estates, litigation, real estate, and transactional practice groups.
Sidley Picks Up Cooley Venture Finance Partner in Palo Alto
Cindy Lovering, who spent more than six years at Cooley, joined Sidley’s California global finance practice.
Jones Day Energy Partner Is Latest Big Law Hire for Clifford Chance
Jones Day energy partner David Stringer joined Clifford Chance as a partner in Houston on Tuesday, as the U.K. firm continues to build an energy and infrastructure team in its new office.
O’Melveny Hires Long-Serving SEC Regional Director in Los Angeles
O’Melveny has once again grown its roster of former high-ranking government officials with the addition of Michele Wein Layne to its white-collar defense and corporate investigations group.
White & Case Private Credit Partner Returns to Proskauer
As private credit continues to grow, Jessica Shearer’s “skill set will be an asset to the continued growth of our group and that of our clients,” said Proskauer’s Mike Mezzacappa.
Fish & Richardson Announces 2023 Del. Associate Hire
Fish & Richardson has welcomed nine lateral associates to the litigation practice group since the start of 2023, including Brandon Pakkebier in the firm’s Delaware office in February.
Cravath Public Company M&A Partner Heads to Latham
Latham & Watkins bolstered its public company M&A practice with the addition of Cravath, Swaine & Moore M&A partner Andrew Elken, announced on Monday. Elken, who had been at Cravath since beginning his legal career in 2009, will be based out of Latham’s New York office.
In-House
Ex-Foot Locker, Circle K Exec Takes Legal Reins of 520-Location Shoe Store Chain
Randolph Brodwin spent the bulk of his career at Foot Locker, rising from real estate counsel to associate general counsel over 23 years. Now, he’s becoming chief legal officer of a privately owned retailer that recently celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Pax8 Taps Ethics and Compliance Veteran as First CCO
Mary Gill said she is thrilled “to have this opportunity to lead the design and build out of the company’s next generation ethics and compliance program.”
Archer Daniels Midland Taps Globetrotting Legal Vet to Succeed GC Who Put Out Fires
Food giant ADM has hired Regina Bynote Jones away from oil-field-services company Baker Hughes to serve as its senior vice president and general counsel.
Iconic Crystal Maker Swarovski Taps Former Nestle, Wrigley and Coca-Cola Attorney as Legal Chief
Stephan Mechnig appointment as chief legal and compliance officer comes a year after the nearly 130-year-old company installed someone outside the family as CEO for the first time.
Dollar Tree Hires Legal Chief to Replace Ex-Trump Official Who Abruptly Departed
Jonathan Leiken is taking the legal reins of Dollar Tree after helping guide his last employer, the ATM-maker Diebold Nixdorf, through bankruptcy.
Saying ‘Ja’ to Transfer Pays Off for BMG Legal Veteran
A year after relocating from Los Angeles to BMG’s Berlin headquarters, Tony Abner is taking the legal reins of the world’s fourth-largest music company.
Burgeoning UCSF Hospital System Appoints First Chief Counsel
Incoming general counsel Rachel Nosowsky will be “an excellent colleague and mentor for all the attorneys in our office,” said UCSF Chief Campus Counsel Greta Schnetzler.
Saint Louis Bank Axes CEO, Promotes GC to Succeed Him
Kevin King, the general counsel of the three-office Saint Louis Bank who’s practiced banking law for more than four decades, is succeeding CEO Travis Liebig. The bank isn’t explaining the ouster.
National Insurance Crime Bureau Promotes Ex-Federal Prosecutor to GC
At the Illinois-based nonprofit, Rich DiZinno will help ferret out fraud, something he battled as an assistant U.S. attorney and as chief counsel for national security and crime for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.
Ex-Waymo Deputy GC Takes Legal Reins of Battery Startup
David Tressler spent six years at Google-owned Waymo, during which the company became the first self-driving car service to serve the general public without backup drivers in the vehicle.
Biden Picks Former Obama Lawyer for White House Counsel
During his first stint at the White House, Ed Siskel helped fend off attacks on the Affordable Care Act. He also spearheaded the response to congressional inquiries into the 2012 Benghazi attack that resulted in the killing of the U.S. ambassador to Libya.
Legal Chief for Movie Theater Association Follows Other Execs Out the Exit Door
Jackie Brenneman is the third long-tenured executive of the National Association of Theatre Owners to depart this year.
CLO Cashes Out at ATM-Maker Diebold; Replacement Punches In
After guiding the manufacturer through bankruptcy, Jonathan Leiken is passing the legal reins to veteran Diebold attorney Elizabeth “Lisa” Radigan, whom he called “brilliant, caring and a wise teacher of the law.”
Lawyer Stepping Aside Who Helped Shape Charter Communications Into No. 2 Cable Operator
David Ellen played a key role in the transformation of the cable industry, first as general counsel of Cablevision before its $17.7 billion sale in 2016 and then as a senior executive at Charter as it digested nearly $100 billion in acquisitions.
Promotions & Appointments:
Norton Rose South Africa’s Incoming CEO Committed to Full-Time Executive Leadership
Being chief executive far outweighs the bitter-sweetness of no longer running the disputes practice, says CEO elect Brent Botha in an interview with Law.com International.
Hogan Lovells Names New San Francisco Leader, With Plans to Expand Office
Megan Nishikawa, an energy, environmental and life sciences litigator who joined the firm last fall from King & Spalding, is stepping into the San Francisco office managing partner role on Sept. 1.
Hogan Lovells Partners Are Voting on CEO Miguel Zaldivar’s Second Term
Board members unanimously recommended that Zaldivar, who’s led Hogan Lovells since July 2020, should continue serving at the helm for another four-year term.
Mergers & Alliances:
Canadian IP Firm Smart & Biggar Gets Bigger With Merger
The IPH Group-affiliated firm will combine with former competitor Ridout & Maybee, cementing its position as the largest IP shop in Canada.
Clark Hill Combines With Dublin-Based Firm
Clark Hill’s acquisition of the 10-solicitor Dublin, Ireland-based firm HBMO Solicitors follows earlier acquisitions in the U.S., in Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia.
Fox Rothschild Absorbs Five-Lawyer Auto Boutique
Firm chair Mark Morris said Aboyoun Dobbs has been the “go-to firm for automobile dealerships in the tri-state area since its founding in 1989.”
A&O Shearman: The Compelling but Unspoken Rationale
Industry observer Hugh A. Simons dives into historical data and law firm dynamics to explore the true, though perhaps unspoken, benefits of a merger between Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling.
One Big Advantage of Growth by Acquisition? Sticky Clients.
Law firms are continuing to seek out acquisitions as a means of growth, which comes with its share of both challenges and benefits.
Continuing Growth in Existing Markets, Clark Hill Combines With Dublin Commercial Firm
Clark Hill’s acquisition of the 10-solicitor HBMO Solicitors in Dublin follows earlier acquisitions in Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia.
Stroock Loses Business-Side Leaders, as Uncertain Merger Future Poses Recruiting Challenges
“Joining Stroock, my goal was to focus on partner hiring…We were seeing a lot of success,” said Regina Robbins, the firm’s former director of talent acquisition. “When the information was getting out in the marketplace about the Paul Hastings group and about the merger talks, it was difficult to help the firm find partners and grow.”
Office Openings & Closing:
Eversheds Sutherland’s New Austin Office Boasts Prime Location, Amenities
To accommodate growth, Eversheds Sutherland moved into new offices in downtown Austin on Monday that will accommodate significantly more lawyers.
Law Firm Leasing Activity Rebounds to Highest Post-Pandemic Point
Building off a strong first quarter, U.S. law firm leasing activity remained robust in the second quarter, resulting in the strongest period of leasing on record since the start of the pandemic, according to the latest quarterly report from Savills. Los Angeles also saw multiple deals over 20,000 square feet.
Financials:
Nishimura & Asahi Changes Ownership Structure, Foreign Lawyers to Own Equity
Nishimura’s New York and Germany-admitted international dispute resolution partner Lars Markert has since announced his entry to the firm’s equity partnership.
White & Case UK Accounts Show Stagnant Profit Despite Turnover Boost
The LLPs also showed that the firm made almost £3 million more from currency exchange rate fluctuations in the past year.
DWF Profits Slide Ahead of Private Equity Takeover
Though the UK listed law firm’s revenue edged up, the firm’s leaders said they did not expect to undertake ‘any material M&A in the short term’ due to economic pressures.
General Counsel Compensation Chart: Who Made the 2023 Top-Paid GC List?
The tight talent market helped drive up compensation, as current employers tried to lock down legal chiefs with retention bonuses, and companies trying to fill openings dangled juicy signing bonuses and stock grants.
2023 Could Turn Out All Right, If Law Firms Can Collect on What They’re Owed
Clients are slower to pay, but that means inventory is building. If firms start seeing checks come in, the second half of 2023 could be much more promising, Citi’s midyear survey shows.
DC Law Firms See Rebound in First Half of 2023, Increasing Revenues and Controlling Comp Expenses
“The real standout was controlling the compensation line and that really helped D.C.-focused firms,” said Wells Fargo’s Owen Burman.
Big Atlanta Law Firms Saw Revenue and Profits Rise in First Half, Even as Collections Slowed
Billing rate increases appeared to be the largest fuel for revenue growth, as demand in Atlanta was down 1.6%, compared to a 0.4% decrease for all firms nationally, according to Wells Fargo.
Law Firms Are Still Grasping for the ‘Other Side’ of Uncertainty
Firms benefitted from 7.7% average billing rate increases in the first half, Wells Fargo said, noting they are continuing to absorb productivity hits in the hopes of getting to the “other side” of the economic storm.
How to Manage Partner Compensation Expectations in a Challenging Year
MesaFive consultant Blane Prescott recounts common firm compensation models and how firms can set comp in a down year
Technology & Innovation:
1 in 4 Large Law Firms Expect Generative AI to Replace Jobs Internally in Next 5 Years
Generative AI has ‘potential to take away many of the more mundane and administrative tasks that currently form a necessary part of the lawyer’s workload’.
5 Ways Legal Is Mitigating Generative AI Risks
As some of the risks of using generative AI have come to light, legal tech providers and law firms are accessing and using the technology in news ways.
Concerned About ChatGPT Risks, This Australian Law Firm Built an Alternative
It took about six months for the firm to build its own GenAI platform, which it has named “Airlie” in honor of Airlie Smith—the first woman lawyer to join any of the firms that merged to form Allens.
AI in the Workplace: Benefits and Potential Drawbacks
Estimates suggest that nearly 80% of employers are now using AI in some capacity, so it’s imperative businesses understand AI’s rapidly growing presence across the labor landscape.
Cutting Through the Mess: What Does AI Really Mean for Lawyers?
In this column, Katherine B. Forrest presents her views on how artificial intelligence will impact the legal profession moving forward. She also includes some practical guidance about what ethical and professional obligations lawyers should keep in mind as they contend with its increasing usage.
Use This Framework for Integrating AI Into Your Thought Leadership Content Process
There are opportunities throughout the writing process for humans to partner with AI. Here’s how to think about that division of labor.
Law Firms Say They Expect GenAI to Reduce Reliance on Billable Hour—but Observers Are Skeptical
The majority of large UK law firms expect GenAI to impact their approach to the billable hour, according to a Law.com International survey.
Troutman Pepper Rolls Out Proprietary Gen AI Chatbot ‘Athena’ With Painstaking Care
With its new chatbot Athena, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-3.5, the firm is drawing an unequivocal line when it comes to certain use cases—and keeping a watchful eye.
Where Generative AI Will Likely Have the Most Impact in Law Firms
A Tuesday standing-room only session at ILTACON 2023 in Orlando highlighted some of the areas of the law firm work where generative AI is expected to have the most impact.
Sullivan & Cromwell’s Investments in AI Lead to Discovery, Deposition ‘Assistants’
Two post-doctoral students set up a lab in Sullivan & Cromwell’s offices to develop and train AI technology. Its capabilities could alter the very fabric of being a lawyer.
Diversity & Inclusion:
GCs Collaborate with Skadden and Others to Ramp Up Corporate LGBTQ+ Inclusivity
The campaign, which involves top lawyers from Rolls Royce, BP and others, comes just months after Law.com revealed stagnant LGBT representation in the legal industry.
The Law Firm Disrupted: The Generation Gap in Big Law Is Real, but It’s Broader Too
Guess who made which damning statement about Gen Z.
Leading DEI with Practicality and Purpose
Corporate counsel are well positioned to play a key role in focusing their companies on the case for DEI, whether premised on fundamental fairness, correcting for historical underrepresentation, or aligning with the shareholder goal of profitability.
Lawsuits Over Big Law Diversity Fellowships Prompt Firms to Scrutinize DEI Program Language
The lawsuits filed this week take particular aim at language contained in the firms’ diversity fellowship applications that conservative legal activist Edward Blum’s group views as exclusionary against its “white, nondisabled heterosexual man” client.
This Weil Gotshal Duo Is Fighting to Make Class a Protected Characteristic in the UK
Two figures are quietly leading a nationwide push to reform the U.K.’s Equality Act in a way that could profoundly affect the way social class is perceived.
The Battle for DEI in the Court of Public Opinion
“Those who are fighting DEI efforts misunderstand and mischaracterize the work. There seems to be a significant disconnect between their characterization of the work and what the work actually is,” says Yusuf Zakir, chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at Davis Wright Tremaine.
Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: From Optimism to Action
Alyssa Levy, a first-year corporate associate with Sidley Austin talks to Lin Cherry, Chief Talent Experience Officer at the technology services company, Wizeline, on why it’s important for organizations to advance DE&I as well as some small but powerful steps any organization can take.
Market Commentary:
Is London on the Cusp of a White Collar Boom?
With a SFO soon to welcome a new director and a UK recession looking more likely, some partners are expecting an uptick in investigations, while others offer more sober takes.
India as an Emerging Hub for International Arbitration
The Delhi High Court recently established a significant precedent by clarifying third-party funders cannot be held liable to pay adverse awards, and here’s how it will change the landscape of arbitration in the country.
In recent months, global brands such as Volkswagen Group have been revisiting their Chinese target acquisition plans, while Japanese energy companies have been pushed by an energy resource-scarce domestic market to further their investments abroad.
Japanese Tech Startups’ Nasdaq IPO Thirst Generates Deal Work for US Law Firms in Japan
Japanese deep technology, life science and biotechnology companies feel that they are comfortable speaking to U.S. investment banks or U.S. stock exchanges such as Nasdaq, according to a Tokyo-based Greenberg Traurig lawyer.
A wave of “conservative” political lawsuits and advocacy campaigns seeking to advance “anti-ESG” or “anti-woke” themes have resulted in certain companies de-emphasizing disclosure of their ESG initiatives, according to Simpson Thacher & Bartlett’s Stephen Blake and Sareen Armani.
Crunch Time for ESG: When Will Green Advice Pay Off for Law Firms in Asia?
Most jurisdictions in Asia are at different stages in their ESG journeys and that disparity, compounded by the lack of alternative resources and the ambiguity of government regulations and policies across the region, presents significant challenges for companies.
Law Firm Merger Fever May Be Good News for Boutiques
With firm mergers expected to accelerate, boutiques feeling pressure from clients to grow may be ready to take calls from larger firms.
How the GC of a Startup Building ‘Harmless’ AI Balances Risks, Rewards
“It’s a surprisingly full time job at times . . . to really deeply understand where we’re willing to tolerate more risk in service of our mission and where we’re more sensitive to risk,” Anthropic AI legal chief Brian Israel said.
Should I Stay or Go? 8 Questions Partners Facing a Merger Need to Answer
With all the mergers—or potential mergers—taking place this year, what key factors should lawyers consider when deciding whether to remain at their firm or move on?
Partners Are Frustrated With ‘Zoom Associates.’ But Will Threatening Their Bonuses Change That?
Consultants and partners have bluntly described some younger associates as “lacking accountability and initiative.” But surveys suggest younger lawyers and aspiring lawyers are more varied in their motivations than earlier generations.
Law Firm Closures Highlight a Tale of Two Markets
Midsize law firms are seeing faster demand growth than big firms. But this segment of the market is still vulnerable to large, existential threats.
Where Have All the London Rainmakers Gone?
U.K. firms need to rethink their star culture if they want to compete on a global scale.
Prepare to Communicate More Law Firm Leadership Transitions
Since the pandemic, turnover in the leadership ranks of major law firms has been increasing. Transitions can cause anxiety and uncertainty—especially if firms don’t have a clear and consistent messaging. With a good plan, however, firms can use transitions as a way to re-tell their story.
How to Kill Your Culture in a Minor Recession, According to Midlevels
In our annual Midlevel Associates Survey, thousands of associates told us how their firms missed the mark in managing through a downturn—but they gave some praise.
Leveraging Lateral Partner Recruiting Strategies in a Down Market
While the economic downturn certainly adds a layer of complexity to the lateral partner recruitment process, it does not render it an insurmountable task.
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Kirkland PE Heavyweight Neel Sachdev Joins Paul Weiss with 3 Other Partners
Paul Weiss’ own London head moved to Kirkland earlier this month. Kirkland & Ellis rainmaker Neel Sachdev is leading a team of four partners out of the firm to Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Sachdev and fellow debt finance partners, Kanesh Balasubramaniam, Matthew Merkle and Deirdre Jones have all joined Paul Weiss’ London office.
Raid on Kirkland: 10 More US and UK Lawyers Expected to Join Paul Weiss
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison’s raid of Kirkland & Ellis this month includes a four-partner London team led by private equity giant Neel Sachdev as well as other partners in the U.S. and U.K.—a team that could number more than ten lawyers in all. Sources confirmed that Paul Weiss has also hired Kirkland debt finance partner Eric Wedel, who had been with the firm for almost 17 years, working out of New York and Los Angeles. It is anticipated that Wedel will bring a team of three or four partners with him, sources said.
BonelliErede Targets London Expansion with Partner Additions
It isn’t the only elite firm in the Slaughter and May network to eye London growth, with Cravath adding partners to its UK base earlier in the year.
EMEA
Fieldfisher Makes 2 Partner Hires in Madrid From Dentons, Jones Day
UK firm plans to increase Spanish revenue by 50% by 2025. Eduardo Gómez de Enterría has joined Fieldfisher in Madrid as head of employment after leading Dentons’ practice for three years, and real estate partner Victor Casarrubios has joined the office after heading Jones Day’s real estate practice in Spain since 2007.
White & Case Doha Managing Partner Walks to Mayer Brown
Anne Wicks had been with White & Case since 2004, and relocated from the firm’s London office to its Abu Dhabi base in 2013. She became managing partner of White & Case’s Doha office in June 2020, according to a person with knowledge of the hire.
APAC
The UK firm has been deepening its bench in Asia in recent months. Stephenson Harwood’s Greater China associated firm, Wei Tu Law Firm, has strengthened its regional private wealth and corporate practice with the hire of partner Joanna Jiang, who was most recently a partner at Beijing-based Zhong Lun Law Firm, in Guangzhou.
Clyde & Co Cuts 10 Lawyers in Australia as Economy Slows
In addition to the 10, the firm has also parted ways with an insurance partner of seven years. Clyde & Co has made 10 lawyers redundant in Australia, a few weeks after it made back office cuts. Confirming the numbers, a firm spokesperson said none of the lawyers were partners and came from a total staff of around 500 in Australia.
The Americas
McDermott Lands 3-Lawyer Real Estate Transactional Group
David Herman is “one of the most significant hires we have made in New York in a long time,” said McDermott’s Ira Coleman. The lawyers include partner David Herman in New York, partner Sam Limmer in Washington, D.C., and of counsel Cynthia Resnick in Miami.
ArentFox Schiff Hires 3-Partner Employment Team From Sheppard Mullin
Morgan Forsey, Daniel McQueen and Nora Stilestein joined ArentFox in Los Angeles on Monday.
Munger Tolles Hires Former California Deputy Solicitor General
Aimee Feinberg, who argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on key issues, including funds for the U.S.-Mexico border wall, returns to Munger Tolles, based in San Francisco.
Egan Nelson Emerging Companies Chair Jumps to Michael Best in Austin
Aaron Barker brings his emerging-companies practice to Michael Best & Friedrich as a corporate partner in Austin and head of Venture Best, Texas, the firm’s emerging-companies team.
Hall Booth Smith Elects 6 Partners; Gordon Rees Adds Partner in Atlanta
Hall Booth Smith announced the election of six new partners, including one in each of three Georgia offices. Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani added Joseph C. Sullivan as a partner in the firm’s Atlanta office from Taylor English Duma. Smith, Gambrell & Russell partner David J. Burge has been elected board chairman of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA).
Holland & Knight Trade Partner Jumps to White & Case in Mexico
Carlos Véjar, who also previously served as general counsel for international trade at the Mexican Economy Ministry, is changing coordinates as scores of manufacturers and their suppliers relocate to North America.
Freshfields Lands Schulte Litigation Co-Head
Gayle Klein, the litigation co-head at Schulte Roth & Zabel, has decamped for Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, joining the firm’s U.S. dispute resolution practice in New York as a partner. Klein had been at Schulte for about 2½ years, following an 8½-year stint at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, where she became, at 32, the youngest female partner in the firm history at the time.
Stevens & Lee Adds Wilmington Of Counsel
Stevens & Lee announced that Melissa N. Donimirski has joined the firm’s litigation department as of counsel in its Wilmington office.
McGuireWoods Creates C-Suite Role for AI and Innovation
The Am Law 100 firm is the latest to grow its C-suite staff with a hire focused specifically on AI. McGuireWoods has hired Peter Geovanes as the firm’s first chief innovation and AI officer, the latest Am Law 200 firm to bring on a C-suite leader focused on artificial intelligence.
Weil Adds Skadden Energy Partner as Houston Buildout Continues
The string of hires “results from a months-long review of the market and a strategic plan on what we want to do,” said Kyle Krpata, co-head of Weil’s private equity practice.
Shearman Co-Executive Director Decamps for Sheppard Mullin
Robert Brown joined Sheppard Mullin as chief operating officer, based in New York.
Steptoe Energy Regulatory Partner Jumps to Vinson & Elkins in DC
Vinson & Elkins’ hiring of Steptoe & Johnson partner Monique Watson continues the Houston-founded firm’s focus on expanding its energy regulatory team. Vinson & Elkins continues to grow its energy regulatory practice, adding Steptoe & Johnson partner Monique Watson, who formerly worked at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and brings experience in oil and gas pipelines and environmental impacts.
In-House
Tesla Adds Energy Firm’s Top Lawyer, Senior Employment Litigator
Christopher Dawood announced via LinkedIn this month that he’s joined Tesla as senior counsel for employment litigation. Dawood was previously an of counsel in the labor and employment litigation practice at Jackson Lewis in Sacramento.
Ahead of Possible Sale, UScellular Promotes Legal Chief to GC
Chicago-based UScellular promoted Adriana Rios Welton, head of legal and government affairs, to general counsel. She takes over from John Kelsh, who will focus on being general counsel at parent company Telephone and Data Systems. Title upgrades such as Adriana Rios Welton’s could give her an advantage in any M&A negotiations.
Longtime Bank GC to Join Thomson Reuters
Norie Campbell, former general counsel for TD Bank, is joining Thomson Reuters as chief legal officer, the Canadian-based technology and media company announced Monday.
Tupperware’s CLO Resigning as Company Fights to Stay Afloat
The company did not disclose why Karen Sheehan will be stepping aside Sept. 30. Her exit will cap a tumultuous nine years marked by plunging sales, C-suite turnover and accounting probes.
Looming Legal Threats, the Murdochs’ Influence Make Fox CLO Vacancy Both Alluring and Terrifying
“Taking over at a fraught organization is inherently a gamble. If things start terrible and improve to merely bad, people may not give you any credit,” Andrew Verstein, a law professor at UCLA, said.
QVC Veteran Promoted to GC of Parent, Will Help Lead Turnaround Effort
Eve DelSoldo is taking the legal reins of Qurate Retail Group, which is seeking to resuscitate growth after the rise of e-commerce dramatically altered consumer shopping behavior.
Promotions & Appointments:
Cuatrecasas Taps Barcelona Partner to Lead Corporate Practice in Palma
Less than a year into his post at the Spanish law firm, Sergio Agüera Amat has been given double duty. Cuatrecasas has tapped a Barcelona real estate partner to coordinate the firm’s corporate and M&A practice in Palma de Mallorca. Less than a year into his post at the Spanish law firm, Sergio Agüera Amat has been given double duty – tasked with leading the firm’s corporate and M&A practice on the Balearic Islands while maintaining his position in the Barcelona office focused on commercial real estate law.
Dentons Taps South Korea Leader as Global Board Chair
Nicholas Howon Park succeeds Xuefeng Peng, the president of Beijing-based Dacheng Law Offices. Dacheng and Dentons called off their combination earlier this month.
In ‘Big Deal’ Move, Baker Botts Promotes 3 Women Partners to Department Chair
The corporate, intellectual property and litigation departments are now chaired by women partners, as Houston partner Danny David takes over as managing partner on Aug. 1. Three of Baker Botts’ five departments are now led by women partners. Christa Brown-Sanford chairs the IP department, Samantha Crispin chairs the corporate department, and Bridget Moore chairs the litigation department.
Baker Donelson Shareholder Named ABA Committee Co-Chair
Ferdose al-Taie, an attorney at Baker Donelson, has been appointed to serve as co-chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Litigation Section’s White-Collar and Criminal Litigation Committee.
White House Counsel Stuart Delery Steps Down
Stuart Delery, the top lawyer in the Biden White House, will soon be leaving his post. In a statement, President Joe Biden called Delery “a trusted adviser and a constant source of innovative legal thinking since Day One of my Administration.”
Mergers & Alliances:
Schnader Waited Too Long to Merge, While Stroock’s Fate Lies in the Balance
The soon-to-be defunct Philadelphia institution and the venerable New York shop have faced a similar set of obstacles in recent months. Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis’ decision to dissolve after nearly 90 years came in the wake of failed merger talks and a declined credit extension from its bank, according to a notice shared by the firm with Pennsylvania and Philadelphia authorities.
The Unraveling of Dentons Dacheng: Was it the Law or the Love that Frayed?
Dentons attributed its breakup with Dacheng to evolving Chinese regulations—it’s a brilliant communications strategy, non-Chinese clients will be pleased. But is there more to this than meets the eye?
Ailing Firms Value Independence, Autonomy Over Survival, Delaying Vital Merger Talks
Philadelphia’s Schnader Harrison is the latest example of a firm that would have been better off acting sooner rather than later.
Luthra and Luthra Adds 33 Lawyers in Merger
Earlier this year, Luthra and Luthra Law Offices’ founder and managing partner unexpectedly passed away. One of India’s most prominent law firms is set to merge with another firm. Luthra and Luthra Law Offices has announced that it will form a partnership with Atlas Law Partners, with the latter firm’s managing partner, Harry Chawla, becoming the head of the newly combined firm.
Office Openings & Closing:
Following Mass Departures, Lewis Brisbois Spinoff to Shutter 5 Months After Launch
Following another sizeable group departure this week to O’Hagan Meyer, the labor and employment boutique that spun out of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith in May has announced plans to cease operations entirely just five months after its inception. Nearly three dozen attorneys left Daugherty Lordan to join O’Hagan Meyer in Southern California this week.
Latest US Firm Shrinks China Presence as Latham Closes in Shanghai
Latham’s closure of its Shanghai office marks the trend of American law firms scaling back their businesses in mainland China in recent months.
After Kirkland’s Migration to Century City, Other Big Law Firms Are Following
Skadden is joining a growing number of firms basing their Los Angeles operations out of Century City, as firms continue to reduce their footprints downtown.
Wilson Elser Adds in Indiana, as Second Hundred Firms Continue Expansion
The No. 107-ranked firm by revenue announced this week that its clients wanted an expansion in the Midwest. With Am Law 200 firms poised to continue expanding their maps, defense firm Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman Dicker is the latest to plant a flag, adding an office in Indianapolis with laterals from Foley Mansfield and the Indiana Attorney General’s Office.
‘Predominantly an In-Office Firm’: Davis Polk Renews NYC Lease, With 30,000 More Square Feet
The firm’s new 25-year lease at 450 Lex is now the largest by square footage in New York in 2023 to date, according to real estate broker CBRE.
Financials:
Comp Likely to Top $10M Each for 3 Kirkland Laterals Jumping to Paul Weiss
The hires of U.K. partners Neel Sachdev and Roger Johnson and U.S. partner Eric Wedel mark the latest foray in the trans-Atlantic Kirkland-Paul Weiss lateral war that saw Kirkland recruit Alvaro Membrillera, previously Paul Weiss’s London head.
Technology & Innovation:
Spain’s Burgeoning Legal Tech Sector May Make Waves Internationally
Spain has largely relied on European heavyweights for its legal tech solutions. But the last two years have seen a flurry of local innovation, with an eye on international expansion.
Legal Still Has a Lot to Learn—And Navigate—In the Gen AI Era
After months of enthusiasm surrounding generative artificial intelligence, misunderstandings about the technology linger among attorneys and judges alike.
Here Are the Generative AI Products UK Law Firms Are Using
The pressure on law firms to implement generative artificial intelligence into their operations has steadily grown over the course of 2023. The clamour has been so intense that some GenAI companies have had to impose waiting lists.
How GCs Can Get Their Team Onboard with New Tech
A recent study found a majority of lawyers are ‘apathetic’ about lawtech, but there are ways for GCs and senior in-house lawyers to encourage a change of mindset.
Legatics Announces $5 Million Investment, With Plans to Expand to U.S. Market
The investment comes months after Legatics released Legatics 2, an expanded version of the legal transaction management platform with more flexible project management software.
Agiloft Launches AI Trainer, Allowing Legal Teams to Customize AI Models for Contract Analysis
Agiloft seeks to empower legal teams with no IT or coding experience to customize their own artificial intelligence models for a more bespoke approach to contract review and analysis.
How Law Firms Can Avoid A Summer of Cyberattack Threats
Summer at law firms creates an attack surface that hackers love to take advantage of. Legal and support staff rotate through vacations and time off, new crops of interns unfamiliar with tech processes enter the fold, and the remaining employees are often burned out and too distracted to notice the critical signs of an impending cyberattack.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Gender Diversity: Firms Must Jump Off the Bandwagon and Focus on What Works
Next 100 Years founder and former lawyer Dana Denis-Smith calls for a more strategic look at diversity initiatives, focusing on the changes that make a real difference.
Market Commentary:
China’s Regulations Went From Being a Client Problem to a Law Firm Problem, Too
For international law firms that have substantial practices in mainland China, the country’s focus on national security and the broader geopolitical issues has major implications.
Amid Layoffs and Attrition, Law Firms Are Planning More Staffing Adjustments
“With forced exits and continued staff attrition wreaking havoc on the depth and breadth of both skills and experience, are firms fundamentally compromising the quality of a support structure?” a recent report asks.
In Big Law, ‘Flexibility’ Is a Word for All Seasons
“I’m starting to hear ‘flexibility’ along with just being thoughtful about how do you become a bit more rigid about mandating people to come in?” noted Williams Lea’s Joe McSpadden.
What Makes a Successful Litigation Secondment Program?
McKinsey associate GC Veronica Ip and MoFo’s Kate Driscoll discuss what each got out of the six-month spell that Driscoll covered for Ip while she was on parental leave.
“The parties are spending a lot of time and money litigating almost as if they’re in court,” Sarchio said, noting that one recent arbitration involved around 72 document requests. “I keep telling them, this is arbitration. It’s supposed to be streamlined.”
Pacesetter Research: Prioritizing the “G” in ESG, Enables the Integration of the “E” and the “S”
With rising pressure from stakeholders on “E” and “S” initiatives, the “E” and “S” have typically dominated ESG conversations however prioritizing the G may facilitate the integration of all three components.
Amid Spreading Patchwork of Data Privacy Regs, Attorneys Embrace New Opportunities
Litigators are already finding ways to sue tech companies using existing laws, and compliance-side attorneys are advising clients to be proactive with new state laws.
The Pitch for Fully Remote Lawyers Is Becoming More Difficult
“I’ve worked with several attorneys recently making lateral moves to large global law firms, and none were given a formal 100% remote-work option,” said executive coach and former Big Law partner Laura Terrell.
Lateral Hires Highlight Big Law Focus on Boosting Energy Practices
“The introduction of the IRA, and all of these credits available, has really ramped up the need for lawyers who practice in this space,” Pillsbury’s Nora Burke said.
Amid Layoffs and Attrition, Law Firms Are Planning More Staffing Adjustments
“With forced exits and continued staff attrition wreaking havoc on the depth and breadth of both skills and experience, are firms fundamentally compromising the quality of a support structure?” a recent report asks.
Japanese Tech Startups’ Nasdaq IPO Thirst Generates Deal Work for US Law Firms in Japan
Japanese deep technology, life science and biotechnology companies feel that they are comfortable speaking to US investment banks or US stock exchanges such as Nasdaq, according to a Tokyo-based Greenberg Traurig lawyer.
Moves:
UK & Ireland
One in One Out at MoFo as London Hiring Market Hots Up
The latest moves follow a wash of partner activity that signifies growing confidence in London’s hiring market. Morrison Foerster’s London office has parted ways with a finance partner who joins McDermott, Will & Emery, but has gained a senior tech partner. Partner Vlad Maly is leaving the firm after over seven years to join rival U.S. outfit McDermott, expanding the firm’s London transaction offering.
BNP Paribas’ UK Disputes Head Joins Norton Rose Fulbright
The latest hire is also the President of the UK’s Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. Alison Kellett joins the firm as a partner. At BNP Paribas, she also headed up the bank’s Channel Islands region, and oversaw legal investigations and litigation and legal financial security, according to NRF’s statement.
Mishcon Partner Exits for CMS in London
Neil Baylis has joined CMS’ antitrust, competition and trade practice. He leaves Mishcon after four and a half years with the firm as a partner, having joined from K&L Gates in 2019.
EMEA
Reed Smith Frankfurt Founding Partner Moves to Deloitte
Simon Grieser joins the Big Four giant as a partner next month. He will join as a partner on September 1, 2023 and will advise in particular credit and financial services institutions as well as national and international investors, and will also work closely with the corporate and litigation service lines.
Jones Day Adds Veteran Baker McKenzie Partner in Munich
Michael Bartosch brings almost two decades of experience to the firm. The veteran partner joins Jones Day’s corporate practice, which, according to the firm, brings together its transactional work worldwide, encompassing mergers and acquisitions and private equity.
White & Case Doha Managing Partner Walks to Mayer Brown
The partner had been with White & Case for nearly 20 years, and had been managing partner of its Doha office since 2020. Anne Wicks had been with White & Case since 2004, and relocated from the firm’s London office to its Abu Dhabi base in 2013. She became managing partner of White & Case’s Doha office in June 2020, according to a person with knowledge of the hire.
APAC
Another Partner Leaves PwC Legal, Joins DLA Piper
DLA Piper has hired renewables partner Luke Westmore from PwC, the second Australian partner to leave the beleaguered accounting giant this month. Westmore, who joins DLA’s projects and infrastructure team in Sydney, has 15 years’ of experience in large-scale renewable energy projects in Australia and internationally. His clients are a mix of international and Australian companies.
Australia’s Gilbert + Tobin Adds Ashurst Renewable Energy Lawyer to Partnership
Strong demand for projects and infrastructure lawyers. Australian corporate law firm Gilbert + Tobin has hired Ashurst lawyer Lixian Liang to join the partnership in its energy and infrastructure team in Sydney.
Atsumi & Sakai, White & Case, Baker McKenzie Add New Partners Across Asia
Most of the hires have been promoted into partnership at their new firms. Tokyo-based Atsumi & Sakai has bolstered its mergers and acquisitions, and labor and employment offerings with the hire of Tomotaka Tokuno, who was most recently an associate at Allen & Overy, as an of counsel.
Clyde & Co Cuts 10 Lawyers in Australia as Economy Slows
In addition to the 10, the firm has also parted ways with an insurance partner of seven years.
The Americas
Paul Weiss Lands Wilson Sonsini Antitrust Head in DC
Scott Sher said his practice has remained “busy on all fronts” in the current regulatory environment.
Akin Hires Chair of Lowenstein’s Emerging Managers Practice
Max Karpel, who joined Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld as a partner in New York on Monday, represents emerging and established investment managers and also has a family office practice.
Lateral Partner Moves in Atlanta, Charlotte and Nashville Increasing
”Atlanta has really matured as a legal market. I think very clearly now it is a major legal market.” said Decipher chief data officer Greg Hamman.
California Trial Boutique Launches Austin Office With DLA Piper Team
Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg tapped trial lawyer Amy Ruhland to lead the new office.
Hogan Lovells Partner Trio Jumps to Alston’s Litigation Team
Each new partner has a practice consisting of longtime clients, “which we believe will follow the team to Alston & Bird,” James Sullivan, the partner in charge of Alston’s New York office, said. Michael Hefter, Seth Cohen and Ryan Philp moved from Hogan Lovells to Alston as partners in its litigation and trial practice group.
King & Spalding Taps Sidley Antitrust Co-Head to Lead Global Practice
Sean Royall will have a presence in the firm’s Houston, DC and Brussels offices as he looks to expand its global antitrust and consumer protection practice.
On the Move: Nelson Mullins Expands REIT Practice, Jones Day Adds White Collar Defense Lawyer
Howard Hirsch joined Nelson Mullins’ REIT practice, while Jill Keller Hengen moved from King & Spalding to Jones Day’s investigations and white collar defense practice.
Freshfields Lands Schulte Litigation Co-Head
Gayle Klein, the litigation co-head at Schulte Roth & Zabel, has decamped for Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, joining the firm’s U.S. dispute resolution practice in New York as a partner.
Allen & Overy Hits Paul Hastings for US Energy Private Equity Head
The partner joins ahead of A&O’s tie-up with Shearman & Sterling. Kfir Abutbul has joined A&O as head of its U.S. energy private equity and a partner in its U.S. corporate private equity and M&A practice.
In-House
Coca-Cola In-House Leader Picked as World Cup 2026 General Counsel
Curtis Franks announced his hiring Monday morning on LinkedIn, writing “Looking forward to being a part of the largest sporting event ever!” Since March, FIFA has been scouting for a general counsel, a role it calls “high-profile and demanding.”
Auto-Parts Giant Fills CLO Post by Hiring Alum
For the second time in her career, MaryAnn Kanary has come back to a firm where she previously worked to become legal chief.
27-Year Lloyd’s of London Veteran Steps Down as GC to ‘Pursue Fresh Challenges’
The insurance and reinsurance marketplace has appointed Claire Schrader, a 23-year Lloyd’s employee, to serve as interim general counsel while it seeks a success for the departing Peter Spires.
Ex-Tegna GC Takes Legal Reins at Global PR Firm FGS
Akin Harrison, who left Tegna in June after its $5.4 billion sale fell through, is joining a New York-based PR powerhouse formed through the merger of four firms last year.
Promotions & Appointments:
Potter Anderson Partner Elected Vice Chair of Delaware College of Art & Design Board of Trustees
Joy A. Barrist, a partner in Potter Anderson & Corroon’s real estate group, has recently been elected vice chair of the Delaware College of Art and Design (DCAD) board of trustees.
Viet Dinh Exiting as Fox Legal Chief, Will Receive $23M Payout
Dinh is leaving after a tumultuous year in which the company paid $787 million to settle a defamation lawsuit.
Baker McKenzie Promotes London Partner to EMEA Chair
The firm has also appointed its Stockholm managing partner to its executive committee. Kirsty Wilson, a corporate partner with over 30 years experience, will assume the role later this summer, according to a person with knowledge of the promotion. She continues in her roles on the firm’s executive committee as well as its global inclusion, diversity and equity committee, according to a statement from the firm.
Mergers & Alliances:
Dentons Ends Dacheng Combination in China
The breakup is due to an evolving regulatory environment for Chinese law firms in China including new mandates and requirements relating to data privacy, cybersecurity, capital control and governance.
Will More U.S. Firms Need to Follow Dentons in Backing Away From China?
The country’s heightened national security focus, among other geopolitical issues, could prompt the mass withdrawal of international law firms.
Shearman, Simpson Guide KKR’s $1.6B Buy of Simon & Schuster
While most of the chatter around Shearman has been around its pending merger with A&O, the firm is still doing the good work while the vote looms.
Office Openings & Closing:
Schnader Partners Vote to Formalize Dissolution Plan
The firm’s wind-up committee will be led by current managing partner and executive committee member Theresa Loscalzo, former firm CEO and chairman David Smith, and the firm’s general counsel and DEI co-chair Keith Whitson.
Schnader Set to Close Doors at End of August
“We have this month now to hopefully have partners transfer [to other firms] with their books of business, hopefully taking staff with them,” said Duane Morris partner Les Corwin, who’s overseeing the dissolution effort.
Japanese Law Firm Launches in India
The Bar Council of India (BCI) announced in March this year the liberalization of the Indian legal market after more than two decades of restrictions.
Financials:
Countercyclical Work Elevates Most of Legal Industry in Q2
Overall demand at midsize firms was up 3.7%, while Am Law 100 (0.3%) and Second Hundred (0.2%) firms are still below 1%.
Big Law and Midsize Firms Are Charting Different Paths to Growth
Am Law 100 firms have tried to cut head count and expenses, midsize firms have sought to bolster revenue, and the Second Hundred have sought “to find a Goldilocks zone between the two,” says a new report.
CMS Sees Slowdown in Global Revenue Growth
The firm has promoted a record number of partners globally over the past year. CMS has reported a global revenue growth of 6.2%, a reduced figure on the 18% growth made by the firm in 2022. The international law firm’s global revenue now stands at €1.86 billion—up from €1.75 billion recorded the year before.
Technology & Innovation:
Spain May Be an Emerging AI Hotspot, Leading the Way for a Spike in Cross-Border M&A
Spain’s artificial intelligence market has flown under the radar. But with several homegrown AI startups likely to excel in Spanish-speaking countries, U.S. tech companies sense acquisition opportunities.
Can AI Help Law Firms Solve the Boom-Bust Hiring Cycle?
“Most law firms typically haven’t used a lot of data in these decisions,” one lawyer said. “But increasingly, I think they’ll make investments to enable the use of data regarding how associates work and are deployed to solve for one variable in the demand equation.”
Dentons Head of Innovation on Why and How the Firm Built Its Own Gen AI Chatbot
Legaltech News caught up with Joe Cohen, UKIME head of innovation at Dentons to discuss fleetAI, the firm’s newly released proprietary version of ChatGPT.
Filevine Launches ImmigrationAI, Using AI to Help Streamline Document Filing
The AI-powered document filing tool is meant to cut down on time and redundancies for immigration attorneys filing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration forms for their clients.
Opus 2 Launches Transaction Management Platform, Focusing on M&A Work Collaboration, Management
The new offering is built on the same technology leveraged by the Opus 2 Case Management platform.
The Intersection of Generative AI and Copyright Law
Whether prompted to write a corporate slogan, create music, generate works of art and advertisements, or summarize a book — GAI can do it all. However, its increasing popularity means that users of GAI programs face substantial intellectual property risks — particularly when businesses use GAI for marketing and other public-facing purposes.
Inside Track: How to Grasp AI’s Legal Landscape and Not Have Your Head Explode
“Regulating a misleading claim published in a newspaper in 1914 entails the same analysis as regulating a misleading claim about the capabilities of a company’s AI,” Holland & Knight said in a report on how the Federal Trade Commission will oversee the emerging industry.
Diversity & Inclusion:
‘Landmines Everywhere’ for Employers’ DEI Programs, Prompting Big Law Response
Three major law firms have announced the formation of industry groups to address rising DEI scrutiny in the wake of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.
A Slippery Slope: The Erosion of DEI in the Legal Profession and Beyond
There are three developments that should be particularly troubling to those who value the smorgasbord of ideas generated when collaborating with colleagues from varied backgrounds: the end of affirmative action in education; the banning of books in schools; and the censorship of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Gender Diversity: Firms Must Jump Off the Bandwagon and Focus on What Works
Next 100 Years founder and former lawyer Dana Denis-Smith calls for a more strategic look at diversity initiatives, focusing on the changes that make a real difference.
Market Commentary:
Five Indicators Mediation Is at a Tipping Point
More and more, countries, courts and states are turning to mediation to solve more complex disputes due to its collaborative, cost-effective, and confidential process. It allows all parties greater control over the outcome and greater speed to resolution. Mediation is proven to help courts decrease case backlogs and help businesses resolve legal disputes quickly and efficiently.
The Staying Power of Small and Midsize Firms
For the firms that seek to maintain long-term independence, remaining true to who they are and their original goals helps ensure their staying power, allowing them to remain a consistent partner to clients.
As More Partners Leave, Stroock Votes to End Pension Obligation
A five-partner restructuring team is the latest to leave Stroock for Morgan Lewis. Meanwhile, the New York firm said it has secured the votes needed to end its pension obligation, removing an obstacle for a merger.
Ethics and the Razzle Dazzle of Seeking ‘More Time’
How far can attorneys go to get an adjournment from a judge, even where extra time is in the client’s best interests or where the client simply wants a postponement, before they could face disciplinary action?
Dechert to Let Current Summers Defer Start Date to Fall 2025
Up to 20 associates can chose to “explore, study, travel or experience another opportunity.”
The Hidden Reason Behind Big Law’s Layoffs
It is too easy to blame all the job cuts on market conditions, there is something else going on and it is more worrying for juniors, writes the Global Lawyer.
West Coast Big Law Associate Deferrals ‘Bleed Into East Coast’
“The largest driver of cost savings would stem from a reduction in the size of a firm’s new associate class,” Decipher’s Greg Hamman said.
Even in a down year for cap markets and M&A, Big Law in New York still added head count.
In Big Law, ‘Flexibility’ Is A Word For All Seasons
“I’m starting to hear ‘flexibility’ along with just being thoughtful about how do you become a bit more rigid about mandating people to come in?” noted Williams Lea’s Joe McSpadden.
Quinn Emanuel, Fried Frank Tell UK Lawyers to WFH Throughout August
The firms are continuing a new, mostly US-firm-led tradition of allowing staff to work remotely during the summer.
What’s Next for the Saudi Regional Headquarters Program?
As the Saudi government looks to attract multinational groups to the Kingdom, Marco De Leo, managing partner of BonelliErede’s Dubai office, considers what they should be mindful of.
London Legal Recruitment Market Suffering Quietest Spell For Years
‘M&A is down, so roles are down,’ say recruiters and partners, as research shows a steep drop in hiring.
How a Rupture Tore Right Through East-West Law Firms
The East-West political rupture is particularly consequential for Dentons’ brand. But this doesn’t mean that other international law firms won’t be thinking about China on a constitutional level, argues The Global Lawyer.
The rapid advancement of technology in recent years has given rise to a new era marked by the prominence of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This transformative technology has infiltrated every facet of modern life, promising unparalleled efficiency, innovation, and convenience. However, as AI continues to revolutionize industries, it has also brought forth a critical concern: its environmental impact. While AI offers immense potential to address environmental challenges, it simultaneously raises questions about its own carbon footprint and broader ecological consequences. This article delves into the multifaceted environmental impact of AI, exploring its positive contributions, its energy consumption, electronic waste generation, and potential mitigation strategies.
AI’s Positive Environmental Contributions
Contrary to initial apprehensions, AI has shown remarkable promise in contributing positively to environmental sustainability. One of its most significant roles lies in optimizing resource allocation and energy consumption. In fields like smart grid management, AI algorithms analyse real-time data to optimize energy distribution, leading to reduced wastage and more efficient power consumption. Moreover, AI-driven precision agriculture aids in optimal irrigation, pesticide use, and crop management, minimizing environmental impacts associated with excessive resource utilization.
AI also plays a pivotal role in environmental monitoring and conservation. Advanced AI-based algorithms analyse satellite images and sensor data to track deforestation, pollution levels, and wildlife movements. These insights facilitate timely interventions and informed decision-making, aiding in the preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems.
Energy Consumption and Carbon Footprint
While AI’s potential for positive environmental impact is undeniable, concerns regarding its energy consumption and subsequent carbon footprint loom large. Deep learning, a subset of AI, involves training models on massive datasets through iterative processes, requiring substantial computational power. As a result, data centres housing these computations consume vast amounts of energy, primarily derived from fossil fuels. A 2019 study published in the journal Science estimated that training a single AI model could emit as much carbon as five cars during their lifetimes.
The proliferation of AI-powered devices, such as smart assistants and autonomous vehicles, further contributes to energy consumption. These devices rely on constant data processing and communication with cloud servers, demanding continuous energy supply. As AI applications continue to expand, so does the energy consumption associated with their operations.
Electronic Waste Generation
In addition to energy consumption, AI’s environmental impact extends to electronic waste generation. The rapid pace of technological advancement leads to the swift obsolescence of AI hardware. As newer, more efficient models are developed, older hardware becomes outdated and discarded, contributing to the mounting electronic waste crisis.
The components used in AI hardware, such as GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) and specialized chips, often contain rare and precious metals that are resource-intensive to extract and refine. Improper disposal of these components not only results in the loss of valuable resources but also poses potential environmental hazards due to the leaching of hazardous materials into soil and water.
Mitigation Strategies
Efforts to address the environmental impact of AI are gaining traction on multiple fronts. One approach involves the development of energy-efficient AI algorithms and hardware. Researchers are actively working to optimize algorithms to require fewer computational resources for training and inference. Moreover, innovations in hardware design, such as more power-efficient chips and cooling systems, are aimed at reducing energy consumption in data centres.
Another strategy revolves around the utilisation of renewable energy sources for powering AI operations. Tech giants like Google and Microsoft have committed to transitioning their data centres to rely on renewable energy, mitigating the carbon footprint of AI computations. Additionally, edge computing—a paradigm where AI computations occur on local devices rather than distant data centres—can reduce energy consumption and data transfer requirements.
Regulations and policies also play a crucial role in mitigating AI’s environmental impact. Governments and international organizations can impose standards for energy efficiency and responsible disposal of AI hardware. Encouraging the adoption of circular economy principles, which emphasize recycling and reusing electronic components, can significantly reduce electronic waste generation.
Furthermore, fostering research and development in AI for environmental sustainability can yield innovative solutions. AI can be harnessed to optimize renewable energy systems, enhance waste management processes, and develop more sustainable transportation networks. By channelling AI’s capabilities toward addressing environmental challenges, a symbiotic relationship between technology and ecology can be established.
The environmental impact of AI is a complex interplay of its potential for positive contributions and its energy consumption, electronic waste generation, and associated carbon footprint. While AI holds promise in revolutionizing industries and addressing pressing environmental issues, it also demands careful consideration of its ecological consequences. The integration of energy-efficient algorithms, sustainable hardware design, renewable energy sources, and responsible policies are essential steps in minimizing AI’s negative environmental impact.
As the world grapples with the challenges of the 21st century, the responsible development and deployment of AI offer a unique opportunity to forge a more sustainable and harmonious relationship between technological advancement and the environment. By embracing innovative solutions and adopting a holistic approach, society can harness the power of AI to create a future that is both technologically advanced and environmentally resilient.
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Simpson Thacher Hires Senior Lawyer from Blackstone in London
Angus Lennox, a managing director at Blackstone, is joining the firm as a partner after seven years at the private equity giant. Prior to that, he had been a senior associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, according to a statement from Simpson Thacher.
Fieldfisher Hires Eight-Strong Litigation Team from US Boutique
The rare London team hire is a major boost to the firm’s disputes practice.
Kirkland & Ellis Swoops for Paul Weiss London Head
It is the latest blow for Paul Weiss’ UK practice, which parted ways with two partners in May. Kirkland & Ellis has hired Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison’s London head, Alvaro Membrillera, in the latest blow to the latter firm’s U.K. presence.
BNP Paribas’ UK Disputes Head Joins Norton Rose Fulbright
The latest hire is also the President of the UK’s Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. Alison Kellett joins the firm as a partner. At BNP Paribas, she also headed up the bank’s Channel Islands region, and oversaw legal investigations and litigation and legal financial security, according to NRF’s statement.
EMEA
Reed Smith Frankfurt Founding Partner Moves to Deloitte
Simon Grieser joins the Big Four giant as a partner next month.
Reed Smith Appoints New Munich Partner
Reed Smith also recently hired two prominent partners from McDermott Will & Emery, including the firm’s private equity head and the founder of McDermott in Germany. Reed Smith hired McDermott Will & Emery counsel Germar Enders as a partner in its Munich office, the third senior corporate lawyer to join the firm this year.
Bowmans Takes Litigation Lawyer from Dentons
Vanessa Jacklin-Levin was previously head of dispute resolution at Dentons in South Africa and office managing partner in Johannesburg.
APAC
Norton Rose Fulbright Hires Capital Markets Partner from Kirkland Hong Kong
Ethan Chen will be the second U.S.-qualified capital markets partner for Norton Rose in Hong Kong.
Norton Rose Fulbright Takes Sydney Construction Team from Clyde & Co
Glen Warwick rejoins the firm as a partner. Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) has bolstered its projects and construction team in Australia with the addition of a partner and two other lawyers from Clyde & Co.
White & Case Establishes Insolvency Practice in Australia as Corporate Failures Increase
Global law firm White & Case is establishing a restructuring and insolvency practice in Australia with the addition of two partners, Timothy Sackar and Jillian McAleese, from Australian firm Clayton Utz.
Milbank’s Asia Aviation Head Moves to Rajah & Tann in Singapore
Singapore firm Rajah & Tann has strengthened its aviation practice with the hire of Milbank aviation partner Paul Ng. At Milbank, Ng led the firm’s aviation and asset finance practice in Asia.
Pinsent Masons Launches Australian Employment Practice with 3 Partners
Pinsent Masons has launched an employment and reward practice in Australia with the hire of three partners from Australian firms. Aaron Goonrey and Neil Napper join from Lander & Rogers in Sydney, and Ben McKinley from Holding Redlich in Melbourne.
PwC Tax Partner Leaves to Join Australia’s Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Cameron Blackwood, who will work in Corrs’ Sydney office, spent 18 years at the specialist tax firm Greenwoods & Herbert Smith Freehills before joining PwC in June 2022 following its acquisition of Greenwoods.
Shin & Kim Expands Projects & Energy Practice with Fourth Hire from Kim & Chang This Year
Big Six South Korean law firm has hired four project finance lawyers from Kim & Chang, Korea’s largest law firm, in an effort to further strengthen its projects and energy practice.
Dentons Lands CIMB Bank’s Head of Legal as a Partner in Hong Kong
Dentons bolstered its banking and finance, capital markets and corporate finance capabilities with the hire of Nicholas Chua as a partner in Hong Kong. Dentons deepened its bench in Asia in recent months with the hire of a senior foreign attorney from Shin & Kim and a senior Korean attorney from Korea Reinsurance Co. in March.
Australian Firm JWS Takes Disputes Partner From Baker McKenzie
Aleisa Crepin joins Johnson Winter Slattery in Brisbane, the third addition to that office this year.
The Americas
Cravath, Facing Fierce Competition, Builds Out DC Office With Top Government Hires
Cravath, Swaine & Moore’s latest lawyer addition—Jeffrey Rosen, former acting U.S. attorney general—highlights the law firm’s emphasis on hires with top government experience to fill out its Washington, D.C., office, bolstering its pitch to institutional clients to handle their regulatory work.
Former Insurance Company In-House Counsel to Lead BLG’s Insurance Team
Partner Rick Da Costa joins the firm’s financial services group in Toronto.
Baker McKenzie Hires Another Latin America-Focused Partner in New York
Steven Sandretto leaves Greenberg Traurig to rejoin former long-time colleagues including Michael Fitzgerald, who recently moved from Paul Hastings.
Wilson Sonsini Snags Cooley Life Sciences Partner
Karen Deschaine, a corporate life sciences lawyer who has spent her entire career at Cooley, joined Wilson Sonsini in San Diego.
Grant & Eisenhofer Hires Philadelphia Attorney for Wilmington Office
Grant & Eisenhofer announced that Elizabeth A. Bailey has joined the Wilmington office of the firm as of counsel. Bailey focuses her practice on complex and mass tort litigation as well as catastrophic injury litigation.
Weber Gallagher Adds Delaware Partner
Weber Gallagher Simpson Stapleton Fires & Newby announced that the firm added a 15-year veteran as a partner to its bench of attorneys in Delaware: Loren R. Barron. Barron handles matters involving torts, corporate and contract disputes.
Holland & Knight Grows Health Care Practice With 3 Dentons Partners
Summer Martin, who led Dentons’ U.S. health care M&A team, and Rebecca Merrill joined Holland & Knight’s Atlanta office, while Susan Banks joined the firm’s Denver office last week, said Brent Hill, leader of Holland & Knight’s health care and life sciences section. All three are focused on how health care systems grow and navigate the regulatory environment.
Simpson Thacher Adds 2 Partners From SVB Capital, Blackstone
The partner lateral market has been fairly active, but Simpson Thacher has taken its latest two partners from outside the Big Law sphere. Jennifer Albrecht, who was an associate at Simpson Thacher until 2017 and was most recently the deputy general counsel for SVB Capital, joins the firm’s alternative capital and private credit practice in New York. Angus Lennox, most recently a managing director in Blackstone’s European real estate business, will join the firm’s real estate team and will be based in London.
Paul Hastings Hires Milbank White-Collar Partner as Enforcement Actions Rise on Both Coasts
Adam Fee, a white-collar lawyer who represented Binance in recent SEC litigation, has joined Paul Hastings in Los Angeles.
Citadel Hires 2 Top Lawyers Away From Goldman Sachs
The exits come at a time the venerable investment bank, long known for its stability, already was rattling Wall Street with an exodus of partners.
O’Melveny Grabs 2 Trial Partners from Baker Botts in Houston
O’Melveny & Myers, which is aggressively hiring in Texas, hired two first-chair trial partners from Baker Botts to launch a litigation practice in Houston. Baker Botts trial partners Travis Sales and John Anaipakos joined O’Melveny & Myers as partners in Houston.
McDermott Lures Cahill Antitrust Practice Head in Boost to Regulatory Group
Elai Katz, who had been at Cahill for almost 27 years, is at least the third practice leader to depart the firm in 2023.
Bracewell Gains 2 Energy Transactions Partners From Stroock
Partner Brian Rogers co-chaired Stroock’s debt finance practice while partner Scott Le Bouef, a commodities and derivatives lawyer, worked at the firm for 25 years.
DLA Piper Picks Up 2 Shearman Emerging Growth Partners in Austin
DLA Piper, which has more than 200 lawyers in its emerging growth and venture capital practice, continues to expand it in Texas and nationwide. Shearman & Sterling partners Alan Bickerstaff and Cassandra Cuellar have joined DLA Piper as partner in Austin.
In-House
Audubon Society Fills GC Slot After Longtime Legal Chief’s Quiet Exit Amid Renaming Controversy
Veteran environmental attorney Charlotte Young is taking the legal reins from Lorraine Sciarra, who stepped down in March, the same month the organization announced it would keep the “Audubon” name despite namesake John James Audubon’s racist views.
Longtime Interim GC of Fastly Scores Job on Permanent Basis
Karen Greenstein, a former lawyer at Viacom and NBCUniversal, will oversee Fastly’s 16-person legal department.
Ex-NCAA, LPGA Legal Leader Becomes GC of Trail Blazers
The NBA franchise has plucked Zandria Conyers from the NCAA, where spent a decade, rising to deputy general counsel.
Norfolk Southern, Swamped by Lawsuits, Hires Tesla Litigator as GC
Nate Smith has joined Norfolk Southern as a general counsel specializing in litigation. The railroad operator is adding to its litigation firepower six months after a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, sparked a deluge of lawsuits as well as scrutiny of its business practices and safety record.
Huntington Bank Hands Legal Reins From One Bank of America Alum to Another
Marcy Hingst is giving up her 16-year career at Bank of America to become general counsel of regional banking giant Huntington, the nation’s 22nd-largest financial institution.
Ex-Twitter GC Sean Edgett Takes Legal Reins of Unicorn That Produces ‘No Kill’ Meat
Edgett will serve as chief legal officer of the eight-year-old company, which recently received FDA approval to sell its lab-cultivated chicken across the U.S.
Moody’s Changing Out GCs for First Time Since 2000
Richard Steele is the new general counsel of Moody’s Corp. The prominent ratings agency is sticking with stability, hiring a 17-year company veteran to succeed an exec who is retiring after 23 years as legal chief.
Promotions & Appointments:
Holland & Knight Creates Chief Knowledge & Innovation Officer Role as Legal Tech Explodes
“It’s an absolute growing field, and particularly over the last few years, firms that traditionally have not had this role are now upgrading it,” said Glenn LaForce, who comes to the firm from Shearman & Sterling.
Litify Announces New CEO Following Ownership Changes Earlier This Year
Curtis Brewer joins Litify from business management software provider Davisware, where he served as CEO.
Osler Names Toronto M&A Partner as New Firm Co-Chair
The Canadian firm has also brought on new partners in real estate and IP. Toronto-based Emmanuel (Manny) Pressman is the new co-chair of the firm succeeding Shahir Guindi, who was in the post for six years.
Norton Rose South Africa Appoints New CEO
Brent Botha will take up the role in October and currently heads the firm’s disputes practice group.
Mergers & Alliances:
Continuing to Beef Up Existing Offices, Clark Hill Laps Up LA Boutique
Clark Hill’s Los Angeles office gains a team of 10 lawyers in a combination with the 65-year-old boutique Barton Klugman & Oetting.
Saul Ewing Launches in Southern California Via Merger With Freeman Freeman & Smiley
In a move firm leadership called “imperative for clients,” Saul Ewing gained offices in Los Angeles and Orange County, combining with 100 legal professionals, including 50 attorneys, from Freeman Freeman & Smiley.
Alt Legal Acquires TM Cloud’s Docketing System, Accelerating Global Expansion
In its fourth acquisition, IP and Trademark cloud docketing provider Alt Legal absorbed TM Cloud’s docketing system, attracted by its international customer base.
Stroock Partnership, Seeking to Remove a ‘Major Obstacle’ to Merger, Authorizes Pension Buyout
“A vote of the retired partners is in progress. We are optimistic about its success,” said firm co-chair Alan Klinger.
Office Openings & Closing:
Dickinson Wright Adds 20th Office With Formerly Remote Lawyers in Denver
The firm is starting with four partners and one associate, and it hopes to grow to 25 to 50 lawyers in Denver in the next year.
Heritage Foundation Legal Chief Departing to Open DC Office for Religion-Focused Law Firm
Nelson Madden Black partner Barry Black said the addition of Chris Byrnes “brings a whole new level of organizational advocacy to our firm as well as a wide network of contacts in Washington, D.C., and throughout the nation.”
Moving into Southeast Asia: Regional Firms Launch New Offices
Vientiane, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are just a few of the cities where Asia-based firms have set up shop.
Schnader Harrison to Cease Operations
Firm partner and general counsel Keith Whitson said it will be “dissolving and winding up its affairs,” but did not give a date for when the nearly 90-year-old firm will close its doors.
Tucker Ellis Expands Calif. Footprint With New Office, Absorbing Six-Attorney Litigation Shop
The Am Law 200 firm is adding its eighth office via a merger with Connor, Fletcher & Hedenkamp, based in Orange County.
US Litigation Boutique Shutters in London After a Decade
The move follows the exits of two teams in London over recent weeks. U.S. boutique firm Constantine Cannon has closed its London office, meaning the firm now only has American offices.
DAC Beachcroft Launches in Argentina with Double Hire
The new launch means the firm now has a Latin American presence in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico, as well as an office in Miami.
Chinese Legal Market Busy with Lateral Partner Moves, AllBright Sets Up in Kunming
Shanghai-based AllBright Law Offices has also bolstered its local capabilities by setting up a new office in Kunming to seize opportunities presented by China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Financials:
Clyde & Co Sees Merger-Fueled Revenue Boost as PEP Stalls
The results detail the firm’s first full financial year since its merger with BLM. Revenue at the U.K. law firm increased by 20% to reach £788.6 million in the year ending April 2023, largely as a result of its ambitious merger with U.K. top 50 firm BLM.
Dentons UKIME Arm Posts Modest Growth with 2% Revenue Uplift
£38 million of revenue came from inbound work outside the UKIME region, an 8.6% increase.
Bird & Bird Continues Growth with Double-Digit Revenue
The firm has added 11% to its top line while profit growth has eased.
Addleshaws Bucks Trend and Enjoys Double Digit Revenue and Profit Boost
The firm enjoyed an 18% increase in revenue.
Stewarts Suffers 55% PEP Drop, Reversing Last Year’s Fortunes
The managing partner pointed to his firm’s ‘non-linear’ revenue, and said the firm still had ‘good core income’.
Technology & Innovation:
Big Law, Nixing ChatGPT for Legal Work, Seeks Secure AI Solution
“Generative AI can be like an overeager intern who wants to make you happy,” said Kate Orr, global head of practice innovation at Orrick.
‘Bogus’ Cases and Confidential Data: How Artificial Intelligence Tests Legal Ethics
While the use of AI for writing may enhance creative analysis and identification of persuasive precedents, such use may also violate legal ethics rules, including the duty of competence, the duty of confidentiality and assisting in the unauthorized practice of law.
Many Aren’t Comfortable With Legal Using Generative AI. But That Could Soon Change
While there are some use cases that consumers feel comfortable with the legal industry leveraging generative AI for, a new survey from DISCO found that about a third of respondents said they’re against any use of the tech in legal.
Legal Tech Rundown: Exterro Partnership, Nextpoint Investment, Filevine University Launch, and More
An update on the legal tech market’s past few weeks, from product launches to new partnerships.
Southeast E-Discovery Leaders Say Generative AI Needs More Development for Their Use
Both Kilpatrick Townsend and Maynard Nexsen e-discovery team leaders said they do not incorporate generative AI into their operations.
Law Firms’ M&A Technology Spending Likely to Rise, As AI Becomes More Vital
Though M&A deal volume is dropping, investment in M&A technology is growing, according to Litera’s “Technology in M&A Report: AI, Tech Adoption, and Talent Management in the US and Canada.”
Diversity & Inclusion:
Ahead of the Curve: Assessing the Diversity of U.S. Law Deans After a Flurry of Leadership Changes
Welcome back to Ahead of the Curve. I’m Christine Charnosky, legal education reporter for Law.com, and I’ll be your host for this week’s look…
Ranked: The Top UK Law Firms for Partner Disability Representation, 2023
Law.com research shows that representation at partnership level is massively behind the national average, with some disabled lawyers calling current firm efforts “insufficient” and little more than a PR exercise.
Market Commentary:
Rise of Private Credit Has Been a Boon to Big Law
The shift in market players has created “winners and losers,” Debevoise’s Jeff Ross. The rapid expansion of the private credit deal market has led law firms to stock up on talent in the area, and it’s creating what some lawyers are saying are “winners and losers” in the shifting market.
Armstrong Teasdale Lets Go of 24 Staff, 11 Lawyers
Firm leaders said the staff reduction comes amid an effort to streamline the firm’s operations, while the lawyer reductions come after a review of productivity and performance.
Associate Lateral Moves Remain Depressed Even as Partner Moves Bounce Back
U.S. lateral moves were down 41% in the second quarter, though most of the impact was at the associate level. If partner hiring is a leading indicator, firms may already be bouncing back from a quieter period at the start of the year, according to newly released data.
In this article, I share my guidance for legal departments considering candidates with a lot of movement.
South America Sees M&A Surge in July
The region, which is chock-full of family-run companies and increasingly teeming with new technologies, has become fertile ground for private equity and other growth investors.
Katten Lays Off Lawyers and Staff While Deferring Some Associates
“The decision reflects the reality of the business environment in which we find ourselves,” the firm said.
Big Law Turns to Lawyers With IP Experience for Tech Practice Hires
Clifford Chance and Dentons have both recruited tech practice lawyers with strong IP backgrounds.
Mid-Year 2023 Check-In: Top Risk and Compliance Challenges
Corporate risk and compliance teams play an instrumental role in helping their organizations navigate crises and disruptions. Here’s what to keep top of mind in the next six months.
‘Lawyer Mindset’ at Odds With Succession Planning Best Practices
“It’s really hard to get law firms to embrace long-term planning because there’s a high sense of urgency for the immediate,” said Angela Sebastian, the former CEO of Chicago’s Levenfeld Pearlstein.
Reforming Regulatory Review: Environmental Lawyers Take Note
While clearly important to environmental lawyers focused on the development and administration of environmental regulations, the recent changes apply broadly across the larger regulatory landscape.
How to Financially Plan for a Job Change
If you are considering a job opportunity outside of Big Law, you may be questioning whether the new salary can support your current lifestyle. There are practical steps that you can take to ensure that (1) you will feel confident enough to step away from your current position and (2) you won’t need to come back because you cannot afford your lifestyle. In other words, how can you remove the infamous “golden handcuffs”?
New Hong Kong Listing Rules Eliminate Need to Disclose China-related Risks
In other recent listing rules changes, the HKEX also set a lower threshold for advanced technology companies including those in artificial intelligence and semiconductors to list on the exchange.
Layoff Season Winds Down as Law Firms Firms Prepare for Demand Uptick
Cuts at Katten Muchin Rosenman and Armstrong Teasdale don’t reflect rebounding demand for transactional attorneys, recruiters said.
Countercyclical Work Elevates Most of Legal Industry in Q2
Overall demand at midsize firms was up 3.7%, while Am Law 100 (0.3%) and Second Hundred (0.2%) firms are still below 1%.
Dentons has hired Steptoe & Johnson’s former managing partner in Beijing. He will serve as head of Dentons’ China IP litigation team. Clifford Chance has hired a Ropes & Gray partner with experience advising clients in intellectual property matters. The firm says it has three other tech lawyers joining in coming weeks.
So You Think August is the Month of Rest? Not for US Law Firms
Kirkland & Ellis, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and other U.S. firms have been making some bold moves in the U.K. Could they be setting a new tone in the London legal market?
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Fieldfisher Hires Eight-Strong Litigation Team from US Boutique
Fieldfisher has hired an eight-person competition litigation team from U.S. boutique Constantine Cannon. The team joining Fieldfisher consists of two partners, three lawyers and three support staff. London-based Richard Pike was previously a partner at Baker McKenzie and joined Constantine Cannon in 2014. Meanwhile, Stephen Critchley had been a partner at Constantine Cannon since 2021.
Simpson Thacher Hires Senior Lawyer from PE Giant Blackstone in London
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has strengthened its London real estate practice with the addition of a senior lawyer from private equity giant Blackstone. Angus Lennox, a managing director Blackstone, is joining the elite U.S. firm as a partner after seven years at the private equity giant. Prior to that, he had been a senior associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, according to a statement from Simpson Thacher.
DAC Beachcroft Sweep Up Plexus Team, as DWF Board Greenlights Firm Sale
DAC Beachcroft has hired a seven-partner team from recently sold law firm Plexus Law. The partners have all joined DAC Beachcroft’s national casualty practice, with two partners joining the firm’s Manchester office, and the remaining five joining the firm in Leeds. Nicola Skeldon and Louise Shaw, as well as Anthony Baker, Gavin McClenaghan, Ciaran Garnett, Carl McGuire and Stephen Johnson have all left Plexus, which was bought out of administration earlier this month by Axiom DWFM.
Ashurst Hires DLA Piper’s European Arbitration Head
Ashurst has added DLA Piper’s European head of arbitration, bolstering its London arbitration practice. Philip Chong, who has been DLA’s European head for six years, is set to join Ashurst in September after over 16 years at DLA, according to his Linkedin profile. His practice focuses on energy and infrastructure disputes as well as engineering and technical matters.
EMEA
Squire Patton Boggs Hires Pérez-Llorca Partner to Launch Litigation Practice in Madrid
Partner Javier Izquierdo will lead the transatlantic law firm’s litigation practice in the Spanish capital, filling a new role in a new practice for the Madrid office that will grow over time, a spokesperson for Squire Patton Boggs told Law.com International. He is expected to join the firm on September 1. Some colleagues will accompany partner Javier Izquierdo to his new firm.
APAC
Orrick Eyes Imminent Foothold in Singapore with US Energy Partner Relocation
The U.S. firm is also actively seeking an energy arbitration partner to build out its practice in the city-state.
Atsumi & Sakai Hires White & Case Corporate Lawyer as Partner in Tokyo
Tokyo-based Atsumi & Sakai, one of Japan’s largest law firms, has strengthened its corporate and real estate development practices with the hire of Aoi Koyanagi as a partner from White & Case in Tokyo, where she was most recently an associate.
Baker Botts Nabs Ashurst Projects Partner For New Singapore Outfit
Baker Botts has expanded its energy and project financing capability in Southeast Asia with the hire of projects lawyer Andrew Roche from Ashurst in Singapore, where he was most recently a partner. It marks Baker Botts’ fourth partner hire from Ashurst since the US firm launched in Southeast Asia.
The Americas
Jenner Recruits From Energy Commission to Continue Building Practice
Jenner & Block has brought on Anand Viswanathan, a veteran attorney of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, who will be special counsel in its Washington, D.C., office.
Benesch Adds New Wilmington Partner
Benesch announced that Daniel Brogan has recently joined the firm as a partner in its Wilmington office from Bayard. He is focused on advising clients in connection with corporate restructurings, bankruptcies, and other insolvency matters with a particular emphasis on insolvency-related litigation.
Winston Adds Another Weil Private Equity, Energy Lawyer in Dallas
Winston & Strawn continues to build its private equity practice serving the energy sector by adding Weil, Gotshal & Manges counsel Scott Delaney, closely following moves by others from Weil in the same practice.
Littler Hires EEOC Chief Counsel With Deep AI Expertise
Bradford Kelley will help advocate for employer interests before policymakers while also advising clients, many of whom are adopting AI to make their HR departments more efficient but still have unease about the potential for bias and discrimination.
Sidley Austin Snags DLA Piper’s Florida Corporate Practice Co-Chair
Joshua Samek is joining as a partner in its M&A and private equity global practice group.
Harneys Lands Regulatory & Tax Partner in the Cayman Islands
The offshore law firm lured Juan Pablo Urrutia from Walkers in a locale where competition for talent is stiff. Harneys has hired a Regulatory & Tax partner from Walkers in the Cayman Islands, where competition for legal talent has ramped up in recent years due to higher salaries in the U.K.
Cravath, Facing Fierce Competition, Builds Out DC Office With Top Government Hires
“It’s hard to displace market leaders who have been building a position for decades,” noted legal consultant Kent Zimmermann.
Planning ‘Steady’ Atlanta Growth, McGuireWoods Adds Kirkland Real Estate Partner
The firm plans to add private equity lawyers in Atlanta for the first time, as well as additional lawyers for its health care and debt finance practices, said office managing partner Chris Greene. The firm, whose largest office is in Richmond, Virginia, added partner Nicholas Dancey from Kirkland, MGuireWoods said on Thursday, joining its three-lawyer real estate and land use department team in Atlanta.
Holland & Knight Adds Veteran Private Wealth Lawyer; Baker Donelson Names Practice Leaders
Bryan Howard is moving to Holland & Knight, along with almost all of the clients he gained over 17 years with a boutique trusts and estates firm he co-founded in Nashville.
Womble Adds Bankruptcy Group’s First NY Partners
“We recognized that the time to grow had arrived,” said Matthew Ward, leader of Womble’s bankruptcy, restructuring and creditors’ rights practice. Edward Schnitzer, David Banker and Wojciech Jung began working Monday as partners on Womble’s capital markets practice and bankruptcy team in its New York office. They are the firm’s first bankruptcy lawyers based in its New York office, which launched in April 2022.
Steptoe Adds 35 Lawyers and Staff From Stroock
Stroock said it is continuing to talk with firms for a merger and its “most profitable practices remain intact.” The group of lawyers and staff moving from Stroock & Stroock & Lavan to Steptoe & Johnson now includes 35 people, including 27 lawyers and eight business services professionals in New York and Los Angeles.
In-House
Lionsgate Hires O’Melveny and Myers Dealmaker as General Counsel
The media company Lionsgate has quietly brought aboard a new general counsel, Bruce Tobey, who spent the past decade as a partner at O’Melveny & Myers and before that was chief operating officer of CBS Films and executive vice president at Paramount Pictures.
Cybersecurity Startup Hires GC, Rebuilds Legal Team After Mass Layoffs
David Morris, the first in-house lawyer at Tripadvisor who went on to become legal chief at Vivid Seats, joined Snyk as general counsel.
Lewis Brisbois Litigator Joins Tesla’s Crew of ‘Hardcore Streetfighters’
Frank Brannen is going in-house for the first time, joining a litigation department that Elon Musk wants to be hyper-aggressive. “There will be blood,” Musk said in a tweet last year.
Former Credit Suisse and Merrill Lynch Veteran Lawyer Jumps to MUFG as Legal Chief
As general counsel, Matt Abrusci will be responsible for the overall management of legal affairs and board of directors administration related to MUFG’s combined operations in the Americas.
Successor Named for CBRE GC Who Declined Relocation
CBRE moved the general counsel role to Dallas. But Laurence Midler, who is based in Los Angeles, declined to move to Texas. Laurence Midler, who has been at CBRE Group since 2004, has been succeeded by chief transformation officer Chad Doellinger in the general counsel role.
Wealth Management Firm Taps Google’s Legal Director as Legal Chief
“As someone who values teamwork, collaboration and financial empowerment, I’m honored to join LPL’s Management Committee as we continue to pursue LPL’s mission to take care of advisors so they can take care of their clients,” Althea Brown said in a statement.
3D-Printed Homebuilder ICON Hires Former Tesla, Amazon Lawyer as GC
Newly appointed ICON General Counsel Robert Harmon said it took “something extraordinary” to lure him away from Amazon, the opportunity to use “advanced technology to build a future with affordable, resilient and beautiful homes on this planet and beyond.”
UBS Appoints Several Credit Suisse Lawyers to Refreshed Global Litigation Team
The litigation team overhaul follows a spate of changes at UBS’ top level that came after the acquisition of its beleaguered Swiss banking rival. The appointments include Zurich-based Nik Boser, who had been asset management general counsel at Credit Suisse. In a post on LinkedIn earlier this week, he announced he been made head of litigation in Switzerland.
Former Unisys GC Moves Up the Road to Avantor
Claudius Sokenu, ranked by Savoy as one of the most influential Black executives in corporate America, said he was drawn to Avantor’s mission of scientific innovation.
Beer Giant Molson Coors Goes Outside for Legal Chief Replacement
Natalie Maciolek is taking the legal reins of the world’s third-largest brewer after spending a decade at faucet-maker Kohler, where she rose from senior staff attorney to general counsel in five years.
Promotions & Appointments:
Giant Window-Maker Andersen Passes Legal Torch
Taking the legal reins of North America’s largest maker of windows and doors is Andrea Nordaune, a 25-year company veteran.
In Leadership Shuffle, White & Case Names New Executive Committee
London is home to the firm’s next vice chair and two new executive committee members. White & Case has looked to London and New York to select its new round of executive committee leaders who will serve alongside its next chair, Heather McDevitt, based in New York. Oliver Brettle, based in London and also currently on the firm’s executive committee, will take over as vice chair from New York-based banking partner Dave Koschik, the firm said Monday. Two more London-based partners, Carina Radford (project development and finance) and Dipen Sabharwal (international arbitration), will join New York-based Eric Leicht (debt finance) in rounding out the four-partner committee.
A&O Names Interim Managing Partner Replacement for Gareth Price
Allen & Overy has announced that Khalid Garousha, its regional managing partner in the Middle East and Turkey, will become the firm’s next managing partner. Garousha takes over from Gareth Price in the role, who resigned from the firm earlier this month for “personal reasons” a year before the end of his term in 2024.
Allen & Gledhill Senior Disputes Counsel Becomes New Singapore Law Society President
The Law Society of Singapore has elected litigator Jason Chan, a partner and senior counsel at Singapore Big Four law firm Allen & Gledhill, as its new president following the death of his TSMP Law Corporation partner Adrian Tan.
Cozen O’Connor Taps New Lead for Canadian Life Sciences and Tech Team
Cozen O’Connor has hired Atoussa Mahmoudpour as a member of its North American corporate law group in Vancouver, where she’ll chair the firm’s new Canadian life sciences and technology practice.
Mergers & Alliances:
Pietragallo Gordon Announces Merger With Pittsburgh’s Gentile Horoho
East Coast commercial litigation firm Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti announced Monday that it is merging with Pittsburgh family law firm Gentile, Horoho & Avalli, effective Aug. 1.
Italy’s Pedersoli and Gattai Merge and Hire Team From BonelliErede
Two large Italian law firms—Pedersoli and Gattai Minoli Partners—have merged and hired a team of lawyers from elite outfit BonelliErede at the same time. The new firm, dubbed PedersoliGattai, will begin practicing on January 1st 2024 and will be made up of 350 professionals including 64 partners across three locations in Italy—Milan, Rome and Turin. It is expected to have a combined revenue of more than €120 million.
Office Openings & Closing:
Blank Rome Launches in Dallas With 7 Lawyers From 4 Law Firms
Am Law 100 firm Blank Rome opened a Dallas office this month because it has a number of clients in North Texas, and a long-established office in Houston.
Atlanta’s Fisher Phillips Opens Three Offices in Mexico With 30 Lawyers
The tie-up with a team from Deloitte coincides with growing demand for labour and employment advice in Mexico as more international companies shift production to North America.
Ropes & Gray Plans to Launch Office in Singapore
Andrew Dale, a litigation and investigations partner in Hong Kong, will help set up the new office and will play a key role in the new outfit.
‘Today’s Workplace Looks Different’: Willkie Signs Upsized Office Lease in San Francisco
Willkie, now with 45 lawyers in San Francisco, has signed a lease for a 44,000-square-foot office space at 330 Bush St.
Because Clients Asked, California Law Firm Moves into Texas With Houston Office
San Diego-based Tyson & Mendes, which opened the Houston office this month, plans to soon add another location in Texas.
Financials:
Travers Unveils Static PEP and Turnover Amid Challenging Year
The firm’s PEP has remained the same at £1.1 million, while turnover inched up by 1% to £197.5 million in the last financial year, while its average profit per equity partner stayed the same, at £1.1 million, according to the firm’s provisional financial results for the year ending June 30.
Freshfields Unveils Static PEP Despite Rising Revenue Amid M&A ‘Shift’
The firm’s average profit per equity partner inched up 1% in the last financial year, putting the firm slightly ahead of its main UK rivals, which all suffered a slight drop.
Macfarlanes Posts Triple Tumble Across Turnover, Profit, PEP
Following a stellar year in 2022, the firm posted a downturn and is changing its financial year end. The firm reported a turnover drop of 2.3% from the previous year, now standing at £296.6 million, while operating profit sank 6.1%, at £154.1 million, according to its unaudited financial results for the year.
Linklaters Becomes Latest Magic Circle Firm to Suffer PEP and Profits Dip
Like its rivals, the firm’s revenue increased but profits fell after ‘material exceptional costs’, which the firm attributed to the closure of its Moscow office.
Technology & Innovation:
Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT: Friend, Foe, or Both
Although ESI is still important, generative artificial intelligence (AI), especially ChatGPT, has taken the world by storm.
Everlaw Brings Generative AI to Its Storybuilder, Document Review Offerings
Everlaw’s new AI Assistant, which uses OpenAI’s API, leveraging the GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 models, is for now only available to a select number of customers in beta, with plans to release to the broader market in upcoming months.
UnitedLex Launches New Innovation Lab, With $10M in Support
The new lab will act as a legal technology testing ground, incubator and development space.
UpLevel Ops Launches Generative AI Management Services for Legal Departments
Generative Artificial Intelligence Management Services includes multiple offerings, from education and training to road mapping, with the aim of helping in-house teams plan and account for generative AI in their tech stacks.
Addleshaw Goddard Presses Ahead on Generative AI With Several Pilot Schemes
Meanwhile, Clyde & Co is working with artificial intelligence firm Luminance to create an AI-powered claims handling system.
Big Law Is Leaning Into AI for Bias-Free Hiring and Retention
Firms that started experimenting with AI-powered assessment platforms as early as 2019 are leaning more heavily on the technology or looking to use it to solve more nuanced challenges, such as the type of advancement opportunities that young lawyers receive.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Slaughter and May Becomes First Top UK Law Firm to Set Social Mobility Targets
The famously blue-blooded institution is broadening the universities it works with, offering apprenticeships and starting a financial bursary scheme to help achieve its aims.
Market Commentary:
ESG Drives Environmental Practice Growth, Day Pitney Lawyers Say
Initiatives launched by Connecticut and New Jersey’s respective regulatory agencies and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been keeping firms’ environmental practices buzzing, according to Day Pitney’s environmental leaders.
The Evolving Role of Big Law Leadership
“We will see far fewer major law firm leaders have extended terms. The burnout risk is too great and the pressures too significant,” noted Paul Weiss chair Brad Karp.
Many Companies Giving Lip Service to Environmental, Societal Goals
“Sustainability is typically treated by most managers as someone else’s problem and relegated to a department or even a single individual,” a new report published in the MIT Sloan Management Review found.
Merger Mania: Why Do Law Firms Want to Fall in Love?
Merger mania has seized the law firm world. But like marriage, mergers are complicated. So why are so many law firms looking for a partner?
The Law Firm Disrupted: The Recession May Not Happen. Who’s Ready?
Are layoffs still necessary? Maybe this is the point for law firms that have been coping with flabby demand for months to conclude that they can absorb it just for a little while longer.
An Inflection Point? Big Law’s Path to Office Mandates
Within a year, how did the legal industry change its posture on office mandates? It was less of a tipping point and more of a ratchet effect, analysts say.
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Goodwin Continues London Private Equity Expansion with McDermott Lateral
Arvin Abraham joins Goodwin having spent nearly three years as a partner at McDermott, where he held the roles of co-chair of the fintech and blockchain practice and was a member of the firm’s global venture capital steering committee.
DLA Piper Global Investigations and Compliance Head Joins Rival in London
Patrick Rappo is well known in the sector and had even been touted as a contender for the director role at the Serious Fraud Office.
EMEA
Wolf Theiss Hires 27 Lawyers From Polish Firm
The CEE firm hailed the move as a major step for the firm’s target market in Poland as well as the wider region.
Baker McKenzie, Baker Botts Continue Middle East Expansion with Laterals
International law firms continue to steadily expand their presence in one of the commercial world’s fastest-growing regions. Abdulaziz Alajlan & Partners in association with Baker & McKenzie has hired a new regulatory partner based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Perez-Llorca Hires from Clifford Chance in Madrid
Spanish law firm Pérez-Llorca has brought on long-time Clifford Chance partner Yolanda Azanza to join its capital markets practice in Madrid. The appointment is part of Pérez-Llorca’s ‘Women in Corporate’ program, designed to increase the number of female partners in the corporate law practice.
APAC
Gilbert + Tobin Partner Karen Evans-Cullen to Stand In as PwC Australia General Counsel
Evans-Cullen’s move to PWC marks a return to the Big Four accounting firm two years after she left, saying the firm was unable to attract big deals from major clients.
Watson Farley Adds Former Pinsent Masons Disputes Partner in Singapore
Watson Farley & Williams has boosted its dispute resolution practice in Asia with the hire of construction and engineering disputes lawyer Boon Tat Yeo as a partner in Singapore. The hire comes about three months after the UK firm added Clifford Chance’s international arbitration counsel Nathan Eastwood as a partner in Sydney.
The Americas
Shook Hardy Hires Morrison & Foerster Trial Lawyer in San Francisco
Jessica Grant was drawn to the firm after working with its lawyers on five cases, and represents Phillip Morris, U.S. Bank and Snap Inc., among others.
Alston Lawyer Moves to Akerman
After four years at Alston & Bird, Carlos Encinas has moved his economic development-focused practice to Akerman, working in its Atlanta and Chicago offices.
Womble Bond Dickinson Lands 2nd California Boutique in July
Three partners from Gordinier Kang & Kim have joined Womble Bond, adding a core transactional practice and expanding on litigation services the firm offers in the Golden State.
Littler Mendelson Expands in Miami as Clients Seek Help Navigating Local Politics
“What is unique [in Florida] is that we do happen to have an extremely active state legislature. We have an extremely active gubernatorial administration so that, I daresay, is keeping employers on their toes,” said Littler Mendelson Miami office managing shareholder Lori Brown.
Lewis Brisbois Spinoff Sees 20-Attorney Departure to O’Hagan Meyer
The departures come after Daugherty Lordan lost its Pittsburgh office’s five-attorney labor and employment group to national firm Freeman Mathis & Gary earlier in the month.
Greenberg Traurig Trial Lawyer, Firm Leader, Jumps to King & Spalding in Houston
Greenberg Traurig trial partner and senior vice president Mary-Olga Lovett has moved to King & Spalding in Houston because of the firm’s litigation focus.
Pashman Stein Adds Delaware Partner
Pashman Stein Walder Hayden announced that William R. Firth III has joined the firm as partner in the litigation and bankruptcy, restructuring and creditors’ rights practices as of June 30.
Lewis Brisbois Trial Team Moves to Steptoe & Johnson PLLC in Dallas
Christopher White, the head of the Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith office in Dallas, was attracted to Steptoe & Johnson’s growth in Texas, particularly in the trial practice.
Big Law Partner Recruiting Picks Up Steam in DC
Paul Hastings, Baker Botts, Cleary Gottlieb, Wilkie, Proskauer, Boies Schiller, Mintz, and Barclay Damon all announced additions in their Washington, D.C., offices this week.
Wilson Sonsini Hires Former bioMérieux GC as In-House Leaders Navigate Budget Constraints
Meredith Krannich, the former general counsel at bioMérieux, joined the firm’s Executive Advisory Program in its Salt Lake City office.
In-House
GC-in-Waiting Takes Legal Reins at Northrop Grumman, Achieving Career Goal
Kathryn Gilchrist Simpson, who a decade ago said she aspired to be a defense-industry legal chief, is getting that opportunity at Northrop Grumman with the retirement of her boss, Sheila Cheston.
Outside GC for Rib Chain Tony Roma’s Jumps Into CEO Seat
“I am excited to bring a fresh perspective from outside the food industry to Romacorp,” Mohaimina Haque said.
AG Jennings’ Chief of Staff Joins Potter Anderson as Assistant GC, Risk Management Director
AJ Roop said he made the move to Potter Anderson to expand the scope of his legal work and is excited to work for a firm with a local and global reputation.
VantageScore Snags Former Visa Counsel for GC Role
Kimberly Schmid is taking the legal reins of a fintech whose rapid growth is shaking up the credit bureau industry.
GoHealth Legal Chief Jumps to Growth-Minded Provider of Mental Health Care
Brian Farley is taking the legal reins at Acadia Healthcare, which bills itself as the nation’s largest stand-alone behavioral health provider with 23,000 employees and 250 facilities.
Owner of Gigantic Tract of California Land Rehires Former GC
Tejon Ranch, which abruptly parted ways with its last legal chief last month, has rehired Michael Houston, snagging him from the nation’s largest municipal planning agency.
Promotions & Appointments:
Continuing Growth Ambitions, Crowell Names New C-Suite Leader in New York
Joseph Palermo, arriving from Lowenstein, is based in New York, as the D.C.-based firm seeks to grow its presence in the Big Apple. “The firm wants to continue to grow” in the market, he said.
Husch Adds Business-First CEO From Baker McKenzie
With Jamie Lawless as Husch Blackwell CEO, women will hold the top two positions at the firm.
Mergers & Alliances:
A&O, Shearman Leaders Embark on Merger Roadshow Ahead of October Vote
The two firms expect to implement a joint compensation system with no maximum cap on remuneration.
Office Openings & Closing:
Expansive Chinese Law Firm to Launch Office in Paris
Global 200 law firm Jingsh Law Offices has two other offices in Western Europe—one in London and the other in Düsseldorf. It also has offices in North America, Southeast Asia and Africa.
Closing of Two Law Firms Highlights Succession Planning Concerns
Attorneys, from junior associates to other firm partners, need to create backup plans well in advance of a rainmaker or founding partner retiring, experts say.
Philadelphia Law Firm Closes, Leading Partners to Jump to Larger Practice
Three lawyers are moving to Semanoff Ormsby after the closing of their prior firm, Dolchin Slotkin & Todd, which shuttered after a firm founder retired.
A Hoteling Success Story? A Look Inside Farella’s New San Francisco Office
The firm has doubled its office attendance from the same period a year ago without any mandated policies, according to a partner who helped steer the move.
Financials:
UK Law Firm Revenues are Up But Profits are Down. Why?
A look at the reasons why this phenomenon is occurring in the early financial results suggests a rapidly rising challenge in balancing the books, The London Lawyer argues.
US Firm Strength Showcased in Inaugural UK Revenue Rankings
Law.com International launches the first ever ranking of the top 30 law firms in London, irrespective of where they are headquartered.
Simmons & Simmons Posts Double-Digit Growth as PEP Flatlines
The firm’s managing partner Jeremy Hoyland discussed the firm’s China focus and emphasised the importance of local U.S. firm relationships in maintaining its stateside business.
Why Are UK Law Firm Revenues Are Up While Profits Are Down?
A look at the reasons why this phenomenon is occurring in the early financial results suggests a rapidly rising challenge in balancing the books, The London Lawyer argues.
Allen & Overy Managing Partner Exits Ahead of Merger, as Revenue Surpasses £2 Billion
Gareth Price has stepped down ‘for personal reasons,’ the firm announced in its financial results, as the firm prepares to vote on its highly anticipated merger with Shearman & Sterling later this summer.
Technology & Innovation:
Many UK Legal Professionals Expect Generative AI to Change Nature of Client Relationships
The “Generative AI and the future of the legal profession” survey from LexisNexis found that in-house teams and large law firms in the U.K. are among the early adopters of generative AI tools.
AI Craves Content, and Thought Leaders Provide It
A discussion of the evolution of AI in the legal space and how AI-generated content is based on thought-leadership pieces.
Mastering AI Supervision: A Teachable Skill for Modern Lawyers
Whether you are a seasoned lawyer or a recent law graduate, this guide will arm you with the knowledge and practical strategies you need to adapt to the rapidly evolving AI landscape and champion responsible AI implementation.
Diversity & Inclusion:
The UK’s Top Law Firms for Racial Diversity, 2023
US law firms continue to outperform UK rivals, with the Law Society’s president pointing to a trend of minority lawyers quitting larger law firms due to a lack of progress.
Linklaters, Cleary Gottlieb Guide First Sustainable Bond With Gender Goals
As part of the deal, Chile has pledged to convince publicly traded companies to appoint women to at least 40% of their board seats by the end of 2031. It has also committed to getting its annual greenhouse gas emissions below certain targets by the end of 2030.
Women Taking More Partner Positions in Australian Firms, But Still Lag Men
35% of partner or principal positions held by women in Australia’s largest state.
Market Commentary:
A&O, Shearman Leaders Embark on Merger Roadshow Ahead of October Vote
The two firms expect to implement a joint compensation system with no maximum cap on remuneration.
Weil Gotshal to Require Four Days of Office Attendance
Weil is the third Am Law 50 New York law firm to require four days of attendance per week, following moves by Skadden and Davis Polk.
Extravagance in Asia: In Choosing Asia Over the US, What Is Mishcon’s Game Plan?
“Economic hegemony” is shifting toward Asia, says Mishcon executive chair Kevin Gold.
PwC Global Legal Head to Leave in Near Future, New Australian Leader Says
Australian general counsel Meredith Beatty also to leave. Global head of PwC’s legal services arm Tony O’Malley and the Big Four accounting firm’s Australian general counsel Meredith Beattie will shortly leave the firm.
King & Spalding, Alston and Troutman Move Up in M&A Legal Adviser Rankings
Justin Howard, co-leader of Alston & Bird’s M&A group, said the firm’s corporate practice remains active because it works with clients across a wide range of industries.
Anxiety-Inducing Reviews May Hinder Law Firms’ Training Efforts
With less work to go around, a lack of formal training, and a bad rep around performance reviews, firms are still navigating significant challenges around training.
Aggressive Billing Rate Hikes and Boosting Leverage Will Help ‘Static’ Law Firms
Positioning a law firm as a lower-cost alternative doesn’t appear to be bearing fruit for so-called static law firms, according to a new report.
For Staff in Big Law, Supporting Too Many Lawyers Can Be ‘Quickest Route to Burnout’
As lateral mobility has increased, law firms have placed additional pressures on business professionals, from human resources, marketing and those tasked with checking conflicts.
Law Firms’ Return to Office May Be Pushing Some Legal Tech Vendors to Follow Suit
Law firms are increasingly asking to meet their legal tech vendors in-person, precipitating a push to in-person work within legal technology companies—but only to an extent.
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Gibson Dunn Hires Two Shearman Projects Partners in London
The moves are the latest in a line of Shearman partner exits across the UK, Europe and Middle East over the last nine months, as it seeks to merge with Allen & Overy. Ben Shorten and Trinh Chubbock both join the firm from Shearman & Sterling, where Shorten spent 23 years as a partner in the firm’s project development and finance group, most recently leading the group.
Slaughter and May Hires Human Rights Lead from Vodafone
The appointment is expected to advise clients on implementing human rights and ESG programmes.
Proskauer London Leveraged Finance Partner Walks to Eversheds
Eversheds replenishes its ranks after it lost a partner from its leverage finance practice earlier in the year. Ben Davis joins Eversheds after seven years in Proskauer’s corporate and multi-tranche finance groups.
Goodwin Continues London Private Equity Expansion with McDermott Lateral
The latest hire for the firm, which is proving hawkish on the London hiring scene having taken partners from key rivals, was the co-chair of the fintech and blockchain practice. Arvin Abraham joins Goodwin having spent nearly three years as a partner at McDermott.
DLA Piper Global Investigations and Compliance Head Joins Rival in London
Patrick Rappo is well known in the sector and had even been touted as a contender for the director role at the Serious Fraud Office.
EMEA
Portugal’s CS’Associados Adds Competition Head from Morais Leitão
The newcomer replaces Margarida Rosado da Fonseca, who left the firm at the end of February.
Goodwin Builds Out Tech and Life Sciences Practice in Paris With Team Hire From Bird & Bird
The three-lawyer, partner-led team specializes in M&A, venture capital and private equity, adding to Goodwin’s capabilities in a key practice area for the firm.
Taylor Wessing Hires in to Launch Dubai IP Practice
The firm, which is in expansive mood, plans to grow to 25 lawyers in Dubai.
Pair of International Firms Expand Middle East Practices
Baker McKenzie and Baker Botts are building in the region.
White & Case Lures Senior Ex-HSF Madrid M&A Duo
Oliver Brettle, a member of the firm’s global executive committee, said in the firm is investing in its Madrid office “strategically and carefully”.
APAC
Australia’s JWS Hires Disputes and Insolvency Partner from Jones Day
Australian law firm Johnson Winter Slattery (JWS) has hired Jones Day arbitration partner Lucas Wilk as the firm sees an increase in disputes and insolvency work.
Allen & Gledhill Disputes Team Breaks Away to Form Singapore Boutique
In Singapore, dispute resolution lawyers have increasingly been drawn to leave established law firms to set up or lead new ventures.
Haiwen & Partners Takes Greater China Partner Trio from HSF
All three lawyers have spent more than a decade at Herbert Smith Freehills. Tom Chau, most recently Herbert Smith Freehills’ Beijing managing partner, is joining Haiwen with two other of Herbert Smith Freehills’ capital markets partners, Zhong Wang and Isaac Chen. All three lawyers will be dually-based in Haiwen’s Hong Kong and Beijing offices.
HSF Hires Tax Advisory Partner from Deloitte
Prior to joining Deloitte in 2014, James Pettigrew spent over 20 years at Greenwoods, Herbert Smith Freehills’ former affiliate tax advisory firm.
The Americas
Taking ‘Long-Term View,’ Paul Hastings Adds 2 Capital Markets Partners From Goodwin
Seo Salimi, a capital markets partner who focuses on early-stage life sciences companies, will co-head Paul Hastings’ equity capital markets practice and co-chair its corporate life sciences practice. Salimi will be based in the firm’s New York office.
Assistant Counsel to New York Governor Returns to Private Practice With Anderson Kill
Paul W. Ryan’s experience in government also includes a run with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he served as senior counsel from 2003-10.
Stroock Sees Partner Exits Amid Protracted Merger Talks
The chair of Stroock’s litigation practice and the leader of its LA office are planning to leave for Steptoe & Johnson, while a real estate partner has landed at Jones Day.
Antheil Maslow, Cipriani & Werner
Antheil Maslow & MacMinn announced that Jocelin A. Price has joined as a partner in the firm’s estates and trusts practice group.
Akin Recaptures Allen & Overy Energy Transition Tax Lawyer
Allen & Overy tax counsel Sam Guthrie has returned to Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld as a partner in Washington, D.C., to focus on projects and energy transition matters.
O’Melveny Lands Shearman Real Estate Finance Leader
Malcolm Montgomery returned to O’Melveny & Myers after 22 years at Shearman & Sterling, where he led the firm’s global real estate practice and co-led REIT and hospitality practices.
Dentons Continues to Strengthen Network in Central America as Demand in Region Grows
Central America is a region often overlooked by international law firms and the focus on smaller economies such as Costa Rica is paying dividends as international investors explore more corners of the world.
Proskauer Rose Hedge Fund Duo Moves to Dechert
Robert Leonard and Michael Mavrides specialize in advising asset managers in the sourcing and use of “alternative” data.
Cuatrecasas Adds Natural Resources and Labor Partners in Peru
The new partners will lead two hot practice areas in the copper-rich country. Global demand for copper has increased with the growth of electric vehicles.
Gibson Dunn Poaches Cleary Gottlieb Real Estate Finance Partner in New York
Michael Weinberger arrived at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s New York office this month after 31 years at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton.
In-House
Rising HR Platform Bambee Hires Poshmark GC as First Legal Chief
Bambee CEO Allan Jones said newly hired legal chief Evan Ferl, in addition to having deep legal and business skills, brings energy and creativity. “We enjoy operating leaders who bring a sense of joy to their work,” Jones said.
Binance GC Exits as Regulators Up Scrutiny of Crypto Exchange
Hon Ng, who was a senior Uber attorney before joining Binance in 2020, is stepping aside at Binance amid a Department of Justice investigation of the company.
Promotions & Appointments:
Eckert Seamans Elevates Del. Attorney to Member
National law firm Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott has promoted three associates to member (partner), effective July 1, including Jessica L. Reno, based in the firm’s Wilmington office.
Richards, Layton & Finger Elects New Firm Directors
Richards, Layton & Finger announced that it has elected attorneys Robert Greco, Antonios Roustopoulos and Brendan Schlauch as directors of the firm, effective July 1.
K&L Gates Appoints Jason Opperman to Lead Australian Offices
Nick Nichola, who has led the firm’s Australian practice for over 18 years, will remain a partner at K&L Gates.
Skadden Elevates Richard Youle to London Head
Incumbent Pranav Trivedi spent 10 years as London head.
Lisa Mayhew to Step Down as Co-Chair of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
Mayhew, who architected Berwin Leighton Paisner’s 2018 merger with Bryan Cave, will finish her second leadership term at the end of the year.
Borden Ladner Gervais Appoints New Office Managing Partners in Toronto and Montreal
Both Cindy Clarke and Vincent Frenette have careers spanning more than 25 years.
PwC Global Legal Head to Leave in Near Future, New Australian Leader Says
Australian general counsel Meredith Beatty also to leave.
Mergers & Alliances:
Atlanta’s Smith Currie Sees Competitive Advantage After Merger
The merger will create one of the top construction law and government contract-oriented firms in the U.S., a firm leader said.
Law Firm Mergers May Accelerate in Second Half of 2023
The timeframe for completing a merger is lengthening, and the likelihood of a roadblock is greater, but “given the level of activity,” Fairfaix analysts anticipate an acceleration in completed deals.
UK Top 50 Firm Snaps Up IP Outfit
The IP firm has offices in Germany, France and Belgium, as well as its London base.
‘The Easiest Part of the Whole Deal’: A Merger Between A&O and Shearman in Europe
As shown in the map and charts compiled by Law.com International below, A&O’s footprint in Europe far outweighs Shearman’s, both in number of offices and lawyer head count.
Stroock and Nixon Peabody Call Off Merger; Stroock Pursuing Other Combo Candidates
Leaders at Stroock had been hoping to hammer out a deal by the end of June, people familiar with the talks said.
Office Openings & Closing:
Morgan Lewis to Launch Fourth Greater China Office in Shenzhen
The firm’s new office will be led by partner Shaobin Zhu, who is also its China IP practice head. He will be based in Shenzhen full time.
Scottish Legal Scene Fizzes with an Office Launch and its First £100M Law Firm
Though overall growth is slowing in line with other parts of the UK, Scotland is nevertheless attracting interest with a UK top 50 firm planting its flag in Glasgow.
Trowers & Hamlins Prepares Singapore Office Launch
The application for the FLP license will go hand-in-hand with a proposed collaboration with domestic Singapore firm Braddell Brothers, a two-partner practice that focuses on dispute resolution.
Former Clifford Chance, K&L Gates Lawyers Launch Own Practice in Tokyo
Aquaxis currently has five partners, including former Clifford Chance and K&L Gates lawyers, Atsushi Yamashita, Naoki Watanabe and Ayuko Nemoto.
Financials:
PEP Drops 13% at Osborne Clarke
The firm’s international CEO said more consolidation in the industry was ‘inevitable’ given difficult market conditions.
Miller Thomson’s Chair Eyes Continuing Growth at Canada’s Largest Midsize Law Firm
With 10 offices across Canada, the Global 200 law firm Miller Thomson is building up the firm’s bench strength at a time when the midmarket in Canada’s legal industry is particularly active and several U.S. firms have moved in. Managing partner Peter Auvinen discusses the firm’s challenges and achievements.
Eversheds Maintains Revenue Growth Against Difficult Backdrop
CEO Lee Ranson described the results as “pleasing” in the face of “volatility” across the market.
HFW Posts Double-Digit Growth Alongside PEP, Profit Rises
The firm’s leaders have attributed the strong set of financial results to a refreshed firm strategy.
More Firms Up NQ Salaries Despite Easing Pay War
Though steady increases are being made by several large law firms, there is little indication that the pay war will return this year.
Slaughters and Linklaters Slide Down H1 UK M&A Rankings Amid Dismal Market
The Refinitiv data showed a dramatic 49% decrease in the value of European M&A, marking a 10-year low.
Taylor Wessing Scraps Profit Share Bonus Scheme After UK Profits Fall
The firm offered the bonus to everyone at the firm, excluding partners, in the previous two financial years.
Technology & Innovation:
Competitive Necessity, Job Disrupter: Legal Professionals Predict Major Generative AI Impact
A new survey from Wolters Kluwer and Above the Law found that legal professionals across the industry see generative AI as both essential and, for many, unwelcome.
Making Room for Generative AI in Legal Workflows
Is there room for generative AI in legal workflows? The answer is “yes,” but finding the right way to apply this technology requires a thoughtful approach based on an understanding of both its strengths as well as its limitations.
Aderant Launches AI Chatbot, Latham & Watkins’ Web3 Venture, and More
An update on the legal tech market’s past few weeks, from product launches to new partnerships.
Generative AI Is Bringing Waves of Funding to Legal Tech. Can It Last?
While legal technology investments have slowed in recent months, generative AI advancements have caught the attention of investors who may have once overlooked the legal tech market.
Ethical and Thoughtful Use of AI in the Legal Industry
Artificial intelligence won’t replace lawyers, but lawyers who don’t learn how to responsibly leverage the power of AI will be replaced by those who do.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Women Taking More Partner Positions in Australian Firms, But Still Lag Men
35% of partner or principal positions held by women in Australia’s largest state.
Market Commentary
ESG’s Renewed Focus is All Around Risk
Companies are already facing regulatory requirements related to the environmental and governance aspects of ESG, and more are on the way.
Law Firms in Indonesia Pivot to Stave Off Tech Venture Capital Slump
Health care, life sciences, nickel mining and telecommunications are sectors that lawyers are focusing on now.
Latham Leads Legal Adviser Tables, as Worldwide M&A Hits Lowest Point in 3 Years
Latham and Kirkland were top ranked while several Wall Street law firms picked up market share and rose up the league tables released by Refinitiv.
As Law Firm Mergers Get More Complex, Fewer Are Crossing Borders
There are fewer cross-border unions materializing lately, despite “an awful lot” of interest among U.K. firms in the U.S. market.
The Way Big Law Reacts to Economic Cycles Is Unrealistic, Unhealthy and Inhumane
The problem isn’t that economies are cyclical, that’s a fact of life. The problem here is that Big Law can sometimes have unrealistic reactions to both upturns and downturns. If this happens, it’s not in the interests of their own attorneys or their clients. It’s inhumane and unhealthy.
GCs Keep Cutting Outside Counsel Panels, as Law Firms See Heightened Competition
The pandemic may have accelerated the trend of companies winnowing down their lists of preferred providers.
California’s Largest Law Firms Continued to Expand in 2022
Most California law firms saw head count growth in 2022, while more than a dozen new offices among the nation’s largest firms launched in the state.
‘Seismic Shift’: Top Brass Increasingly Craft ESG Strategy, Taking Reins From Legal Departments
Even so, legal departments must remain integrally involved, as rising regulation and increasing anti-ESG sentiment make the subject a legal and reputational minefield, according to a new report.
Just How Much Do ALSPs Threaten Traditional Law Firms in Asia?
Alternative Legal Service Providers say the sector has grown considerably in the past few years. That could be bad news for traditional private practices—a sign that the market has changed and the attitude towards traditional law firm models and what they have to offer has evolved.
Luxembourg Opens its Doors to UK Qualified Lawyers
Its tax friendly status has seen the small nation rake in huge direct investment and around €5 trillion in assets under management, making it the second-largest investment fund centre after the US.
Big Law Firms Continue Downsizing Office Spaces Amid Hybird Work Arrangements
Crowell & Moring, Katten and Kilpatrick have all made plans to downsize their office spaces in D.C., according to real estate reports.
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Gibson Dunn Hires Two Shearman Projects Partners in London
The moves are the latest in a line of Shearman partner exits across the UK, Europe and Middle East over the last nine months, as it seeks to merge with Allen & Overy. Ben Shorten and Trinh Chubbock both join the firm from Shearman & Sterling.
Pinsent Masons Loses Fourth Dublin Partner in Eight Months
The partner becomes the second Pinsents partner to move to Bird & Bird in recent months.
South African Corporate Finance Partner Joins Fasken in London
Joz Coetzer moves to the Canadian-based firm after more than a decade with White & Case.
EMEA
Cuatrecasas Lures Veteran Partner Duo from PLMJ
Serena Cabrita Neto has joined the Spanish law firm in its tax area, and Sofia Gomes da Costa in real estate and urban planning. Both partners are already working in Cuatrecasas’s Lisbon office, just down the street from PLMJ in the city center. Both hires will be based in Lisbon.
BonelliErede Loses 18-Person Tax Team to Rival Italian Firm
It is the second team departure from the firm this year after losing a nine-lawyer M&A team in Milan to Chiomenti in February.
Baker McKenzie Hires A&O Partner to Head Its M&A and Capital Markets Practice in Madrid
Torrente is the second corporate and M&A partner to leave Allen & Overy’s European operation recently. His departure comes just one month after Allen & Overy and U.S.-based Shearman & Sterling announced a proposed trans-Atlantic merger.
APAC
Allen & Gledhill Disputes Team Breaks Away to Form Singapore Boutique
In Singapore, dispute resolution lawyers have increasingly been drawn to leave established law firms to set up or lead new ventures.
Australia’s JWS Hires Disputes and Insolvency Partner from Jones Day
Australian law firm Johnson Winter Slattery (JWS) has hired Jones Day arbitration partner Lucas Wilk as the firm sees an increase in disputes and insolvency work.
Greenberg Traurig Hires Tokyo Real Estate Duo From Orrick
Yuko Ino joins Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder, bringing along with her a real estate and securitization lawyer, who will be taking on the position as of counsel.
Shihui Partners Lands Dentons Dispute Resolution Partner in Beijing
The lateral hire comes as Shihui Partners has been expanding its firmwide head count by adding partners from law firms such as King & Wood Mallesons.
Construction Duo Leave Norton Rose for Baker McKenzie in Sydney
Emanuel Confos, head of construction for Norton Rose, and partner Harriet Oldmeadow are both leaving to join Baker McKenzie, but Norton Rose said it will soon be bringing on its own additions to its national projects and construction team in Sydney.
The Americas
Akin Infrastructure Partner Moves to New Clifford Chance Office in Houston
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld energy and infrastructure partner David Sweeney has joined Clifford Chance’s new Houston office, which is building a team with Big Law partners.
McDermott Lands Cybersecurity Partner From Baker McKenzie
Stephen Reynolds, McDermott’s new cybersecurity partner, said it’s becoming more important for law firms to have dedicated cyber and incident response teams, not just recruiting IP lawyers for the work.
Clifford Chance Adds Another Infrastructure Partner to New Office in Houston
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld energy and infrastructure partner David Sweeney has joined Clifford Chance’s new Houston office, which is building a team with Big Law partners.
Winston Grabs Alston & Bird’s Texas Litigation Leader
Alston & Bird litigation partner and Texas litigation leader Stephanie Clouston moved to Winston & Strawn in Dallas.
Shearman 4-Lawyer IP Litigation Group Heads to Trial Boutique
Shearman & Sterling IP litigation partner Matthew Berkowitz and three other attorneys joined trial boutique Reichman Jorgensen in Northern California.
Nixon Peabody Picks Up 10 Lawyers From Kaufman Dolowich Amid Uptick in Real Estate Disputes
Partners Ashley Klein and A. Jeanne Grove led a team that represented 40% of Kaufman Dolowich’s head count in San Francisco.
BCLP Adds 7th Dentons IP Partner in 2 Weeks in 4-Person Lateral Hire
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner went to Dentons for IP talent again this week with the hiring of Dentons’ post-grant group leader Scott Cummings.
Fintech In-House Attorney Moves to Greenberg Traurig and Other ‘On the Move’ News
Plus, patent lawyer David Franklin Sawrie has moved to Baker Donelson.
Morgan Lewis Hires Winston & Strawn’s M&A Leader in Northern California
Khoa Do and a Winston associate joined Morgan Lewis in Silicon Valley on Wednesday, in a move that strengthens its M&A and private equity capabilities in an important business sector and key industries.
In-House
Yulchon Hires SK Biopharmaceuticals General Counsel as Dispute Resolution Partner
Chae, who has held several senior in-house roles in Korea’s healthcare and medical tech industries, will be handling various issues related to internal investigations, customs, whistleblowing and rebates in the healthcare and medtech industry, the firm said.
Paris-Based Customer-Care Giant Hires US Outside Counsel as Legal Chief
Teri O’Brien, a fixture of the San Diego legal scene for two decades, is becoming the top lawyer for Teleperformance, which has 410,000 employees in 91 countries.
Move to T5 Computes for Veteran Data Center Lawyer
Karen Stein’s fourth stop on the data-center builder carousel is T5 Data Centers, which has grown explosively since launching 15 years ago.
Startup Using Tech to Disrupt Health Care Fills Long-Vacant GC Post
Zachary McBride has taken the legal reins at Solera Health, whose platform helps patients access health and wellness programs aimed at preventing common and expensive chronic conditions.
UBS General Counsel Absorbs Credit Suisse GC Role Amid Cuts
The move comes as Credit Suisse’s GC exits the bank amid a sweep of cuts at the beleaguered Swiss bank that have followed its sale to UBS.
McKesson’s Compliance Chief Joins Alphabet’s Verily Life Sciences as GC
Laura O’Donnell is joining the precision health company following a retrenchment that led to new leadership, a narrower focus, and a $1 billion funding infusion from its parent.
Australia’s Real Estate Group CBRE Appoints New Regional GC
Leah Boyd replaces Betty Ivanoff, who left to join casino rival.
Clayton Utz Chair Becomes GC at Australia’s Largest Bank
Karen O’Flynn joins CBA on September 1.
Promotions & Appointments:
Norton Rose Names New Managing Partner in Calgary
Elizabeth Williams has been at the firm since she was called to the bar in 2009.
White & Case’s Hugh Verrier Stepping Down, Firm Names Lit Partner as Next Chair
The firm’s new chair, Heather McDevitt, was announced Tuesday after a partnership vote and will take the helm on September 1, 2023.
MSA Safety Elevates 28-Year Company Veteran to Chief Legal Officer
Richard Roda most recently served as MSA’s deputy general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer for more than a decade.
Troutman Pepper Elects New Leadership, Chair Steve Lewis to Step Down
Lewis will be replaced as chair by current managing partner Tom Cole. Washington, D.C., partner Amie Colby will become the firm’s next managing partner.
Richards, Layton & Finger Elects New Firm Directors
Richards, Layton & Finger announced that it has elected attorneys Robert Greco, Antonios Roustopoulos and Brendan Schlauch as directors of the firm, effective July 1.
K&L Gates Appoints Jason Opperman to Lead Australian Offices
Nick Nichola, who has led the firm’s Australian practice for over 18 years, will remain a partner at K&L Gates.
Baker McKenzie Names New Greater China Managing Partner
Tracy Wut succeeds tax partner Steven Sieker, who will be moving on to become the firm’s chief executive, overseeing its offices and businesses in Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar.
PwC’s Legal Arm Appoints Next UK Head
The announcement comes after the the big four outfit announced a plan to ‘significantly’ grow its legal operations.
Mergers & Alliances:
UK Top 50 Firm Snaps Up IP Outfit
The IP firm has offices in Germany, France and Belgium, as well as its London base.
Bunge-Viterra Merger Involves Lawyers on 4 Continents
The combination of Bunge and Viterra involved lawyers from Latham, Freshfields, Swiss firm Homburger, Tauil & Chequer Advogados in association with Mayer Brown in Sao Paulo, Mitrani Caballero & Ruiz Moreno in Buenos Aires and RuiMin Law Firm in China.
Office Openings & Closing:
HFW to Launch Representative Office in Shenzhen
Some of HFW’s lawyers are now qualified to advise on commercial matters in the nine municipalities of China’s Greater Bay Area.
AZB & Partners Launches in Chennai with Team Hire from JSA
Sivanandh joins AZB as a senior partner to lead the new office along with a team of seven associates from JSA in the corporate, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity practices.
Financials:
PEP Drops 13% at Osborne Clarke
The firm’s international CEO said more consolidation in the industry was ‘inevitable’ given difficult market conditions.
Technology & Innovation:
LexisNexis and Thomson Reuters Weigh In on the Future of AI in Legal Research
The recent acquisition of Casetext by Thomson Reuters has raised many questions about the future of generative AI in legal research. Here, LexisNexis and Thomson Reuters weigh in on issues including build vs. buy, which LLMs to use, securing AI talent and more.
Despite Growing Tech Challenges, Legal Departments See Legal Tech as More Essential
Tech purchase cycles are getting longer at legal departments as the dependence on tech is growing, according to the 2023 Legal Technology Survey from Exterro and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC).
Crypto Winter Leads to Flurry of Enforcement Activity
Crypto companies, for their part, have complained that it is not clear what digital assets, if any, are securities, and that they have not been given clear regulatory rules of the road.
Generative AI and Patent Considerations
A patent strategy informed by the unique considerations raised by generative AI will optimize protections for innovations in the field. Patent strategies should reflect the current legal landscape as well as anticipate potential future legal developments.
Data Remediation: The Critical, But Less Sexy Side of Cybersecurity
Deleting large amounts of old information that was once important and still seems relevant can be a daunting task. Nonetheless, the benefits of data remediation for both law firms and corporations are immense and cannot be overlooked.
Artificial Intelligence for Lawyers: Not Ready for Prime Time
Now, there is a new temptation—and, to paint a somewhat frightening picture—for some lawyers it is metamorphosizing from a curiosity into the starting point for legal research.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Now Is the Time to Step Up for the LGBTQ+ Community
This year alone, an unprecedented amount of legislation has been introduced throughout the country targeting expression and speech rights affecting the LGBTQ+ community. Now is a critical time for the legal industry to use its power, influence, and resources to support the LGBTQ+ community, both collectively and individually.
The Top Law Firms for LGBTQ+ Representation in the UK, 2023
Though a handful of firms have consistently performed well year on year, the sector as a whole is struggling to improve its numbers.
Market Commentary:
ESG Impact 2023: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
The firm continues to advise companies and investment managers on how to comply with new SEC, DOL, and other regulations around ESG disclosures, and have successfully handled one of the first SEC ESG-related enforcement matters.
Top 10 Legal Department Budget, Staffing and Spending Trends in 2023
After emerging from the COVID era, organizations must now contend with a “triple squeeze” of compounding pressures in 2023 consisting of high inflation, scarce and expensive talent, and global supply challenges. In this article we share 10 key insights – grouped into four broad categories – that GCs must take into consideration as they make spending, staffing, and structure decisions.
In Era of Disengagement, How Do Law Firms Motivate Lawyers and Staff?
Law firm leaders are trying to spark a sense of pride and ownership in their law firms for the next generation, a sense they feel has diminished since the pandemic.
Goodwin Performance Reviews Lead to Cuts, as Midyear Reviews Increase
Sources confirmed cuts at Goodwin that coincided with the firm’s midyear review process this week.
UK Law Firms Suspect ChatGPT Being Used to Write Training Contract Applications
There is growing evidence that generative AI is being used to write applications—sparking a debate across the UK legal sector about the pros and cons.
Australian In-House Lawyers Expect to Send More Work to Firms, Survey Finds
Seven in 10 respondents said lawyers should spend time working for a law firm before they commence their in-house careers.
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Boies Schiller Boosts London with Six-Lawyer Team Hire
The appointment of the highly-ranked partner and his team marks the latest move in the firm’s bid to rebuild its London operation. Pierre Valentin is set to join the firm along with five lawyers from boutique firm Constantine Cannon, the firm announced on Monday.
EMEA
Reed Smith Snaps Up DLA Piper’s UAE IP and Tech Law Head
Jamie Ryder will be based in the firm’s UAE offices when he joins the firm on July 3. He most recently headed up DLA Piper’s UAE-based intellectual property and tech practice.
Webber Wentzel Nabs M&A Partner Back from Herbert Smith Freehills
Webber Wentzel has re-hired M&A specialist Huneiza Goolam as a partner in the South African firm’s corporate business unit. She re-joins from international firm Herbert Smith Freehills, where she had been a partner since November 2020, according to a spokesperson.
Orrick Adds 2 Partners in Paris
The hires, in energy and infrastructure, are an investment in growth in a key practice area at a time when the firm is retrenching in other ways. Christophe Lefort will join on July 3 as a partner and leader of Orrick’s Paris energy and infrastructure and Africa practices, the firm has announced.
New Wilson Sonsini Data Privacy Partner: ‘Regulatory Tsunami’ Coming to EU
Yann Padova, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s newest member of the firm’s privacy and cybersecurity practice in Brussels,discusses how the GDPR has evolved in its five years in action, and what areas are likely on regulators’ radar going forward.
APAC
Charles Russell Speechlys Adds Family Lawyer to Hong Kong Partnership
The firm now counts six partners and 14 other lawyers in the city-state. Vanessa Duff, who has spent the last 15 years at Withers and was most recently a senior associate, joins the firm to focus on family law including issues arising from divorce, financial arrangements and separation, custody, child maintenance, and pre-and post-nuptial agreements.
Han Kun Kick-Starts Singapore Operations With Duane Morris Director Hire
Beijing-based Han Kun Law Offices has hired Duane Morris & Selvam’s Singapore-based director Lan Yu as a partner for its newly-opened Singapore office.
M&A Duo Leave Australia’s Gilbert + Tobin to Join Ashurst
Partner Neil Pathak will leave Australia’s Gilbert + Tobin and join Ashurst as head of its Australian mergers and acquisition practice. He will be joined by Susannah Macknay, who is also coming across from G+T.
Baker McKenzie Adds Deacons’ Tax Practice Head as Counsel in Hong Kong
Stefano Mariani’s joining will give Baker’s Hong Kong tax practice ten members in total, including partner and practice head Pierre Chan.
The Americas
Clifford Chance Grabs Baker Botts Partner as Houston Launch Rolls Along
Baker Botts partner Jonathan Bobinger, in Houston who handles transactions for the renewable energy, power and natural gas sectors has joined Clifford Chance’s new Houston office.
Norton Rose Adds Kirkland Corporate Finance Partner in Dallas
Kirkland & Ellis corporate finance partner Kimberly Perdue has joined Norton Rose Fulbright as a partner in Dallas, as the firm deals with high activity in the practice.
Lowenstein’s Crypto Vice Chair Moves to Sterlington
Eric Swartz, Lowenstein’s former crypto vice chair, said he was recruited by Sterlington “to accelerate the growth that we’re already seeing and bring in the work to attract talent on the legal side.”
Akerman Poaches Corporate Team From Harter Secrest
The firm is building up its New York office with corporate lawyers after it recently suffered a loss of nine corporate litigators to Blank Rome.
McGuireWoods, With New Office Leadership, Eyes More Lateral Growth
McGuireWoods has named new attorney leadership in several offices across the U.S., including areas where the law firm is still seeking to grow through lateral hires.
Shook Launches Civil Rights, Racial Justice Pro Bono Practice
Shook, Hardy & Bacon hired a former civil rights division prosecutor in Houston to lead a pro bono practice focused on civil rights and racial justice litigation.
Kirkland Adds Partner From A&O as Energy Practices Boom
Sam Kamyans, who has joined Kirkland’s D.C. office, said the recent merger talks between Allen & Overy and Shearman had “no impact” on his move.
Morris Nichols Adds Bankruptcy Attorney
Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell announced that Scott D. Jones has joined the firm’s bankruptcy and restructuring group as an associate attorney.
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Poaches Dentons Global IP Founder in 15-Person Raid
BCLP landed Dentons’ former U.S. chair Jeffrey Haidet, as well as former global IP and technology chair Song Jung. A group of 15 lawyers and patent professionals has decamped from Dentons to join Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, the latter firm announced Tuesday morning.
Holland & Knight Scoops Up Finance Trio From McGuireWoods as Clients Demand Deeper Bench
Former McGuireWoods attorneys Hamid Namazie, Yoojin Lee and Mark Spitzer are joining the Florida-founded firm’s financial services practice group, bringing their experience representing commercial lenders even as economic conditions slow the sector.
Jackson Walker Launches Public Finance Practice With Orrick Team in Houston
Orrick public finance partners Rick Witte, Todd Brewer, Tanya Fischer and Hoang Vu moved to Jackson Walker in Houston on June 13, and tax partner Russell Miller, who joined from public finance firm Hawkins Delafield & Wood in California, made the move on Tuesday. All are partners based in Houston.
Paul Hastings Lands Two Fintech Partners, Including Co-Chair of Perkins Industry Group
Dana Syracuse and Josh Boehm said they believe strongly in their client relationships, when asked whether they expected their client base to move with them.
Holland & Knight Lands IP Team From Perkins Coie
“We have been working to expand our intellectual property practice, particularly on the West Coast, and before the ITC as well,” said Holland & Knight’s David Donoghue. James Coughlan and Terrence Wikberg have joined Holland & Knight’s Washington, D.C., office, and Amy Simpson joined the Los Angeles office earlier this month, bringing experience with the International Trade Commission and Patent Office post-grant review proceedings, the firm said Wednesday.
Todd Silliman Exits Dentons’ Atlanta Leadership Role for Eversheds Sutherland
Silliman’s departure comes soon after Dentons lost another prominent Atlanta partner, former U.S. chair Jeffrey Haidet. Prominent environmental lawyer Todd Silliman is moving from the Atlanta managing partner role at his longtime firm, Dentons, to lead Eversheds Sutherland’s U.S. environmental practice.
Arnold & Porter Adds CIA Lawyer as National Security Remains a Top Enforcement Priority
Deborah Curtis will be based in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, focusing her practice on national security investigations and defense, and other litigation and enforcement matters.
In-House
Private Equity Giant Permira Names Ex-Clifford Chance Lawyer as General Counsel
Private equity firm Permira has appointed Peter Gibbs as its global general counsel. The long-time Permira executive will take over the role in January 2024, replacing current general counsel Ulrich Gasse, who the firm said will retire at the end of 2023.
Caterpillar’s CLO to Hand Legal Reins to Deputy
The chief legal officer of heavy equipment maker Caterpillar, Suzette Long, plans to retire on Dec. 31, paving the way for company attorney Derek Owens to succeed her.
Building-Materials Giant Blue Linx Brings in New Legal Chief After C-Suite Shakeup
The company in March replaced CEO Dwight Gibson with then-legal chief Shyam Reddy. Now, it’s backfilling the legal role with a veteran attorney, Tricia Kinney who has deep experience from ServiceMaster and Kimberly-Clark.
World’s Largest Truck Maker Hands Legal Reins to Insider
Florian Hofer, who two years ago was a key player in splitting Daimler AG into two separate businesses—Daimler Truck AG and Mercedes-Benz AG—will lead legal for a colossus with 100,000 employees and $49 billion in annual revenue.
Donnelley Financial Replaces Longtime GC With Morningstar’s No. 2 Lawyer
Jennifer Reiners, the only legal chief the financial software company has ever had, will receive severance following her replacement by Morningstar’s deputy chief legal officer, Leah Trzcinski.
AI Firm Taps Ex-HP, Dell Attorney as First Legal Chief
Jim Rittinger will help Empower AI’s new owner navigate the increasingly complex intersection of government contracting and technology.
Embattled Regional Bank Hires GC, Continuing Leadership Overhaul
Republic First Bancorp CEO Thomas Geisel said newly hired legal chief Brian Doran “brings a deep understanding of the legal intricacies and challenges faced by financial institutions such as ours.”
Promotions & Appointments:
Hogan Lovells Names New Singapore Office Managing Partner
Hogan Lovells has named corporate partner and India practice co-head Biswajit Chatterjee as managing partner of its Singapore office. Biswajit Chatterjee has advised on a number of billion-dollar transactions in India and Southeast Asia.
Goodwin’s Wait for New CFO Comes to an End
AmEx veteran Christina Wong has joined the firm in New York. Goodwin had been without a CFO since early 2022, when longtime CFO Jon Kanter left.
Clark Hill Expands C-Suite, Creating Chief Legal Officer Slot
Dallas appellate member Jadd Masso is the firm’s first chief legal officer, with responsibilities beyond the office of the general counsel.
Hogan Lovells Changes Leadership in DC and New York
Ajay Kuntamukkala takes over the D.C. office role from Michele Farquhar, who will join the firm’s Americas leadership team. Farquhar is replacing Tim Aragon, who left Hogan Lovells to become GC for the Denver Broncos.
Mergers & Alliances:
Canadian Firm Segev Inks Cooperation Agreement with India’s S&Co
Canadian law firm Segev and India’s Singhania & Co. have taken early steps to establish a reciprocal relationship to deliver legal services and collaborate on corporate development between their two countries.
Andersen Global Adds First Singapore Law Firm Member
In Asia, Andersen Global counts only a handful of traditional Asian law firms as members. Domestic Singapore law firm CNPLaw has become the country’s first practice to join Andersen Global, an international association of independent tax and legal practices founded in 2013.
Office Openings & Closing:
Elite Paris Firm August Debouzy Opens First Foreign Office in Brussels
Fielding a team with experience in government and industry as well as the law, the firm is significantly expanding its ambitions in advising on European law and institutions.
Spain’s Pérez-Llorca Ramps Up International Expansion Efforts
Pérez-Llorca is bringing on its first Portugal-based partner while doubling its office space in London and New York; two markers of the Spanish firm’s international expansion.
Ex-Dentons Leader Aims to Create Top US-Based Korea Practice at BCLP
“We’ve always wanted to build a stronger U.S. Korean practice,” said Jeff Haidet. “Song and I coming to [work] with Kwon Lee probably creates one of the top U.S.-based Korean practices that there is.”
Is Toronto the Next Hot Spot for US Firm Expansion?
Canada’s largest city has a lot to offer and firms like Mintz and Cozen O’Connor have already started the trend to move north of the border.
Financials:
An Emerging Financial Crisis In 2023? A Primer on Old Metrics
Potential weaknesses in the financial system are augmented by social media and the gamification of financial markets. This article explores risks that have surfaced in prior financial crisis cases and potential strategies for mitigating exposures.
Technology & Innovation:
The Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and ESG
AI tools have the potential to help or hinder companies in achieving ESG goals. To minimize use risks, corporate counsel may wish to consider what AI tools they are using, as well as why and how these tools intersect with ESG goals.
Cautious to Invest, Pennsylvania Law Firms Experiment With AI
While most firms are eyeing preexisting tools or those that are currently in development from outside vendors, others are building their own customized tools to mitigate risks.
Fact, Fiction or Privacy Infringement: Artificial Intelligence and Deepfake Liability
Most agree that internet deepfake content is widespread and may be used to manipulate the public, attack personal rights, infringe intellectual property and cause personal data difficulties. However, little agreement exists as to who is legally liable for internet AI deepfake content.
How Vendors and Clients Can Bridge the Divide Over How AI Applies to CLM
Training AI is an aspect of implementation that vendors need to discuss more with their prospects during sales calls—and one that prospects must educate themselves better on to make more informed CLM purchase decisions.
Breaking Boundaries in Legal Tech: The Game-Changing Potential of Generative AI
Despite an outpouring of media coverage for generative artificial intelligence (AI), some may still wonder whether reality will actually measure up to all the hype. Sure, this is a clear technological advancement, but haven’t we been here before?
Diversity & Inclusion:
The Top Law Firms for LGBTQ+ Representation, 2023
Though a handful of firms have consistently performed well year on year, the sector as a whole is struggling to improve its numbers.
Market Commentary:
ESG Backlash Creates Maze of Challenges for GCs
“The world wants companies to take positions on the issues,” said Rob Chesnut, a former general counsel of Airbnb. “You might want to duck it in some cases, but sometimes you can’t.”
‘A Huge Concern’: Big Law Leaders Grappling With Attorney Disengagement
“We can’t just measure ourselves on billable hours,” said Paul Schmidt, chair of Baker & Hostetler. “In the long run, engagement is important, and we’ve got to get people engaged.”
Perkins Coie Defers Incoming Corporate Associates
Corporate associates will receive a $15,000 stipend and begin in January. Perkins is the latest of several tech-oriented law firms to defer its incoming class.
Inside Track: Why In-House Lawyering Isn’t for the Spineless
“In-house counsel needs to have a view. It’s unacceptable for lawyers to put a couple of different paths in front of the business decision-makers and say, “Go ahead and pick one,” said Tim Parilla, chief legal officer of LinkSquares.
‘With Everybody Getting Back,’ More Law Firms Want Lawyers in the Office
A new Savills survey finds that 90% of firms either recommend or mandate in-office attendance for lawyers and staff, up from a total of 67% a few months ago.
In Era of Disengagement, How Do Law Firms Motivate Lawyers and Staff?
Law firm leaders are trying to spark a sense of pride and ownership in their law firms for the next generation, a sense they feel has diminished since the pandemic.
Australia’s MinterEllison and Clyde & Co Make Back Office Job Cuts
Both firms say they are streamlining their businesses. Both firms also confirmed the cuts but did not provide details on the number of staff affected, whether any lawyers have also been made redundant, and whether the redundancies were in response to the slowing economy.
Layoffs Are Spreading. After All, There’s Only So Much Work to Go Around
A patchy corporate market has created a mismatch between staffing and demand levels at several law firms with broader client bases that stretch beyond the tech sector.
The EU Court Decision That Could Change Data Breach Class Actions
Hausfeld’s Tim Brown argues for the need for data protection laws that provide cost effective remedies.
‘No Way to Get This Right’: Why Law Firms Are Getting Pushback on Office Returns
In the second part of Legal Speak’s conversation with Ira Coleman, chairman of McDermott Will & Emery, about returning to the office, Coleman takes the position of an associate trying to convince a managing partner to loosen up on the firm’s attendance policy.