Moves:
UK & Ireland
Davis Polk Hires Sidley Restructuring Heads in London
By bringing on London restructuring leaders, Mark Knight and Jifree Cader, from competitor firm Sidley Austin, U.S.-based Davis Polk & Wardwell has strengthened its London offering.
Travers Smith Incentives Head Exits for A&O Shearman
After more than 26 years at Travers Smith, the incentives head has gone to A&O Shearman. Mahesh Varia, who was highly regarded, was in charge of incentives and compensation at Travers Smith.
Browne Jacobson hires former SRA enforcement head as first general counsel
Oliver Sweeney was hired as general counsel by top 50 UK and Ireland business Browne Jacobson, a newly established position designed to support the company’s internal legal and compliance operations. After serving as head of legal and enforcement for the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in 2004, Sweeney rejoins Browne Jacobson, the firm where he began his career.
Ogier recruits Richard Kelly as banking and finance partner
Richard Kelly, a specialist in capital markets and structured finance, has joined Ogier’s banking and finance unit in Ireland. Mr. Kelly offers domestic and foreign client’s advice on all facets of transactions involving debt capital markets.
EMEA
CMS strengthens Dubai tax practice with partner relocation
Andre Anthony joins from the London office of the global firm. He has been elevated to partner in addition to moving. He provides corporate and individual clients with advice on a wide range of domestic and international tax matters as a chartered accountant and solicitor.
Kirkland grows Saudi construction practice with partner relocation
The company has set up its regional headquarters in Riyadh, and Ahmed Alrikhaimi moved there from Houston. James Clark, who joined the business in October 2023 to open the practice in Riyadh, will collaborate with Alrikhaimi on building and projects.
APAC
Singapore: Mayer Brown finance partner joins DLA
The international legal firm DLA Piper has added Soumitro Mukerji as a partner in its Singapore office, broadening its banking and finance offerings. Joining Mayer Brown from Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee in 2022, Mukerji provides fund finance, sponsor-backed financing, structured lending, limited recourse financing, and corporate lending advice to funds, banks, financial institutions, corporations, and financial advisers across Asia and Europe.
Another Insurance Partner Defects from Clyde & Co Australia
David Kerwin left Clyde & Co. for the Australian business Sparke Helmore, continuing the migration of insurance partners from Clyde & Co.
K&L Gates Hires Energy Partner from Gibson Dunn in Singapore
Brad Roach, a partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, has joined K&L Gates in Singapore as an energy, infrastructure, and resources partner. Alexandra Jones, an associate who has been with Gibson Dunn for nearly seven years, goes with him.
British Disputes Boutique Seladore Hires HSF Lawyer, Plans Singapore Launch
Liang-Ying Tan, a lawyer from New York, has joined British disputes boutique Seladore Legal as a partner as the firm prepares to open in Singapore. In order to propel the company’s expansion in the city-state of Singapore, Tan will eventually move there.
Yoon & Yang bolsters regulatory practice with senior BAT exec hire
Adrian Bae, a top foreign attorney in Seoul, has bolstered the regulatory capabilities of Yoon & Yang, a South Korean law company. Bae formerly held the position of vice president for North Asia at British American Tobacco (BAT), where he now joins.
HK: Ex-Mayer Brown, Deacons IP partner joins PRC firm Jingtian
Benjamin Choi, a seasoned intellectual property attorney who previously served as managing director and consultant at Oldham Li & Nie’s OLN IP Services, has joined PRC law firm Jingtian & Gongcheng as a partner in Hong Kong.
In house
Discover Hires Interim Legal Chief as $35B Sale to Capital One Faces New Hurdles
Before Hope Mehlman leaves as legal chief on November 27, Discover had intended to close the deal. However, Capital One has admitted that it is no longer possible to complete the deal this year.
The Americas
McGuireWoods Hires Digital Healthcare Lawyer
In New York, Jennifer K. Shanley joined the company’s technology and digital health division.
Digital health providers, pharmaceutical, biologic, and medical device manufacturers, clinical laboratories, pharmacies, health systems, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, provider practice groups, home care agencies, health insurers, charitable foundations, and businesses that support or invest in the healthcare sector are among the clients of Shanley that receive regulatory advice.
Duane Morris Adds Corporate Partner
Duane Morris LLP has brought on a former Stinson LLP partner for its corporate practice group in New York. Cris Cicala is a corporate, finance and banking attorney with more than 20 years of domestic and international experience.
Simpson Thacher Partner Moves to Vinson & Elkins as Co-Head of Strategic M&A
Sebastian Tiller practiced at Simpson Thacher for 19 years, and he became a partner in 2016
Morgan Lewis, Mayer Brown Add New Partners in Chicago
Morgan Lewis acquired private equity partner Jonathan Dhanawade from Paul Hastings after hiring tech partner Marina Aronchik from Mayer Brown.
Former Federal Prosecutor Joins Latham & Watkins
In her most recent roles as Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division and Co-Chair of the Artificial Intelligence Working Group, Margaret Graham served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for the previous eleven years.
Simpson Thacher hits Kirkland, Jones Day for M&A lawyers
Simpson Thacher opened a Boston office earlier this year, and Matthew Fisher came from Kirkland & Ellis as the fifth partner. Adam Cromie joined from Jones Day in New York and will transfer to the firm’s Washington, DC office next year.
Latham & Watkins Adds Regulatory Partner to Strengthen West Coast Crypto Presence
According to Tad J. Freese, a managing partner in the California office of Latham & Watkins, “the majority of our regulatory expertise at Latham sits in our East Coast offices.”
Paul Hastings Adds Morgan Lewis Environmental Partner
Premier environmental litigator and crisis management advisor Stephen Fitzgerald has joined Paul Hastings LLP as a partner in Dallas, further growing the company’s industry-leading environmental litigation practice.
On the Move and After Hours: Bressler; Brach Eichler; Sarno da Costa; Cooper Levenson
A corporate litigation principal is added by Bressler, a health care counsel is welcomed by Brach Eichler, and other changes are made.
O’Melveny, Vinson & Elkins Recruit Energy Partners in Houston, DC
O’Melveny announced that highly regarded energy transactions lawyer David Aaronson has joined the firm’s Houston office as a partner in its Energy Industry Group
Team Moves
Weil Gotshal London Trio Defects to Freshfields
Global law firm Freshfields has today announced the appointment of leading private capital lawyers Paul Stewart, Mark Davis and Nick Fortune as partners to its Global Transactions practice in London. Stewart will serve as Global Co-Head of Private Credit & Capital Solutions alongside New York-based partner Damian Ridealgh.
Seyfarth Launches Energy Transactions Practice in Houston with Polsinelli Team
In order to establish an energy transactions practice at Seyfarth Shaw, a group from Polsinelli, headed by partner Chris Cottrell, relocated to the Houston office.
Financials:
The Law Firms Generating 8-Figure Fees on the Year’s Big Ticket UK Deals
According to Law.com International study, a few elite law firms have benefited greatly from the U.K. M&A market recovery, with one firm in particular showing remarkable productivity.
Promotions & Appointments
Veteran Delaware DOJ Lawyer Has Become New Magistrate in Chancery
It is anticipated that the new addition will boost the business court’s capacity as part of a “sustained expansion.”
As EV Startup Canoo Starts to Sink, Legal Chief Heads for Dry Land
General counsel Hector Ruiz has been replaced by associate general counsel Sean Yan at the Justin, Texas-based firm, which sold just 22 electric vehicles in 2023.
AT&T General Counsel Joins ADM Board as Company Reels from Accounting Scandal
Although he has experience guiding a company through turbulent times, this is David McAtee’s first director position.
Morris Nichols Promotes Bankruptcy & Restructuring Attorney to Partner
Matthew O. Talmo, a bankruptcy and restructuring lawyer, has been invited to join Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell, with effect from January 1, 2025.
Latham’s Partner Promotion Round Shrinks Again
On Wednesday, Latham & Watkins announced that it was elevating 24 associates to partner status, including seven attorneys from Europe and the Middle East and 17 from the United States. In recent years, Latham’s fall promotions have been getting smaller. With effect from January 2025, the number of colleagues promoted to partner has decreased by 10 compared to the 34 associates Latham promoted to partner in November of last year. The company said that it was advancing 44 colleagues to partner status in 2022, which was the same number as the year before.
Baker McKenzie Appoints New India Practice Chair and Other Asia Pacific Moves
The head of Baker’s Asia Pacific capital markets business and Singaporean principal Ashok Lalwani will be replaced as the firm’s Indian practice leader by Mini Menon vandePol, who has been with the company for over 25 years. Lalwani, who has been in the position for 12 years, will remain a member of the steering committee for India practices, which is made up of 14 other attorneys from around the world.
DLA Piper Names Tax Practice Leader as France’s Managing Partner
According to DLA Piper, employment law partner Philippe Danesi joined the firm’s executive committee on November 1st, and Fanny Combourieu took over as the country managing paper for France on the same day.
Malaysia’s JLPW gets new disputes head from Skrine
Hui Wen Tan was a senior associate at Skrine before joining the Malaysian law firm Jeff Leong, Poon & Wong (JLPW) as a partner and head of dispute resolution.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Law Firm Diversity Pros Fear for Future of DEI Efforts Under Trump Presidency
Diversity consultant Joelle Emerson made the argument that “law firms should talk more about what they’re doing.” “One of the things that makes this so controversial is that people don’t know what these programs are.”
Employers nationwide have been coping with an increase in lawsuits aimed at workplace diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) policies and initiatives since the historic ruling.
Diversity, equity and inclusion efforts are going unrewarded at law firms
Dana Denis-Smith, CEO of Obelisk Support, claims that legal leaders are not getting paid for their efforts to implement and enhance DEI.
Office Openings & Closing:
Eversheds Shuts in Beijing, Targets Singapore Re-Entry
Although the reasons and conditions are different from those of its American counterparts, the closure makes it the first legal practice based in the United Kingdom to close an office in Mainland China.
830 Brickell is Open After Two-Year Delay That Led to Winston & Strawn Pulling Lease
While tenants fill their temporary office spaces, the eagerly anticipated Grade A commercial building is already operational.
Japan’s TMI Associates Lands in Brussels, Expands European Offering
TMI Associates, a Japanese law company, has opened an office in Brussels as part of its European expansion. After Paris and London, this is TMI Associates’ third trip to Europe. The business said in a statement that the new office is part of its mission to “give clients information on the latest trends in [European Union] law.” It will work closely with its offices in France and the United Kingdom.
Japanese Boutique Marks First Foray Overseas with Singapore Opening
Tokyo International Law Office (TKI), a Japanese boutique, is opening its first overseas office in Singapore. The company is scheduled to start operations in January of next year after receiving its license to practice foreign law. The new company will be led by Koki Yamada, a co-founder and co-managing partner of TKI.
Mergers & Alliances:
Lippes Mathias Enters South Florida Via Combination with Local Firm
Lippes Mathias is opening its second Florida office and growing past 200 lawyers after merging with West Palm Beach boutique Ward Damon as both seek scale to hire more talent in the region.
Technology & Innovation:
Authentication and Reliability of AI and Digital Evidence – What Must the Expert Demonstrate
This article delves into discussions about artificial intelligence and its impact in the courtroom.
AI Gives Legal Departments New Leverage to Demand Speed, Efficiency from Law Firms
“Lawyers accustomed to week-long turnarounds for contract reviews may find their clients demanding same-day service to keep up with sales/growth teams,” according to Aaron Boersma, author of “Keeping Pace: Law Firms in the Era of AI-Driven Business.”
Is AI Regulation Attainable on a Global Scale?
At the New York City Bar Association’s “UN Summit of the Future: International Regulation of AI” webcast, speakers from a range of international organizations talked on the obstacles to and potential for global AI regulation.
How Gen AI Is Changing Legal Work for In-House Counsel
At a recent Association of Corporate Counsel gathering, legal chiefs stated that they want outside counsel to be transparent and collaborative when it comes to generative AI deployment.
As Tech-Focused Roles in C-Suite Expand, Newcomers Embrace Big Law Opportunities
“We’re not just looking to research AI and other areas, we’re looking to actually embrace it and lead out front with it,” stated Jared Kaplan, the newly appointed chief innovation and information officer of Lowenstein Sandler.
Although in-house legal teams are at ease offering legal counsel on AI-related issues, a large number of workers are expressing difficulty keeping up.
What About the Old Partners Who Have No Interest in AI?
Several big legal firms claim that new hires are far more interested in AI than partners, so what can be done?
Market Commentary:
Climate Disputes, International Arbitration, and State Court Limitations for Global Issues
This contains a report from a distinguished panel of experts about the most recent international decisions, approaches to arbitration and mediation, and tactics for resolving discrepancies in court decisions in matters pertaining to climate change.
How New York Is Ethically Leveraging AI in the Courtroom
Chief Desmond Racicot (Ret), senior director of business development at Cellebrite, and Andrew Wylie, the district attorney for Clinton County, talk about the increasing use of AI in digital investigations and how New York practitioners might use the technology to expedite but still uphold the law.
‘Not Enough Lawyers to Meet That Demand in Dallas:’ New Squire Office Leader Eyes Hiring
Squire Patton Boggs Dallas managing partner Jon Mureen stated that he plans to recruit several corporate attorneys and grow the office’s data privacy division in the near future.
Latham’s New Partner Class Leans Toward Corporate Practices
In recent years, Latham’s fall promotions have been getting smaller.
Southeast Firm Leaders Predict Stability, Growth in Second Trump Administration
“If he doesn’t do anything radically different than what he did his first term, we’re probably not looking at any tectonic shift in how the outlook is for law firms in the United States,” Kevin Broyles, founder and CEO of FisherBroyles.
Brazil Is Quickly Becoming a Vital LatAm Market for Greenberg Traurig, Other US Law Firms
For some customers, having a physical location in the biggest economy in the area provides more comfort in addition to tax advantages. Some businesses, however, are happy to serve the nation from a distance.
Labor & Employment Firms Expect Demand Surge as Bosses Face Uncertainty Over Rules Changes
“There are some similarities between the current situation and the environment that employers encountered during the pandemic. Regarding her expectations for the upcoming Trump administration, managing partner and head of Seyfarth Shaw Lorie Almon stated, “Businesses had to make business decisions without knowing what the future would hold.”
Luxury brands must prepare for changes in UK, EU and US sustainability legislation
According to a recent analysis by Baker & McKenzie and Positive Luxury, upcoming global ESG standards will be a catalyst for reform within the luxury sector.
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Latham Suffers Latest Departure as Skadden Swoops for London IP Head
Partner Deborah Kirk works on a variety of IP and technology issues across several industries. She will be leading the practice of intellectual property and technology transactions at her new firm. Her business specializes on helping clients navigate the tech and intellectual property sides of complicated transactions, including large-scale carve-outs, while protecting and commercializing their intangible assets.
McDermott Strengthens Global Private Equity Offering with New Hire in London
Jason Zemmel has joined the Transactions Practice Group at McDermott Will & Emery, an international law firm. Jason is a London-based lawyer specializing in private equity (PE) and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the healthcare industry.
Welcoming a new partner to Taylor Wessing’s London financial services regulatory offering
Martin Dowdall has joined Taylor Wessing as a partner, based in their London office. Martin comes from a top US company. Martin’s joining underscores our ongoing commitment in this area of their business and will enhance the firm’s capacity to offer UK and international client’s comprehensive guidance on all facets of UK and EU financial services legislation and regulation.
Clark Hill recruits Conor Kenny as international business co-ordinator
Conor Kenny has joined the transatlantic practice of international law firm Clark Hill as an international business coordinator. Mrs. Kenny, who is based in Dublin, will promote American companies growing in Ireland and Europe while also concentrating on bringing European-based companies to the US.
EMEA
Addleshaw Goddard boosts tax practice in Germany
Dr. Anders Kraft joins along with his team, which includes associate Steffen Bellmann and counsel Dr. Susanne Knoch, he joins from Ashurst. In the context of M&A, private equity, real estate, finance, and capital market transactions, Anders Kraft is a tax counsel and lawyer who focuses on both domestic and international tax issues.
Addleshaw Goddard strengthens with partner Katharina Feddersen
Katharina Feddersen comes from Osborne Clarke, where she worked as a partner for over 11 years and was instrumental in setting up the Hamburg office. Her practice focuses on construction project development as well as legal advice on planning and construction of lengthy and complex construction projects in the city centres of major German cities.
Herbert Smith Freehills strengthens EMEA competition litigation team with partner hire
Thorsten Matthies has joined Herbert Smith Freehills, a renowned international law firm, as a Disputes partner in Düsseldorf, enhancing the firm’s presence in EMEA competition litigation. Coming from Freshfields, Thorsten joins. His areas of expertise include antitrust litigation, strategic defense against global mass claims, negotiating and crafting custom settlements, and defending clients in court and out of court in cartel damage claims.
Didier De Vliegher joins Jones Day’s Real Estate Practice in the Brussels Office
As a corporate finance lawyer in Brussels with over 30 years of experience, Mr. De Vliegher focuses on capital markets, public-private partnerships, project finance, real estate finance, and M&A transactions in the real estate sector. For Belgian and foreign businesses, such as banks, insurance providers, and REITs, he specializes in lease contracts, sale and lease-back agreements, and other real estate transactions.
Andries has more than 20 years of expertise advising companies and financial institutions on a variety of topics related to European and Dutch financial legislation and transactions, including both domestic and international acquisitions.
CMS strengthens Dubai projects and maritime team with partner relocation
Eleanor Lane, who was formerly located in Scotland, joins the firm’s maritime practice and Middle East projects. She has more than 20 years of expertise providing advice on infrastructure and maritime projects, including strategic outsourcing initiatives, public-private partnerships, and public service concessions.
Kennedys strengthens international arbitration practice with new Paris-based partner
Thomas joins as one of the lead partners in their growing commercial and investment arbitration practice, and will work as part of the leadership team across various jurisdictions on developing the offering. Joining from Hogan Lovells, Thomas has specialised in international arbitration for over twenty years, acting for multinational companies in commercial arbitrations under all the major rules and institutions, and for both Nation States and investors in investment treaty arbitrations.
APAC
Indonesia’s AVYA builds construction expertise with new partner
Ryand Armilis has been appointed as a new partner to head the building and infrastructure practice division at the Indonesian legal firm AVYA legal.
Former Cavenagh Law disputes partner joins Oon & Bazul
In an effort to bolster its dispute resolution expertise, local firm Oon & Bazul has hired Elan Krishna, a former partner at Cavenagh Law, the Singapore Formal Law Alliance (FLA) subsidiary of Clifford Chance.
Malaysia’s Zul Rafique welcomes back real estate pro from in-house role
Ainal Marlinda Md Said, who previously served as the legal head of Sime Darby Property, has joined the Malaysian law firm Zul Rafique & Partners, strengthening its real estate expertise.
Udaan assistant GC rejoins CAM in Bengaluru
Lakshmi Rajagopalan, the assistant general counsel at the B2B e-commerce platform Udaan, has joined Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas as a partner in the company’s Bengaluru financial services and technology practice.
In house
Ex-Philly Museum of Art GC Takes Legal Reins of Twilio-Backed Messaging Business
William Peterson has returned to the field of mobile communications. Prior to spending three years at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, first as general counsel and subsequently as chief operating officer, he held a number of high positions at Verizon for fifteen years.
$17B Episcopal Church Pension Fund Hires New Legal Chief as Staff Changes Continue
CEO Mary Wold said that Julian Chung’s “breadth of experience as a corporate attorney, incorporating legal strategy and business strategy, spans more than 25 years and will benefit us greatly.”
Growth-Hungry Bitcoin Miner Hires ‘Thought Leader’ as First US GC
According to Bitfarms, employing Rachel Silverstein will lower the cost of hiring outside counsel and instantly establish the company’s credibility with other bitcoin miners and data center builders in this nation.
King Kullen—the Nation’s First Supermarket—Hires Outside Counsel as GC
When Michael J. Cullen’s plan for far larger, primarily self-service stores didn’t work out with his previous employer, Kroger, he launched the supermarket business in 1930 they have now hired Christoper Mansfield as their GC.
Longtime Trenton Insider Named Gov. Murphy’s New Chief Counsel
“I am thrilled to welcome Kate McDonnell back to the Governor’s Office as my new Chief Counsel,” Gov. Phil Murphy disclosed in a statement. “Her decades of service to the Garden State and her strong background in public policy demonstrate the ideal skillset to excel in this role.”
Crypto asset manager CoinShares hires former Sidley Austin lawyer as group GC
Lisa Avellini has been appointed as group general counsel by CoinShares, a digital asset investment management company. Graeme Dickson left the company at the end of September to explore another opportunity. Avellini most recently served as deputy general counsel at Balyasny Europe Asset Management.
Former Fried Frank, Orrick partner hired as CLO of Episcopal Church Pension Group
Julian Chung has been appointed as the next chief legal officer of the US Episcopal Church’s Pension Group. Nancy Sanborn will retire at the end of this year. Chung comes from Enveritas, a sustainability assurance company, where she serves as head of compliance and general counsel.
The Americas
Chief Counsel to Gov. Murphy Set to Move to Lowenstein Sandler
The most recent lawyer to leave the governor’s office of New Jersey to work at Lowenstein Sandler is Parimal Garg.
Connecticut Movers: City Firms Announce Latest Hires
Two new associates join Neubert, Pepe & Monteith, and a partner rejoins Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey.
Cleary Adds Longtime Federal Prosecutor in San Francisco
In his new position as a partner in Cleary’s Americas litigation practice, Matthew Yelovich brings both appellate and white-collar experience to the table.
King & Spalding Adds Veteran Antitrust Litigator from White & Case in New York
Ross Elfand rose from associate to partner at White & Case, where he has worked for the past 18 years.
Clark Hill Adds to Litigation Team in Wilmington
Brian O’Neill has become a member of Clark Hill’s Wilmington office, joining the firm’s litigation division.
Partner Joins Jackson Walker’s Electric Regulatory Practice
Austin partner Catherine Garza has joined Jackson Walker’s Electric Regulatory practice, the firm announced this week. Garza spent nine years working as a lawyer at Eversheds Sutherland before that.
White & Case Lures DLA Piper’s Vice Chair for FDA Regulation
Peter Carney, chairman of White & Case’s life sciences and health care sector group, stated that Bethany Hills’ FDA regulatory skills “are a crucial component to maintaining a top global life sciences offering.”
BCLP Adds Former Seattle Mayor to Lead White Collar Practice
From 2017 to 2021, Jenny Durkan served as Seattle’s mayor. Prior to that, she was the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington and oversaw Quinn Emanuel’s cyber business.
Mayer Brown Adds Private Credit Partner from King & Spalding
Last month, the firm’s New York branch welcomed Sheel Patel as its second private credit partner.
People in the News—Oct. 31, 2024—McNees, Dilworth Paxson
William McLaughlin joined McNees Wallace & Nurick as director of marketing, completing the firm’s leadership team in marketing and business development.
Team Moves
4-Partner A&O Shearman Group Decamps to Linklaters
At A&O Shearman, David Lucking served as the worldwide co-head of financial markets.
Award winning Real Estate team grows in Germany
Leading real estate attorney Nicolas Deuerling has joined the growing Frankfurt office of Gowling WLG, a global top 100 law firm, as part of the business’s expansion strategy in Europe. To bolster the firm’s real estate practice in Germany under the direction of Dr. Wolfram Paetzold, Nicolas Deuerling will be joined by his team of two associates, Kai-Steffen Knapp and Susanne Schaad, and a counsel, Matthias Fischer. Everyone is coming from Ashurst.
A&L Goodbody appoints five new partners
Five new partners have been hired by A&L Goodbody, including one in Belfast and four in Dublin. The technology team’s Clare Carroll and Stephen King, the disputes and investigations team’s Denise Daly Byrne, and the construction and engineering team’s Siobhan Kearney are the new Dublin partners.
Financials:
Average Partner Comp Hits $1M in Phila.
The number increased by $260,000 from the year before, according to a recent Major, Lindsey & Africa poll.
Texas’ Highest-Paid GCs: Companies New to State Snag Top Spots
Last year, Caterpillar relocated to the state, and Suzette Long, the company’s chief legal officer, made her debut at number five on the list.
Partner Pay Transparency Is Eroding, even if ‘Black Box’ Systems Haven’t Caught On
One consultant noted that some firms now make partner pay data less accessible. Opening up pay data can lead to “a lot of partner dissatisfaction and angst.”
Taylor Wessing Germany Ups Associate and Salaried Partner Pay
The change brings Germany’s pay closer to that of the UK, where the firm raised the salary of freshly trained lawyers to £115,000 in August.
Promotions & Appointments
Becker & Poliakoff Expands Leadership Roles, Attempting to Encourage Innovation and Mentorship
In response to the necessity for succession planning and the growing competition throughout Florida, the company is giving some of its more seasoned stockholders new leadership roles.
Nike Promotes Legal Chief to Marketing Chief as New CEO Launches Turnaround
Ann Miller, an 18-year Nike lawyer, “will inspire, innovate and push the boundaries of what’s possible” in her new position as executive vice president of global sports marketing, according to new Nike CEO Elliott Hill.
Arnold & Porter Elects New Co-Chair Leadership Amid C-Suite Changes
Richard Alexander, who has been chairman for the last nine years, will be replaced by the new co-chairs. Additionally, the company has appointed a CEO, a newly created role at Arnold & Porter.
Kilpatrick Names 10 New Partners for 2025, Favouring Atlanta, Seattle
The 2025 partners are all female, with the exception of one, and they work in the fields of technological transactions, complicated commercial litigation, and trademark and patent litigation.
Procopio Elects Managing Partner
John Alessio, who held the position for almost seven years before passing away in September, is replaced by Dennis Doucette.
MPs from array of legal backgrounds appointed to justice select committee
The justice select committee of the House of Commons has been composed of members with a variety of backgrounds and areas of expertise in law.
Siobhán Caslin appointed to Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland
Siobhán Caslin, a barrister, has been appointed to the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Council. Ms. Caslin has more than 12 years of expertise in public and regulatory law.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Female GCs Joining Corporate Boards in Large Numbers, Overcoming Biases and Stereotypes Along Way
According to Tara Giunta, a partner at Paul Hastings, “the biggest barrier is breaking into the networks, which traditionally have not included women and other diverse constituencies.”
Retail reality check: the neurodivergent customer experience
According to Nicola Conway of Bird & Bird, reimagining retail for neurodiverse consumers is becoming popular. Will these lessons be learned by luxury?
Office Openings & Closing:
Wilmer to Become 12th U.S. Firm in Past 18 Months to Close Office in Greater China
Wilmer won’t have any offices in Asia after the China office closes, which is anticipated to happen by the end of November.
Clifford Chance Splashes $20M on New Houston Office
The action emphasizes how crucial Houston is to businesses looking to break into the US market.
Vinson & Elkins Launches Office in Energy-Rich Denver Market
Vinson & Elkins, a Houston-based firm, opens an office in Denver and initially employs three transactional partners due to the growth of its clientele in the Denver area.
Big Four Japanese Firm Nagashima Ohno Launches First European Office in London
The Big Four In keeping with a trend of international development by some of Japan’s most prominent law firms, Japanese firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is scheduled to open its first European office in London in January. This month, Kiyoshi Honda, a partner in the firm’s infrastructure, energy and environmental, and real estate practices, will move from Tokyo to London to lead the office.
Mayer Brown Shutters Mexico City Office, Lawyers Scatter
The office’s initial goals in 2015 were to capitalize on the opening of Mexico’s oil and gas industry to private investment; however, those intentions were dashed three years later when energy nationalism Andrés Manuel López Obrador was elected president of Mexico.
Mergers & Alliances:
CMS in Tie-Up Talks with Indian Law Firm
The possible partnership follows a number of significant departures from IndusLaw this year and is in line with CMS’ goals for worldwide consolidation.
Wickard AI Partners With Law School to Bring Legal AI Training to Ethiopia
As the nation’s legal sector expands, the startup is organizing a two-day training course alongside Addis Ababa University Law School.
Harbor Acquires U.K.-Based Legal Tech Services Company Ascertus
Harbor’s third M&A transaction since its founding, the acquisition of Ascertus, broadens its global reach.
A&O Shearman Becomes First Long-Term Corporate Partner to UN Refugee Agency
Over the next five years, the firm will contribute up to £500,000 of partner revenues to the emergency fund as part of the agreement.
Technology & Innovation:
Law Firms ‘Still Lacing Up Their Shoes’ in Gen AI Race, Report Says
A recent article titled “Keeping Pace: Law Firms in the Era of AI-Driven Business” claims that “corporate America is sprinting ahead.”
K&L Gates Looks to Extend Gen AI Expertise to Access to Justice Fight
The firm organized the first AI & Access to Justice Summit in collaboration with Stanford Law School’s Legal Design Lab.
Could AI Investments Be Another Driver of Law Firm Mergers?
Some legal firms have expressed interest in merging with a bigger firm, in part “to have the scale necessary to properly invest in technology,” according to a merger consultant.
Latham’s New Academy Starts Associate Training on AI
The legal firm will first concentrate on training associates in their first through fourth years, but as the program grows, additional lawyers—including partners—will join.
Pre/Dicta Expands Litigation Analytics Platform to California, Its First Venture into State Courts
The company will forecast case timetables and motion results in California Superior Courts as part of an expansion made possible by the 2023 acquisition of Gavelytics, with plans to soon expand to other jurisdictions.
UK-Based Legal Entity Management Startup Kuberno Announces £9.5 Million Series A Investment
With this financial announcement, Kuberno intends to attract more law firm clients and incorporate AI into its Kube platform.
Inside Travers Smith’s AI Training, Development Efforts
In order to keep up with the rapidly changing technology, the company wants to introduce its staff to gen AI through training modules and experiments.
Market Commentary:
Addressing REIT Practice ‘Barrier to Entry,’ Paul Hastings Turns to DLA Piper, Goodwin for Hires
The two new recruits fill a “gap” in the firm’s real estate business, which is already “mature,” according to chair Frank Lopez. They also help the firm’s strategy in a number of related professions.
‘We Have That Equal Responsibility’: One Am Law 50 Firm’s Approach to Lateral Integration
“The proposition is 50/50. Craig Budner, global strategic development partner at K&L Gates, stated, “We’re not the ‘show me’ firm, where we bring in the lateral and say, ‘Show me your book and how you’ll help us.’?”
Big Law Firms Increased First-Year Associate Hiring in 2024
Among the firms who provided data, the median change in class size was an 11% rise, while the average class size in the Am Law 50 increased by 14%.
Latin American Wealth Spurs Boom for Miami Lawyers
“A lot of the clients are saying, ‘Do me a favour and meet me in Miami,'” said Michael Silva, who co-heads McDermott Will & Emery’s Latin America business and leads the Miami Tax group.
From Courtroom to Cradle: Practical Advice for Young Attorneys About Parental Leave
Although the legal profession has made progress in accommodating attorneys’ need for time off after a child is born or adopted, paid parental leave is regrettably not a common practice, and outdated beliefs about it persist.
Why Retirement Might Be Increasingly Top-of-Mind for Older Attorneys
Some elder attorneys are beginning to question whether this is the proper moment to retire due to a rapidly evolving technological landscape and generational dynamics that drive the need for succession planning.
Rivals Seize Opportunity as A&O Shearman, Hogan Lovells Vacate South Africa
Following the surprise departures of A&O Shearman and Hogan Lovells, both of which are anticipated to leave by the end of 2024, law firms are adjusting their South African plans. In addition to adding a Hogan Lovells M&A partner and associate to its team on Friday, Bowmans has already hired 14 A&O Shearman attorneys, including eight partners who begin work in early 2025. Samantha Joshua, a senior associate, joined Wessel Badenhorst, the former managing partner of Hogan Lovells, when he started his own business.
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Kirkland Adds Freshfields Partner, Further Expanding Debt Finance Practice
Jared Axelrod and Suril Patel are joining Kirkland & Ellis as partners in the Debt Finance Group. They will be a part of the Structured Finance & Structured Private Credit Practice. This announcement was made today. Mr. Patel will be Kirkland’s first structured finance attorney in London, and Mr. Axelrod will spearhead the expansion of the Firm’s global collateralized loan obligation (CLO) practice.
Cooley Swoops for Gowling WLG’s Life Sciences Head in London
Cooley announced on Wednesday that Jenny Davies is the newest partner to join the firm’s life sciences partnership and licensing group in London. Davies, who led the life sciences division at her last company, joins after more than 16 years at Gowling.
RDJ appoints Fiona Morgan to tax practice
Fiona Morgan, a chartered tax adviser and accountant, has joined the tax practice of the law firm RDJ in Cork. Ms. Morgan comes from PwC, where she worked for eight years as a corporate tax advisor.
Addleshaw Goddard add Sharon Skipper as a partner
Sharon Skipper is now a partner in Addleshaw’s private equity practice. Sharon has supported value creation strategies in investors’ portfolios and advised several top private equity firms on deals in the large cap and higher mid-market space.
EMEA
Bird & Bird swoops on Al Tamimi for tech partner
As a partner at Al Tamimi & Company, Nick O’Connell oversaw the company’s technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) practice in Saudi Arabia. He joins Bird & Bird in Dubai, where he will assist the company’s technology clients with their Middle Eastern business requirements.
KPMG add partners in the Netherlands
Tessa Bender and Mathijs IJkhout have joined KPMG. Two seasoned attorneys will be added to the employment law capacity upon their arrival. Tessa, who will head the employment law practice, has experience in both the national and international practices of Eversheds Sutherland. Mathijs is a seasoned worker who was employed at Loyens & Loeff until recently.
APAC
Hiring Spree Continues in Australia as Jones Day Loses Partner
Clayton Utz welcomes Katie Higgins to its insolvency practice.
Kirkland Beijing Partner Defects to China’s Han Kun in New York
Steve Lin, a partner at Kirkland & Ellis Beijing, has left the firm to become a partner at the New York office of Han Kun Law Offices, a Chinese legal practice. Since the firm opened its New York office last December, Lin will be the first partner.
Malaysia’s Zul Rafique welcomes back energy partner from in-house role
With the return of partner Syed Haris Syed Yahya from oil and gas giant Sapura Energy, where he served as senior corporate counsel, Malaysian law firm Zul Rafique & Partners has strengthened its energy capabilities.
In house
CLO of Yum Brands Exiting After 17 Years with Fast-Food Giant
The 20-year Yum veteran who will succeed Scott Catlett, who rose from the lowest levels of legal, will have done the same.
Mastercard CLO Exits After Just 14 Months, Takes Legal Reins of Laser Manufacturer
Rob Beard is leaving a $477 billion financial industry powerhouse for a $15 billion software startup.
‘Battle-Tested’ at Last Employer, Alex Tolston Takes Tegna’s Legal Reins at Challenging Time
Since regulators’ inaction prompted Tegna to abandon its $8.6 billion sale to media tycoon Soo Kim in May 2023, Alex Tolston is the third individual to hold the position of chief legal officer.
OpenAI Hires First Compliance Chief, Snagging Uber’s Scott Schools
Before joining Uber in 2018, Schools had a series of high-level positions at the Justice Department. “It’s a great opportunity to contribute to the responsible development of technologies that positively impact society,” she said.
First Horizon Hires GC Steeped in Tennessee Politics
Charles Tuggle, 76, is relinquishing his legal responsibilities to 53-year-old Lang Wiseman.
Lennox Hires 12-Year Company Veteran as CLO, Bucking Hire-From-Outside Trend
In a statement, Lennox CEO Alok Maskara remarked, “The smooth transition is a testament to our disciplined succession planning and strong bench of talent.”
Australian Gambling-Machine Giant Hires Insider as CLO, Relocates Her to Las Vegas
The third-most valuable gambling corporation in the world, Aristocrat Leisure, is being taken over legally by Anne Tucker.
Kraft Heinz Hires GC of Industrial Manufacturer as Legal Chief
Rashida La Lande, who departed in August to take a position as general counsel at Estée Lauder, is being replaced by Angel Shelton Willis in the legal department.
Boldyn Networks adds former O2 GC as UK and Ireland legal head
Boldyn Networks has appointed Edward Smith, a former general counsel for O2 UK, as its new general counsel for the UK and Ireland. Smith, who has been a consultant at DLA Piper for the last two years, is returning to an internal position.
The Americas
Eversheds Sutherland Adds Top NCAA, NIL Rules Enforcement Specialist
After six years as the NCAA’s associate director of enforcement, Anthony Del Giudice joins the international firm, specializing on topics like athlete compensation and image and likeness rights.
Sidley Austin Adds Commercial Litigation Partner from Latham & Watkins
Before becoming a partner last year, Nima Mohebbi spent more than 12 years with Latham & Watkins, first as a counsel.
Clifford Chance Steps Up US Expansion with O’Melveny Duo
The latest additions come as U.K.-founded firms continue in their efforts to break the U.S. market.
Axiom’s Arizona Law Firm Hires Transactional Attorney from DLA Piper
As other states consider regulatory reforms, the ALSP’s subsidiary, which holds an alternative business structure license, is growing.
Jenner & Block, Akin, Polsinelli, Sterlington Add to DC Benches
Reuniting with Akin, Sally Laing most recently worked as lead international trade counsel for U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee.
Winstead Real Estate Shareholder Returns to Jones Day
Conrad Steele, who began his legal career at Jones Day, has joined the company as a real estate partner in Dallas.
Freshfields Loses Debt Finance Partner to Kirkland
Kirkland, which merged its structured finance and debt finance teams into one division earlier this year, announced that H.T. Flanagan will operate out of both Dallas and New York.
Team Moves
Paul Hastings Adds 4-Partner Employment Group from Baker McKenzie
The four “further enhance our ability to represent clients at the C-suite and board levels on their most sophisticated and complex matters,” according to a statement released by Frank Lopez, the chair of the firm.
Greenberg Traurig Expands with Milan Team Amid ‘Turmoil’ in Italian Legal Market
The company already operates in Berlin, Warsaw, London, and Amsterdam, and it is expected to soon announce the opening of a second facility in Germany.
A&L Goodbody appoints five new partners
The technology team’s Clare Carroll and Stephen King, the disputes and investigations team’s Denise Daly Byrne, and the construction and engineering team’s Siobhan Kearney are the new Dublin partners. Catherine Irvine is now a partner in the corporate and M&A division at the Belfast office.
Deloitte expands leadership team with the appointment of three new partners
To further bolster their Tax & Legal team, Deloitte Ireland have announced the addition of three new partners. Amine Bouguerra, Jane Pilkington, and Kevin Devenney all bring a wealth of experience to their respective positions, strengthening Deloitte’s diversified service offering in a crucial business domain.
Financials:
Cisco CLO’s Comp Surges in Year Marked by Huge Acquisition, Declining Sales
Deborah “Dev” Stahlkopf was Microsoft’s chief counsel prior to joining the computer networking behemoth in 2021, partly due to a $5.5 million signing bonus in cash and stock.
Average Partner Pay ‘Surges’ in Both Equity and Nonequity Tiers
In line with a broader trend of partners keeping larger books of business, the average origination amount for a partner also skyrocketed last year.
Clifford Chance Further Modifies Lockstep to Better Reward Top Performers
In the midst of a hectic London employment market, one person acquainted with the situation claims that the firm’s top equity can now reach £12 million.
Many Judges Earn Less Than Lawyers: Texas Judiciary Asks for 30% Raise
According to Megan LaVoie, executive director of the Office of Court Administration, 26% of judges who choose to voluntarily retire cited pay as a motivating reason.
Hodgson Russ Expects Double-Digit Growth This Year After Ranking First Among Mid-Market 50 Firms
Following last year’s decline in both revenue and profitability, Hodgson Russ anticipates double-digit growth in both areas due to an increase in activity in the firm’s corporate and litigation divisions.
AmLaw 200 partner pay hits record $1.4m
According to research by recruitment experts Major Lindsey & Africa (MLA), partner compensation at AmLaw 200 firms reached a record high last year, with an average of $1.4 million. According to the 2024 Partner Compensation Survey, average partner pays nearly doubled since 2014, when it was $716k, and increased by 26% between 2021 and 2023.
Promotions & Appointments
Richards Layton Attorney Named to the Federation of Regulatory Counsel
The Federation of Regulatory Counsel (FORC) has appointed Edward S. Little, an attorney at Richards, Layton & Finger, as an associate regulatory counsel member.
Litera Brings Back Avaneesh Marwaha as CEO, Replacing Sheryl Hoskins
Litera announced a Microsoft gen AI integration and formally debuted one of its first generative AI products just months prior to the leadership shift.
With Chair Regularly on the Road, Duane Morris Names First Phila. Office Managing Partner
James Steigerwald, co-chair of commercial litigation, assumed the position earlier this month. “The thought now was that we could really use someone who’s laser focused on Philadelphia,” he said.
People in the News—Oct. 24, 2024—Post & Schell, King Spry
Joseph C. Koerwitz, an attorney, was elected to a partnership position at Post & Schell.
Kennedys to Refresh Leadership as Senior Partner Stands Down
Nick Thomas has been the firm’s senior partner since 1997 and was re-elected to the position without opposition in 2007, 2012, and 2017, therefore his departure will mark a significant shift.
TLT recruits employment lawyer Anna Beggan as legal director
Anna Beggan, the former head of employment at Tughans, has been hired by TLT to serve as the legal director of its Belfast employment unit. Ms. Beggan has over 25 years of expertise providing complicated employment legal advice to a variety of employers and companies in various industries.
Kennedys announces new global managing partner
Meg Catalano has been named the global managing partner of Kennedys, a firm with offices in Belfast and Dublin. Currently serving as the regional managing partner for the United States, Ms. Catalano is a member of the firm’s executive group, which consists of five members and is in charge of establishing and carrying out the firm’s business operations and strategic direction.
Diversity & Inclusion:
UK Black History Month: Four A&O Shearman Staffers Honor Their Unsung Heroesv
The goal of this year’s topic, “reclaiming narratives,” is to identify and address historical errors in how Black history and culture are portrayed. Here, attorneys discuss the individuals who influenced their lives.
DIAC herald’s modernisation programme as cases and diversity growv
In 2023, DIAC registered 355 cases, up 4.4% from the year before. Of those, 323 arbitrations were administered, up 11%. Additionally, it details the first mediation it conducted using the updated DIAC Mediation Rules, which were unveiled in October 2023.
Office Openings & Closing:
ECIJA Launches in Peru in Combination with Local Firm
With the incorporation of Lima-based Berninzon & Benavides Abogados, the Spanish legal practice continues its explosive growth.
Saudi firm K&A expands to Abu Dhabi
For the first time, the Saudi law firm Khoshaim & Associates (K&A) has opened an office outside of the Kingdom, in Abu Dhabi. Supporting K&A’s current and potential clients in Saudi Arabia and the surrounding area is the goal of the new office.
Skadden confirms closure in Shanghai, adjusts China corporate business
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, a law firm with its headquarters in New York, has informed ALB that it will be closing its Shanghai office and restructuring its corporate operations in China.
Mergers & Alliances:
When It Comes to Law Firm Mergers, Are Firm Leaders Getting FOMO?
“If the good ones are pairing up, you don’t want to be the ones [left],” one industry watcher said.
New Merger-Review Process Could Doom Some Deals, Add Headaches, Subjectivity to Others
“We’ve gone from a (relatively) certain world centered around a notification that required objective information only to one that is much more murky and perhaps subject to the interpretation of rules by a particular attorney at the agency or manager at the agency,” Scott Sher, a partner at Paul Weiss, explains
Alt Legal Acquires Trademark Paralegal Services Company WeberMark
Following the acquisition, Alt Legal established Alt Legal Assist, a paralegal service focused on intellectual property.
Technology & Innovation:
Yale Debuts New Law’s AI Future Course, Taught by Lawyer Turned Technologist
Professor Abdi Aidid of “Law’s Artificial Intelligence Future” expects the autumn course will shed light on the benefits and drawbacks of AI as well as its numerous uses in the legal industry.
NetDocuments Integrates Its DMS With AI Solutions, including ndMAX Assist PatternBuilder MAX
Along with the connection, which NetDocuments refers to as a “intelligent DMS,” the business also highlighted the impending public release of ndMAX Assist and a number of new prebuilt ndMAX Studio Apps.
Alexi Announces Upgraded Platform with New Gen AI Features
Using combining AI and Alexi’s pre-existing legal research, the Canadian startup’s enhanced platform seeks to expedite the research memo drafting process.
Luminance Launches ‘Agent Lumi’, Expanding on Its Gen AI Chatbot Ask Lumi
By automating digital behaviors, the new agentic AI product seeks to assist users in managing a variety of time-consuming repetitive tasks.
UK Law Firm Travers Smith Launches AI Academy
Law’s use of AI products is still evolving, but the results are still unclear because there is dispute over how it should be implemented, which industries it should be used in, and which employment it might impact.
Legal Tech Startup Genie AI Announces $17.8M Funding Round Led by Google Ventures
Among other things, Genie AI provides a generative AI assistant that assists in automating the creation of legal documents as well as contract evaluation and negotiation.
Three Legal Technology Trends That Can Maximize Legal Team Efficiency and Productivity
According to Gartner, 50% of office workers in multinational corporations will have AI added to their jobs by 2026, either to boost output or improve the calibre of their work. Three significant technological developments impacting legal professionals have been recognized by Gartner experts in this article.
Thomson Reuters Unveils AI for Legal Justice Aid Program for Legal Aid Organizations
In addition to offering legal aid organizations discounted CoCounsel goods, the program will also support an innovation initiative among a limited group of legal aid charities that aspire to use artificial intelligence.
Selling AI Products to Law Firms Still a Challenge, Legal Tech Firms Say
“If you’re billing by the hour, you’re not really very incentivized to buy some software that makes it take fewer hours to do the same thing,” a chief technology officer stated.
Market Commentary:
‘The Progression Is Not Natural’: As IPOs Surge in India, Law Firms Try to Keep Up
The IPO boom offers both possibilities and problems for domestic and foreign law firms operating in India’s capital markets.
DC Partner Hiring at Elite Law Firms Lags Behind Other Key Legal Markets
It is “going to be steady, but still be one of the highest lateral move categories that we see going into 2025,” according to a recruiter at Macrae, regarding antitrust practice employment.
Political Polarization Prompts Asia’s Regional Firms to Seek Out Legal Networks
The legal ecology in Asia has undergone significant transformation as the era of globalization has come to an end. Although Big Law’s withdrawal has been the most noticeable change, regional Asian players are taking advantage of the chance to pursue global recognition.
Big Law Investment Drops in San Francisco Bay Area, Report Finds
According to Macrae, leading companies have reduced their lateral partner hiring in intellectual property practices by 75% so far this year.
According to experts, law firms will need to adjust to a generation that is acutely aware of its mental health issues.
Guarantees Are Back, Whether Law Firms Want to Talk About Them or Not
Paul Hastings and Kirkland & Ellis are two companies that are more frequently mentioned for their use of multi-year contracts.
The Africa Top 30, 2024: A Headcount Ranking of the Largest Law Firms on the Continent
While two foreign companies have completely fallen out of the top 30, ENS continues to have a commanding position.
South African Lawyers Capitalise on 100 Days of Coalition-Driven Uncertainty
While legal firms take advantage of new prospects in infrastructure and energy projects, South Africa’s coalition government has increased investor confidence in its first 100 days in office.
Moves
UK & Ireland
Covington Taps ICO General Counsel in Latest London Hire
Claudia Berg leaves her position heading up the legal department at the ICO for Covington’s London based global antitrust & competition practice. She will be joining as a partner.
Co-founder of Powell Gilbert joins Morgan Lewis
Tim Powell, a co-founder of the boutique IP firm Powell Gilbert, has been appointed as partner in the London office of Morgan Lewis & Bockius. His hiring is the most recent in a series of IP hires as the US firm strengthens its bench in the UK and Europe.
Japan’s Nishimura & Asahi to open in London and Brussels
Early next year, offices will open with a mix of local and Japanese solicitors. According to the firm, M&A partner Yoshiyuki Kizu will head the London office and antitrust and competition partner Kojiro Fujii will lead the Brussels offices. Both are expected to open by early 2025.
Paul Weiss raids Kirkland’s London funds team again for latest partner hire
Paul Weiss raids London’s Kirkland & Ellis office for talent yet again, this time bringing on Revathi Raghavan, a financial regulatory partner. As Kirkland’s investment funds team continues to quickly establish a premier private equity practice in London, Raghavan is the fifth partner to leave the team this year for Paul Weiss.
RDJ appoints Jenny Foley as healthcare partner
Jenny Foley has joined RDJ’s nationwide healthcare practice as a partner. Ms. Foley, leaves her role as senior clinical litigation solicitor at the State Claims Agency (SCA), and will be stationed in the firm’s Dublin office.
Morgan Lewis Adds Sarah Guske as Intellectual Property Partner
Guske leaves Baker Botts and is a litigator for Fortune 500, technology, and telecommunications firms before the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, US district courts, and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
Sidley strikes Latham again for capital markets duo
Scott Colwell and Patrick Kwak leave Latham & Watkins to London-based Sidley Austin, say sources close to the matter. The moves come following Latham Watkins’ new “super points” system introduced in July which enables top billers to take home paychecks above $20m.
Americas
Paul Hastings further expands Washington office with litigation hire from Kirkland
Top 25 US firm Paul Hastings has added its second litigation partner in Washington DC in the space of a week with the arrival of commercial disputes lawyer Ronald Anguas Jr.
ECIJA Launches in Peru in Combination with Local Firm
The Spanish law firm ECIJA has expanded its network of partnerships throughout Latin America with an office opening in Peru. With the addition of Berninzon & Benavides in Lima, the Latin America practice now boats 32 partners and 15 countries, including Puerto Rico.
Monica Hwang joins White & Case as a partner in Houston
Monia Hwang leaves O’Melveny, bringing a wealth of experience in LNG projects. White & Case commented: “Monica’s comprehensive experience across the spectrum of infrastructure sectors, including energy, energy transition, transport and water, is a significant asset as we continue to focus on building our energy projects team in Houston as part of the Firm’s broader strategy to grow our US practices to meet client demand.”
Freshfields Lures Willkie Partner to Lead NY Private Equity Practice
Claire Jaimes has explained that she wants to expand the practice & continue to strengthen the team in her new role as head of the PE practice.
The renowned Chicago legal firm Jenner & Block has strengthened its insolvency and restructuring practice by adding Doug Spelfogel and Derek Wright, two well-known attorneys from Mayer Brown. As co-chair of Jenner & Block’s bankruptcy and restructuring division, Doug Spelfogel, who previously co-led Mayer Brown’s restructuring practice in New York, will provide decades of experience in high-profile cases to the firm.
Holland & Knight Adds Greg Hoffnagle, Alex Selarnick as Partners
Holland & Knight said Thursday that Greg Hoffnagle joins its corporate, mergers and acquisitions office in New York whilst Alex Selarnick joins the firm securities practice group in Philadelphia. The pair join from Goodwin Procter.
Skadden Adds Luke Ferrandino as Chief Business Development and Marketing Officer
Based in New York, Luke Ferrandino, the chief marketing officer of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, will be joining Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom as the new chief business development and marketing officer. After 35 years, Sally Feldman, Skadden’s long-time CMO, is retiring.
On the Move: Polsinelli Adds Health Care Litigation Pros From K&L Gates
Melissa Yates joined as a senior associate, while Allessandra Stewart and Stephen Bittinger just became stockholders. Polsinelli brought on a group of South Carolina based health care litigators from K&L Gates.
John Budetti, Paul Hastings’ Investment Funds Chair, Departs After 18 Months
Budetti’s lawyer, Veronica Jung, said in a statement Thursday that New York based Budetti and Paul Hastings reached a mutual and amicable separation, effective immediately.
Vinson & Elkins Builds Renewable Energy Team With Bracewell Partner in Houston
Since the Inflation Reduction Act was passed, there has been a significant increase in demand for work involving renewable energy tax credits. As a result, Vinson & Elkins hired Jenny Speck, a partner at Bracewell, to counsel clients on tax transactions.
Newsmakers: Houston Litigation Boutique Gibbs & Bruns Promotes Attorney to Partner
Justin D. Patrick has been promoted to partnership by Gibbs & Bruns. Complex business litigation is the main emphasis of Patrick’s practice. He has represented customers in the automotive, technology, commodities and derivatives trading, and upstream and midstream oil and gas industries.
Womble Bond Lures Another Latin America-Focused Arbitration Expert from Dechert
Alongside Alexandre de Gramont, who left Dechert in September to head Womble Bond’s international conflicts practice, David Attanasio has joined the Washington D.C.-based commercial litigation group as a partner. For almost ten years, the two practiced together at Dechert.
EMEA
K&L Gates Brussels Hires Senior Antitrust Partner From Gibson Dunn
Lena Sandberg was the only female partner for Gibson Dunn in Brussels. She had worked for the firm in 2013 and was made partner 2018. She focuses on state aid and competition law.
Dentons signs up four African firms
Through partnerships with legal firms in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Dentons is expanding its network of jurisdictions in Africa by four. With more than 280 solicitors spread across 23 locations, the agreements, which are all scheduled to come into effect in 2025, will increase the number of nations served by the multinational’s Africa division to 17.
Private Equity Lawyer Sebastian Pitz Joins Kirkland & Ellis in Frankfurt
JUVE regularly recommends Mr. Pitz for corporate law, M&A, and private equity. He was a partner at White & Case before joining Kirkland. Last month, Kirkland announced the addition of restructuring partners Friedrich Schlott and Christian Halàsz, as well as private equity/M&A partners Tobias Larisch and Florian Sippel. The Farnkfurt office opening was announced in August.
APAC
Bird & Bird Takes Partners from Ashurst and Squire Patton Boggs in Australia
Bill Smith, specialising in disputes leaves Ashurst whilst restructuring partner Masi Zaki joins from Squire Patton Boggs. The hires are a result of the firm’s drive to expand its offering to clients in the APAC region & the Middle East.
Skadden to Close in Shanghai and Make Cuts to China Corporate Practice
Skadden’s primary practice area in China is corporate, but several of its competitors have closed offices and made layoffs due to a prolonged slowdown in business. Skadden lists 19 solicitors in Shanghai, including Yuting Wu and Haiping Li, two partners. Hong Kong is identified as the base of operations for two of its 19 solicitors, including Li.
Skadden adds Asia disputes head from Sidley
Prior to joining, Friven Yeoh co-led Sidley’s worldwide advocacy, trade, and arbitration group. He will lead Skadden’s Asian international litigation and arbitration group. Yeoh will divide his time between the Hong Kong & Singapore offices.
O’Melveny expands in Singapore with M&A partner duo from Hogan Lovells
Strengthening the US firm’s M&A business in Asia, O’Melveny & Myers makes a double partner hire in Singapore from Hogan Lovells. Stephanie Keen and Sylvia Taslim have substantial expertise with pan-Asia deals and are experts in private equity and strategic M&A.
Singapore law firm TSMP hires disputes director from Salem Ibrahim
Raeza Ibrahim was the head of commercial dispute resolution at Salem Ibrahim, a local boutique, before joining Singapore’s TSMP Law Corporation as a director in its dispute resolution unit.
PRC’s Guizhou Guida launches office in Bangkok
Thailand is the location of the first foreign branch of the Guizhou Guida Law Firm, which is headquartered in the city of Guiyang in southwest China. Established in 2000, Guida now employs about 700 solicitors in its 16 domestic offices.
Shanghai’s Wintell establishes Singapore office
With permission from the Ministry of Law of the city-state, Shanghai-based Wintell & Co. opened its first overseas office in Singapore. Wintell was founded in 2005 and at first concentrated on maritime law and shipping. With 15 domestic offices and more than 500 solicitors, it has been working in tandem with HFW in Shanghai since 2016.
Rajah & Tann disputes partner joins Kennedys Singapore JLV
Kevin Tan, a specialist in international arbitration and commercial litigation, was a partner at the Big Four firm Rajah & Tann before joining Legal Solutions, Kennedys’ joint law venture business in Singapore, as a director.
Jia Yuan adds another Greater China partner from A&O Shearman
Following the employment of partner Wanda Woo and her team from A&O Shearman, the PRC legal firm Jia Yuan legal Offices has expanded its capital markets practice in Hong Kong. Following the entrance of Daisy Qi as senior partner and head of the investment funds practice in Shanghai, Woo is Jia Yuan’s second partner hire from A&O Shearman in less than a week. Feng Chaoyi and Gu Wenxin, solicitors from A&O Shearman, are part of Woo’s team and will be joining Jia Yuan as consultants.
HK: Hauzen hires arbitration, insurance lawyer from Hugill & Ip
Caroline Thomas, an arbitration and insurance attorney from the local firm Hugill & Ip, has joined as a partner at Hauzen, the Hong Kong association firm of the PRC’s Anjie Broad Law Firm. With over 15 years of expertise, Thomas specializes in dispute resolution and regulatory law across various sectors, including shipping and trade, insurance, energy, telecommunications, technology, pharmaceuticals, and construction.
In-house pro rejoins CAM’s capital markets team in Bengaluru
With the addition of Gayathri Ramachandran as a partner in Bengaluru, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas has continued its robust capital markets recovery, supported by the optimistic sentiment of the Indian stock market.
Bird & Bird swoops on Al Tamimi for tech partner
As a partner at Al Tamimi & Company, Nick O’Connell oversaw the company’s technology, media, and telecommunications practice in Saudi Arabia. He joins Bird & Bird in Dubai, where he will assist the company’s technology clients with their Middle Eastern business requirements.
White & Case welcomes four to Middle East partnership
The Dubai-based firm’s mergers and acquisitions practice has named Fraser Galloway and Roger Gaspard as partners. Project development and finance expert Michael Gabriel joins the firm’s partnership in Riyadh whilst, working in the same field, Khawla Alatiyat has been promoted in Abu Dhabi.
HFW hires Kuwait partner as Middle East revenue surges by more than 60%
With Middle East revenue up more than 60% over the last two fiscal years, HFW has added a partner in Kuwait. After working at DLA Piper and Dentons, Kashif Syed joined the Kuwait City company from International Legal Group.
HFW Adds Clifford Chance Construction Partner in Australia
Fenwick Holman With the addition of a Clifford Chance disputes partner in Perth, Willan has further expanded its construction practice in Australia and abroad. Sean Marriott, who will join HFW in November, focusses on investor-state dispute settlement and construction disputes and international arbitration in the mining, power, renewables, oil and gas, and public infrastructure industries.
In house
Houston-based Brock Group hires GC from Booster
Shenna Bradshaw was named general counsel by Brock Group, a US industrial services company. This is the most recent in a string of high-level executive appointments the company has made this year. Bradshaw formerly served as GC and Vice President of people at Booster, a mobile fuel delivery service.
Richardson informed the ACC Board of Directors that she intended for her final year in that role to end with the 2025 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. In order to give the ACC Board enough time to choose a new CEO, she gave them a full year’s notice. After leaving, Richardson plans to lecture at Georgetown University Law Centre, serve on corporate boards, and pursue her interests and passions.
DISCO Hires WebMD Legal Exec as GC as New CEO Retools Strategy
Susan Garcia, a seasoned lawyer with years of experience at NBC Universal and Thomson Reuters, is taking on her first head legal position. Garcia is joining DISCO, a company based in Austin, Texas, which aims to enhance its working culture and reverse a precipitous drop in revenue growth.
Cable One Eliminates CLO Post, Promotes Deputy GC to Legal Chief
The odd move occurs as the company cuts expenses as its broadband division experiences intensifying competition and declining growth.
Team Moves
Greenberg Traurig expands in Milan with triple partner hire from Molinari Agostinelli
Riccardo Agostinelli, Marco Leonardi, and Daniele Migliarucci are the trio of partners. Senior associates Cristina Cupolo and Alessandro Pallavicini join them. They contribute knowledge in a variety of banking and financial areas, such as debt restructuring, special circumstances, corporate, real estate, sports, leveraged, and acquisition finance.
Sidley e-discovery lawyers exit for smaller law firm Redgrave
A 10-lawyer team from the considerably larger company Sidley Austin joined Redgrave, a tiny U.S. legal firm that specialises in electronic discovery, a process used to obtain evidence in litigation, and other “information law” problems. Robert Keeling, a founder and head of Sidley’s e-discovery and data analytics team, is part of the e-discovery team based in Washington, D.C. Keeling will serve on the executive committee of Redgrave. Kristen Knapp and Ray Mangum, who will serve on Redgrave’s management committee, are also joining as partners from Sidley.
Promotions & Appointments:
White & Case Cuts Partner Promotions for Fourth Year in a Row
The fresh crop, which will join the company’s 800-strong partnership, was dominated by the EMEA region. Following a string of successful years, the firm reports that 37 of its solicitors have been promoted.
4 Stone Buildings rings changes with new leadership and clerking co-heads
With senior clerk David Goddard moving into a consulting position and long-time head of chambers George Bompas KC ready to step down, the Commercial Chancery set 4 Stone Buildings is reorganising its leadership. When joint deputy senior clerks Ben Lashmar and Ryan Tunkel take Goddard’s place as joint senior clerks in March of next year, Bompas will be replaced by two joint heads of chambers, Richard Hill KC and Sharif Shivji KC.
Garda oversight reforms closer to commencement after key appointments
Ahead of historic changes to be made later this year, details of senior appointments to An Garda Síochána and its monitoring committees have been released. Barrister Dr. Donal de Buitléir will chair the new Bord a Gharda Síochána, while Dr. Elaine Byrne will serve as the first chair of the new Policing and Community Safety Authority (PCSA), which will combine the existing Policing Authority and Garda Inspectorate.
Mergers & Alliances:
DND Law merges with ML White Solicitors
ML White Solicitors, another Newry firm, has amalgamated with DND Law. All employees, files, and client records have been transferred to DND Law’s location at 1 Downshire Road, and ML White’s previous offices on Monaghan Street have been shuttered.
McCarter & English Absorbs Connecticut’s Harrington & Smith
In addition to partners Wayne Grohs, Robert Mauri and Mark Harrington. McCarter has added five professional staff members and three associates, Joseph Drish, John Garrity, and Monica Laskos. Harrington Smith was a Connecticut IP boutique.
Office Openings & Closing:
No More Admin Work: IP Lawyer Shutters Small Firm, Moves Team to FisherBroyles
The boutique IP firm fouded in Washington 71 years ago has been closed by the founders’ son, Roger Browdy. A key factor for Browdy was freeing up his time from management duties.
Austria’s Wolf Theiss Launches in Brussels with Competition Law Team
Competition lawyers Günter Bauer, Anca Jurcovan, Robert Wagner, and Stefan Wartinger make up the team. The office will act as a central location for clients from Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. The four partners will utilise the experience of the roughly thirty-lawyer antitrust team while working in Brussels and Austria. There are currently no plans to make any more lateral hiring.
DWF Group’s Canadian Firm Set to Add Fourth Office With 16-Lawyer Montreal Team
According to a person with knowledge of the situation, DWF Group’s Canadian branch is in advanced negotiations to add a 16-lawyer team in Montreal. Whitelaw Twining, a Canadian law firm that joined the DWF Group in 2022, is in talks with Bélanger Sauvé to absorb the firm’s civil litigation and insurance practice.
Dilworth Paxson Launches Erie Office With Longtime Local Banking Attorney
In Erie, Pennsylvania, Dilworth Paxson has opened an office, replacing the previous office of a long-standing corporate and municipal finance lawyer in the Northwest Pennsylvania city. Serving customers throughout the state, Roger Richards has been the president of his own legal practice, Richards & Associates, for the past forty-four years.
Technology & Innovation:
DISCO Officially Launches its Cecilia AI Platform in Europe
Via press release, DISCO announced that Cecilia “helps legal professionals quickly and accurately identify and analyze the most relevant documents to help streamline the ediscovery process and drive better outcomes. DISCO’s comprehensive set of generative AI-driven features includes Cecilia Q&A, Cecilia single doc Q&A and Cecilia document summaries”.
Are Law Firms Keeping Pace With Their Clients Business? Law Firms in the Era of AI-Driven Business
Many businesses are moving quickly as artificial intelligence continues to change industries, putting pressure on law firms to keep up.
When Law Firms Get Hacked, Are Their Corporate Clients on the Hook?
Growing concerns mount for corporate litigation departments with the possibility that companies may be held liable for data breaches at their law firms. The multinational snack food company Mondelez learnt this in 2023 when it was sued for a data breach when its law firm, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, became the victim of a cyber attack.
After confessing to employing artificial intelligence software in a family court matter that resulted in erroneous case citations and the adjournment of a hearing, a Melbourne attorney was reported to the Victorian Legal Complaints Body.
Thomson Reuters Announces New CoCounsel Features, Deeper Integration, and New UK Offerings
Thomson Reuters announced two new research features, the introduction of new and future product offerings in the United Kingdom, and a deeper integration of its generative artificial intelligence assistant CoCounsel into Westlaw and Practical Law on Wednesday.
NY Financial Services Watchdog Unveils Recommendations to Manage AI Cybersecurity Risks
Adrienne Harris, superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services, said in a statement that state-regulated organisations that operate under the state’s banking, insurance, or financial services legislation must evaluate and take the necessary action to address changing cybersecurity risks.
Law Firms, Legal Research Companies Collaborate With Vals AI on Gen AI Benchmarking Study
Vals AI, in collaboration with Reed Smith, Fisher Phillips, Thomson Reuters, Harvey, vLex, and LexisNexis, will assess the accuracy and performance of gen AI platforms.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Time to Act: A Call for Accountability Amid a Crisis of Female Representation
Women are included in law firm leadership at rates that are significantly lower than those of women in other industries due to work-life tensions and a host of other issues. These demands also make it difficult for women to imagine a long-term legal career path that sufficiently combines their professional and personal goals.
2024 Women in Law Roundtable Discussion
The panellists this year discussed attrition and how to reverse the trend, working from home and establishing boundaries with clients and family, using mentors to further their careers, and the effects of being undervalued by male clients and coworkers. Lastly, the panellists talked on how to use their special skills in this changing environment and cultivate relationships to get respect.
Promoting Diversity in the Business of Law Is Good for Business
Encouraging diversity in the legal profession is not only morally right, it also benefits business. As in other sectors of business, increased diversity has definite advantages for law firms and the companies that employ them; these advantages range from representation that is in line with the world we live and operate in to decision-making and innovation.
Market Commentary:
What the Rumoured Harvey and vLex Deal Says About Today’s Legal Research Market
After reports that gen AI startup Harvey was seeking to acquire vLex did the rounds, those in the know said the circumspect talks came to nothing. However, the door could still be open for a new entrant to the legal research space.
Cutting Partner Compensation Becomes Routine in Big Law
Every year, legal firms are more explicitly linking performance to pay. In order to compensate their best performers, several businesses are reducing partners’ salaries more drastically.
Deal Watch: Big Week for Private Equity, Private Credit and Kirkland
Announced mergers, acquisitions, and other deal activity was strong again this week, adding to the increasing momentum which is has been seen this year. Kirkland & Ellis had a great week, working on at least four of seven publicised deals worth more than $1 billion, whilst a number of Am Law 100 firms have been at the forefront of recent large deals.
Am Law 50, U.K. Magic Circle Firms See Lateral Hiring Jump in Finance, Corporate
In the first three quarters of 2024, Am Law 50 and U.K. Magic Circle firms experienced the highest number of lateral partner movements since 2021 in four key geographic areas. According to research by the legal recruiting firm Macrae, practice areas like corporate, finance, and investments saw the most activity. Legal experts claim that because of the general expansion in private credit and lending, those business lines are in the greatest need of legal advice.
As Partnerships Evolve, Law Firms See Ongoing Partner Training as Recruiting and Retention Tool
The associate ranks are no longer the end of law firm training. More than ever, companies are spending money on continuing partner training, including courses on associate team management, business development, billing, and ethics. Several firms, like Sheppard Mullin, Latham & Watkins, and Foley & Lardner, emphasise the value of their partner training program.
Law Firms Are Turning to Online Training Platforms as Apprenticeship Model Falters
Covid demonstrated the promise of online training and law firms are discovering that this approach may still bear fruit as new challenges continue to make more conventional training less practical.
As Midsize Firms Seek Scale to Compete, Should They Choose Mergers or Grow With What They Have?
Midsize legal firms that want to expand must decide whether to merge or hire attorneys as they become available. Despite having different strategies, two businesses, McGlinchey Stafford and Barclay Damon are succeeding in realising their goals.
NY Lateral Partner Moves Spike, Especially in PE and Funds Practices
According to a recent report, New York lateral partner hires in Am Law 50 and Magic Circle firms have increased significantly in 2024 due to an increase in moves in private equity, investment funds, and other business practices.
Financials:
Law Firm Rates in 2024: The Bull, Bear & Base Case for rates and what it means for realization
Law firms’ realisation rates, or the amount they bill and collect from clients for legal services work, have generally decreased over the last two years to levels more consistent with pre-pandemic norms. In certain sectors of the legal industry, these rates are even falling below pre-pandemic levels.
National firm reports £14m loss on £19m turnover
According to national company Simpson Millar, turnover dropped precipitously, causing losses to more than treble in a single year. The company’s pre-tax losses increased to £14.4 million from £6.3 million in the previous year, according to the annual records for the year ending December 2023. Meanwhile, as portions of the business were shut down to reduce costs, revenue fell 39% to £19 million.
What’s behind the rise in law firm non-equity partnerships?
Partnerships between law firms can be high-level unions, based on trust between shareholders who collaborate and divide profits. Or, without any real ownership share in the company, “partner” can be little more than a trendy label that works well for dazzling friends and clients. The latter is becoming more typical for large U.S. law firms.
A&O Shearman Adopts 3-Level Lockstep Pay Model Amid Shift to All-Equity Partnership
As major law firms look for ways to better reward top performance, the company has announced that it will reduce the number of its partners and withdraw from some areas.
It’s Time Law Firms Were Upfront About Who Their Salaried Partners Are
According to The Global Lawyer, clients are paying more attention to who is putting the hours in to produce the work they’re being charged for, yet the salaried partner layer remains in place.
Cleary Creates Nonequity Partner Tier, Calling for ‘Innovation and Adaptation’
Improving lawyer development & promotion are the aim of the new system. Lawyers will enter the programme after annual partnership evaluations which are currently taking place.
Introduction
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) are no longer mere buzzwords but essential to organisational success, especially in the legal sector. Paul Philip, Chief Executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), recently observed that a diverse legal profession benefits not only the public but legal businesses as well, ensuring talent from all backgrounds has the opportunity to thrive. DE&I is important in recruitment because it fosters fairness and has great potential to boost the public’s trust, given the need to represent our dynamic nation and reflect society fairly. This is important as bringing diverse perspectives can enhance innovation, productivity, and ultimately the bottom line for businesses. These are core elements that enable the legal profession to stand out in this competitive and increasingly global landscape. The hunt for talent is on and employees are now insisting that corporates better reflect and practice these core values.
In today’s globalised world, diversity also offers competitive advantages by providing firms with crucial cultural and linguistic skills, better equipping them to handle international challenges. According to 2023 data from the SRA, women now represent 63% of qualified solicitors in England & Wales (up from 48% in 2015), and lawyers from Black, Asian, and other minority ethnic backgrounds make up 19%, compared to 14% in 2015. The socio-economic diversity of the profession is also shifting, with the proportion of lawyers from a professional socio-economic background dropping from 60% in 2019 to 57% in 2023.
However, challenges remain – only 32% of full equity partners are women, despite women making up over half of solicitors in England & Wales. Furthermore, the InterLaw Diversity Forum reported that intersectional identities face even greater disparities, with women of colour making up even fewer equity partners than their non-ethnic female counterparts. Progress has been slow for the LGBTQ+ community as well, with only a 0.7% increase in representation within the legal profession over the past two years. These figures show that progress is starting to take place, but they also highlight the ongoing need to address the deeper inequalities that persist in the legal sector. The question now is: what can be done to further accelerate change?
Too often, companies approach DE&I as a tick box and compliance exercise, focusing on hiring diverse candidates to meet targets rather than embedding these principles into their long-term strategies to ensure retention. Search firms are in a unique position to shift this mindset by emphasising a holistic approach to DE&I that focuses on equity and inclusion, not just diversity.
We can do this by advising our clients on the importance of inclusive hiring practices, from crafting unbiased role profiles to creating equitable assessment processes. Implementing these practices will allow potential biases to be challenged whilst also providing top talent. In addition, it’s crucial to measure success, not just by the diversity of new hires, but also by how well these hires integrate into the organisation. As a result, companies are encouraged to implement diversity and inclusion training on an ongoing basis to help foster an inclusive culture within the organisation. Furthermore, encouraging the adoption of consistent learning and development functions to periodically review company attitudes to diversity and inclusion is another way the executive search industry can contribute. Hiring managers often cite the need for a candidate to be a ‘good fit for the company’ but by creating atmospheres which are welcoming for diverse candidates’ firms will allow for a more diverse range of candidates to come through the door and thrive within their organisation. Moreover, businesses should embrace new ways of thinking to challenge the status quo and be mindful of unconscious bias, especially given the rapidly changing landscape that commercial businesses operate in.
One of the most tangible ways search firms can impact DE&I is by expanding talent pools beyond traditional networks. Often, the lack of diversity in hiring is the result of narrow candidate pipelines. Laura Long, VP of National, Equity, Inclusion and Diversity at Kaiser Permanente says, “It’s a fallacy to say, ‘There aren’t enough diverse candidates out there.’ Yes, there are. You just need to look in the right places.” By broadening our search methods, tapping into historically under-represented groups, partnering with diverse professional organisations, and leveraging technology to mitigate bias, we can introduce clients to a wider array of talented individuals. Whether this be through partnerships with agencies which have proven track records when it comes to finding diverse candidates or by accessing more niche registries and search engines, broadening search methods is a clear way to venture out from the status quo and pinpoint talented individuals who might not be as well represented via traditional means.
Moreover, firms need to fill talent gaps, and finding creative ways to reach new audiences is essential. One seemingly simple way to do this is to source candidates from a variety of different platforms as opposed to relying on the websites and platforms we have grown accustomed to using. Practical examples of this include hiring from a wider range of universities as opposed to simply admitting Russell Group graduates and headhunting from firms outside the Magic Circle and elite US firms when hiring lateral partners. Additionally, various firms are now using The Rare Contextual Recruitment System (CRS) which enables them to identify high-potential candidates by assessing their achievements in the context of their educational background and social mobility factors. Another option for firms to reach an array of students is by partnering with diversity organisations such as Aspiring Solicitors, upReach, The Interlaw Diversity Forum and The Law Collective. Partnering with these organisations can be beneficial during search processes as they provide exposure to a greater range of high-quality candidates from diverse backgrounds and ensure that a more thorough and representative search is taking place. This can be corroborated by data from lawcareers.net which determined that “Firms adopting Rare’s CRS hire 61% more people from disadvantaged backgrounds”. These examples clearly show how we can expand talent pools throughout the search process.
Bias, both conscious and unconscious, remains a significant barrier to true inclusivity in hiring. The recruitment industry can move the needle by embedding bias-awareness training throughout the hiring process. This includes training hiring managers and clients on recognising and addressing their own biases at all stages, from CV reviews to interviews. Research that was carried out by the CIPD has found that only 28% of UK employers train interviewers on legal obligations and objective interview practices. Additionally, less than a fifth make efforts to remove bias through testing the words of job adverts or checking that tests are valid, reliable and objective. By implementing a mindful advisory process when we present candidates, we can encourage clients to be more proactive in terms of ensuring that their selection processes are in line with DE&I policies. This training will allow a hiring manager’s definition of a ‘good fit for the company’ to evolve into a more equitable and mindful form of thinking.
We have discussed how using a range of platforms to find high-quality candidates can be beneficial to the recruitment sector as we try to be more mindful of diversity during searches, and we can enlist the help of technology to take this further. Using data-driven tools to reduce bias in candidate selection, such as blind recruitment software or structured interviews, can ensure that hiring decisions are based on merit rather than stereotypes. This has been corroborated by data collated by LinkedIn, which determined that hirers who are sourcing talent using skills as the key metric and anonymising other areas are 60% more likely to find a successful hire. As talent partners, we can play an essential role in promoting these technologies and methodologies to our clients.
True DE&I progress requires long-term commitment, and search firms should partner with clients for sustained success, rather than focusing solely on short-term placements. By offering ongoing support through talent development programs, retention strategies, and advising on inclusive company culture, we can help organisations retain and nurture diverse talent.
Offering DE&I metrics and post-hire evaluations can also be invaluable. Search firms can provide data on diversity within the talent pipeline, as well as feedback loops on the success and challenges of new hires, helping companies make informed decisions on how to further improve their internal practices. Patti Kachidza, Co-Chair of the Interlaw Diversity forum has corroborated this belief. She states that “a simple data collection exercise about the make-up of their employee population, and monitoring recruitment, progression and salaries would reveal whether or not there is a fair representation of diverse employees at all levels.” Many are currently unaware and apathetic about diversity within their institutions, but when faced with cold hard facts and figures, it’s hard to ignore the problem. Patti also argues that “where disparities are found, constructive discussions can be initiated to implement inclusive recruitment and a promotion toolkit which will improve the landscape. The benefits of this exercise will far outweigh the time cost of collecting the data and will be a powerful demonstration of companies’ commitment to DE&I.” Highlighting the cost is crucial as companies might not see the benefit of these processes, both in terms of time and money, regarding their long-term growth. However, we can see that the benefits would be apparent for the legal profession as a whole and individual firms, as they would lead to the creation of improved search processes, which will be useful in the long term and lead to the retention of diverse talent.
One of the most critical components of DE&I’s success is accountability at the leadership level. Search firms can serve as consultants, helping organisations create leadership buy-in for DE&I initiatives. This could involve educating leadership teams on the business case for diversity; numerous studies show that diverse teams outperform homogenous ones in terms of innovation and financial performance. We can also advise on setting measurable DE&I goals and holding leaders accountable through regular reviews and transparent reporting. In-house lawyer Roshni Thakrar has set up her own consultancy practice called Inclusiviteam, to support organisations in furthering their DE&I commitments and strategies to ensure that all workers are given the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their intersectional social identities. She believes that “leaders must be accountable for implementing diversity and inclusion across all business areas, with financial incentives tied to their KPIs. They should actively engage with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and extend this understanding throughout the supply chain. Increased accountability is crucial for genuine change.” This can be observed because technically strong leaders may be adept at navigating corporate politics, but they may also be more likely to hire from inside their network or look for allies in the boardroom. This reinforces prejudices and ignores the difficulties marginalised groups encounter in the workplace. Roshni argues that “to drive real change, leaders must engage with and understand diverse perspectives and that means having a high EQ.”
We have talked about how we can reduce bias using skills-based hiring driven by data. However, this needs to be implemented in conjunction with the efforts of leaders who are keen to build a truly inclusive environment. The alternative might create a more diverse hiring pool – however, if the environment within the firm is not one where diverse candidates feel comfortable, then they are unlikely to thrive.
Actively encouraging leaders to break down the broken systems or hold others to account will help address existing issues when welcoming diverse hires into senior positions. Roshni maintains that “this is key, as often, you can’t be what you can’t see, hence marginalised groups need to be able to see others that look and sound like them. At the heart of every conversation, leaders must be able to create and foster psychological safety.” This change can take various forms, such as navigating corporate jargon or being sensitive to cultural topics relevant to different individuals — but the overarching reality is that this change can only be enacted if leaders are made aware of their power to create these positive atmospheres and take the necessary steps to bring them to fruition.
Conclusion
As a search firm, we are in a powerful position to be agents of change when it comes to advancing DE&I in the workplace. Moving the needle requires more than just placing diverse candidates; it involves working with clients to build equitable hiring practices, proactively expanding talent pools, eliminating bias, and ensuring leadership accountability. By embracing our role as strategic partners, we can assist organisations in not only meeting their DE&I objectives, but also thriving through the innovation and creativity that comes from true inclusivity.
If you would like to discuss how Fides can assist your business in enhancing the recruitment of diverse, high-calibre talent, please feel free to contact Sershen Ingram – sershen@fidessearch.com.
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Paul Weiss Strikes Kirkland Yet Again in Latest London Partner Hire
The firm’s rapidly expanding London business will benefit from David Pritchett’s expertise, the most recent appointment, who specializes in funds regulation.
Debevoise Adds Another Goodwin Partner in London
After nearly five years at Goodwin, James Grimwood, who works on a variety of private equity transactions such as M&A agreements, leveraged buyouts, and venture investments, is scheduled to join Debevoise. Grimwood had worked at CMS for more than 22 years before joining the company in 2020.
Howard Kennedy bolsters disputes bench with hires from Paul Hastings, Mishcon de Reya
Heidrun Walsh from Mishcon de Reya, an expert in international arbitration, and Crispin Daly of Paul Hastings, a contentious insolvency lawyer, become partners in a London business.
Quillon Law bolsters fraud practice with Covington & Burling partner hire
Ian Hargreaves from Covington & Burling has joined Quillon Law as a partner, strengthening the litigation firm’s proficiency in managing intricate and sizable fraud cases and investigations.
Eversheds Sutherland hires David Kirton as IP, tech and data protection partner
David Kirton has joined the Dublin-based intellectual property, technology, and data protection unit of the international law firm Eversheds Sutherland as a partner.
Dentons welcomes new partner to London Regulatory and Investigations Group
Andrew Barber is a seasoned financial regulatory partner who has joined Dentons’ expanding UK Regulatory and Investigations unit. After serving as a Managing Associate at Dentons, Andrew returns to the company from Pinsent Masons.
Two new partners at Beauchamps
Fiona Egan and Yvonne O’Byrne have been named partners at Beauchamps. Ms. Egan, a partner in the projects, infrastructure, and energy team, joins the company from Arthur Cox. She has extensive construction and project management experience, specializing in both contentious and non-contentious matters in the areas of infrastructure, large-scale commercial and residential projects, manufacturing, logistics, energy and renewables, and more.
Bird & Bird strengthens London Tax practice with the hire of Jesse Dalton as partner
With the addition of partner Jesse Dalton, the law firm Bird & Bird has bolstered its London Tax unit. He will begin work on October 21.
Freshfields Private Capital Partner Exits for Macfarlanes
Victoria Hills leaves Freshfields after 2 decades with the firm in a rare hire by Macfarlanes.
Capsticks expands construction expertise with Mills & Reeve, Bevan Brittan partner hires
Construction law experts Catherine Kay from Mills & Reeve and Matthew Phipps from Bevan & Brittan join UK national firm Capsticks.
EMEA
Jones Day Expands European Footprint with Global Disputes Partner in Madrid
In light of the increasing complexity of European litigation and arbitration, Pablo Doñate Gazapo de Badiola joins Jones Day Madrid, strengthening its expanding global conflicts practice.
Clifford Chance Paris Hires Tech Partner Anticipating ‘Huge Wave’ of AI Projects
According to Patrice Navarro, Clifford Chance’s new partner in data, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, his AI work currently makes up over a third of his practice, and he anticipates that number to rise in 2025.
A&O Shearman Hires Knowledge and Innovation Lead from Pérez-Llorca
Marisa Delgado oversaw the implementation of the Swedish generative AI tool Leya while she was in charge of Pérez-Llorca’s knowledge management division.
BCLP Hires Paris Corporate Partner From Orrick & Other French Moves
BCLP has added George Rigo, well established at Orrick, as a partner in Paris to improve its capabilities in meeting increasing demand for advisory services on complex cross-border transactions.
Clifford Chance Builds Private Capital Capability with Paul Hastings Partner Hire
Blake Jones leaves Paul Hastings after joining the firm in 2018. The move comes shortly after the firm’s London head of private equity, Chris Sullivan, left for Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison together with senior finance partner Taner Hassan.
APAC
Morgan Lewis Takes China Investigations Partner from White & Case
Bingna Guo joins Morgan Lewis from White & Case. Bingna has experience in representing global companies, audit committees, and clients in cross-border investigations and enforcement actions. She has also advised on compliance programs and training in addition to overseeing complex disputes.
Simmons & Simmons Shanghai Office Lawyers Move to Shanghai Alliance Firm YaoWang
Melody Yang, a 14-year Simmons partner, just joined YaoWang, which was founded in 2022 by former Simmons & Simmons partner May Lu.
Baker McKenzie Former Australian Head of Tax to Leave for Jones Day
John Walker was previously head of Baker McKenzie’s Australian Tax Practice, he is now set to join Jones Day. Well known for his knowledge of the tax dimension of M&A, the move is expected to bring further expertise to Jones Day’s capabilities within this specialism.
The tax implications of M&A and other transactions are John Walker’s area of expertise.
Baker McKenzie Loses Second Australian Partner Within Days
Charlie Detmold, a banking and financial professional, will join Johnson Winter Slattery, a local firm.
Malaysia’s Rahmat Lim hires tax partner from Halim Hong & Quek
Andersen Global member firm Halim Hong & Quek has recruited tax attorney Desmond Liew Zhi Hong as a partner at the Malaysian law firm Rahmat Lim & Partners, which is the association firm of Allen & Gledhill.
Offshore firm Ogier hires new funds, digital assets partner in HK
Dennis Li, a specialist in investment funds and digital assets, was hired as a partner in Hong Kong by offshore legal firm Ogier from rival Travers Thorp Alberga, where he served as a counsel.
Philippines: Ocampo & Suralvo bolsters disputes offering with new partner
Anthony RV Jacoba, a litigator, has been appointed as a partner and leader of the dispute resolution and insolvency practice group of Ocampo & Suralvo legal Offices, a Philippine legal company.
JSA hires corporate pro from AP & Partners in Gurugram
With the hiring of corporate lawyer Harshit Anand as a retained partner in its Gurugram office, JSA has maintained its position as the market leader in 2024.
Clyde & Co’s Loses Australian Regulatory Partner Amid Ongoing Exodus
Avryl Lattin is set to take on an in-house role at international development organisation Adara Group, adding to the growing list of partners exiting Clyde & Co.
The Americas
Cole Schotz Adds Corporate Member in Delaware
Pamela Millard joined Cole Schotz’s corporate department in Delaware, the firm stated.
Kirkland Adds FTC Lawyer Amid ‘Pivotal Time’ in Antitrust Practices
Stephen Mohr, who recently departed from the FTC, said he “anticipates agencies will continue to be aggressive in bringing merger enforcement challenges.
Holland & Knight Adds Former US Attorney in Nashville
As a partner, Henry Leventis joins the business with an emphasis on health care customers and their need for compliance and investigations.
Winston & Strawn Hires K&L Gates’ Former Digital Assets Co-Chair in Miami
Winston & Strawn originally opened in Miami in 2022, and since then, the office has not added many new partners in that area, despite hiring a number of founding partners. Since starting the practice, it is now hiring Andrew Hinkes, its second partner with a focus on cryptocurrency.
Davis Polk Capital Markets Attorney Heads to Morgan Lewis
The newest employee at Morgan Lewis with SEC experience is Rahul Patel. According to the firm, there are over 20 SEC graduates spread among its U.S. offices.
Joseph Profaizer’s hire is not the first time that Linklaters and Paul Hastings have traded partners.
Holland & Knight Snags 2 Insurance Partners in New York and Philadelphia from Goodwin
Following a Polsinelli raid in July, Holland & Knight is expanding its Philadelphia office with Alex Selarnick and adding Greg Hoffnagle in New York, Both attorneys left Goodwin Procter and have been collaborating in the insurtech industry since 2018.
McGuireWoods bolsters energy coverage with partner hire from Balch & Bingham – The Global Legal Post
David Martin Connelly, an energy lawyer from Balch & Bingham, has joined McGuireWoods to strengthen the firm’s enforcement and regulatory expertise.
In-House
Sports Attorney Rejoins Jets for Second Tour of Duty as GC
Jill Kelley, who left in July, is being replaced by Andrew Lee, who has over 25 years of experience in sports law.
Kristin Coleman Out as GC of Albemarle Amid Leadership Reshuffles
Deputy General Counsel Stacy Grant, who joined the specialty chemicals manufacturer last year, is taking Coleman’s place.
Team Moves
Jones Day Adding 3 Winston Energy, Infrastructure Partners in Dallas
Rodney Moore, a partner at Winston & Strawn, has already joined Jones Day and stated that Samuel Peca and Scott Delaney will move in shortly once they resolve any outstanding issues.
CMA taps Linklaters, European Commission as part of trio of senior legal appointments
Emma Cochrane joins from Linklaters, meanwhile Lourenço Ventura returns from the EC. Richard Romney joined CMA in 2019 on an interim basis and no takes on a permanent role as senior legal director for the mergers, markets and regulatory appeals team.
Proskauer Rose Investment Management Trio Jumps to Stradley Ronon
Stuart H. Coleman, David Stephens and William T. MacGregor are due to leave an Am Law 50 firm for a legal practice with more than 200 attorneys that excels in the field of investment management.
Australia’s Holding Redlich Hires Seven From KPMG
In an effort to secure more government work, Holding Redlich has strengthened its Canberra team by hiring Philip Jones-Hope, the head of KPMG Law’s government and defence group, and his six-person team.
Korea’s Lee & Ko adds arbitration veteran to head international disputes
Park Eun Young leaves Park Arbitration Chambers, where he had taken on the role of independent arbitrator in 2022.
Promotions & Appointments:
People in the News—Oct. 7, 2024—Dilworth Paxson, Royer Cooper
Attorney Linda Dale Hoffa has been named chair of the Pennsylvania State Committee for the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) for a two-year term, according to Dilworth Paxson.
Chamberlain Hrdlicka Hires New COO, First-Ever Chief Business Development, Marketing Office
In an effort to expand strategically, Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry appointed Lisa Wilmore as its first chief business development and marketing officer and Erin Hulme as its chief operational officer.
Staples Chief Legal Officer Named Chair of 48,000-Member ACC
Tracy Preston, who has served as Macy’s Chief Legal Officer for the past year, will be replaced by Cristina Gonzalez.
North Carolina’s Brooks Pierce Elects New Managing Partner
Veteran commercial litigator James “Jimmy” Adams will take office Feb. 1st, 2025.
UnitedLex Appoints GC Renee Meisel as New CEO, Replacing James Schellhase After Short Tenure
In September 2023, Schellhase was named CEO of the alternative legal services company. Why he left the organization after only a brief period of leadership is unknown.
Clifford Chance, Freshfields and White & Case Make C-Suite Appointments
The high-ranking hires coincide with Big Law firms’ growing reliance on non-lawyers to spearhead expansion and growth plans.
Johnsons promotes Jonathan Calvert to partner
The firm’s defence and litigation practice is where Mr Calvert has spent the duration of his career since training with the team.
John O’Doherty re-appointed to National Gallery board
John O’Doherty is KOD Lyons’ managing partner and his tenure on the Board of Governors and Guardians of the National Gallery of Ireland has been extended by a further 2 years.
Mergers & Alliances:
Clients ‘No Longer Need to Be Referred Out’: Womble and Lewis Roca Eye Merger Benefits
Kenneth Van Winkle, managing partner of Lewis Roca, states, “We have had extreme difficulty representing our client base from other jurisdictions in their work in California.”
Law Firm Mergers – Does Bigger Mean Smart
In light of the disruption caused by technology, law firms must reconsider their approach.
Smaller firms falling out of love with merger, research finds – Legal Futures
A LexisNexis 2024 Bellwether report has found that only one in ten small firms would consider a merger or acquisition, a figure which has declined steadily in recent years.
Partner Cuts: The Grim Reality of Post-Merger Integration
A familiar pattern emerges after the A&O Shearmen Merger as a string of partners are let go in the wake of the deal.
Office Openings & Closing:
Willkie Keeps Building in Chicago as Office Eclipses 100 Lawyers
The lateral moves are consistent with its strategy to stock up on “A-plus practitioners” in places where the firm is already strong, said Willkie Midwest office leader Craig Martin.
Quinn Emanuel’s Miami Office Cracks 20 Attorneys, Three Years After Arrival
“We have vastly more work in Miami than we can do,” stated co-managing partner John O’Sullivan. “Half my cases, I’m working with teams that are from the other offices.”
Wave of Office Closures Highlights the Weighty Stakes Surrounding Law Firm Growth
Major Lindsey & Africa consultant Jennifer Moss said, “Just because a certain legal market is hot does not mean that you should be there.”
‘No Holds Barred’: Why Alston & Bird Is Leaning Into Los Angeles
Partner in charge Jeff Rosenfeld stated, “I’d like equal weight on both sides of town,” referring to Alston’s goal of expanding its new Century City office to match its DTLA footprint.
Butler Snow Shutters in Singapore, Partner to Split Time Between 2 Cities
Three former Butler Snow attorneys joined rival British private client firm Charles Russell Speechlys earlier this year.
Financials:
Surpassing Cravath Associate Pay Scale, Boutique Seeks to Stay Above Market
The boutique’s management stated that it hopes to reward associates for their hard work on important projects this year and aid in hiring by increasing associate compensation above market.
Law Firm and In-House Salaries on the Rise in Canada, Survey Says
According to Robert Half Canada’s compensation guide, legal companies are expected to increase wages by 2% by 2025.
Technology & Innovation:
Securely Navigating the AI Sea
It’s wise that the majority of attorneys remain cautious. AI presents moral dilemmas. Lawyers need to stay away from its various traps. These risks include depending too much on AI tools, not securing sensitive client data, and not communicating with the client or the court in an appropriate manner.
Just 11% of Legal Departments Predict Gen AI Will Be ‘Transformative,’ as Its Honeymoon Phase Fades
According to Marko Mrkonich, businesses should set up their AI compliance framework early on rather than after staff members have been accustomed to using AI in particular ways.
Leopard Solutions Unveils Leopard Prowess, an Outside Counsel Hiring Solution
Leopard Prowess aims to increase exposure to smaller firms and give corporate counsel an advantage when engaging outside counsel.
The Rise of AI in Legal Practice: How Attorneys Can Adapt and Thrive – Vault
Travis Whitsitt considers how AI is currently reshaping how attorneys work and how they can leverage the technology to improve their practises moving forward.
How Legal Tech Providers Can Walk the Walk on AI, Not Just Talk the Talk
Chris Cartrett, CEO of Aderant writes that Instead of using their clients as test subjects for AI, legal tech vendors should lead by example and implement AI-powered transformations within their own operations to ensure innovative thought and ultimately, benefit for their clients.
Summize Releases AI Redlining Tool That Shows Its Work and Learns If You Don’t Like It
Based on redlining rejections, the AI redlining tool can learn a user’s preferences while operating within Microsoft Word.
JAMS Launches Initiative to Leverage AI Technology in Dispute Resolution
As part of the JAMS Next effort, the organization will use the court reporting and testimony management platform Prevail to provide AI transcript services, among other modifications.
The American Arbitration Association Unveils Gen AI-Powered Panelist Search Tool
In the upcoming months, parties will have access to AAAi Panelist Search, which enables case managers to conduct more in-depth panelist searches to suit the requirements of their cases.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Atlanta Law Firm Joins Mansfield Effort for More Leadership Diversity
Julie Sebastian of Smith, Gambrell & Russell said, “Diversity is very important here. We want everybody to walk into the office every day knowing that they can be their full selves”.
Experts that that it’s time to step back and re-evaluate exactly what diversity, equity and inclusion mean for the workplace and for America’s business communities.
The Best Law Firms for Disability Representation in UK, 2024
The statistics also show that corporation law’s representation of people with disabilities still terribly lags behind the national average.
Market Commentary:
London co-head Neel Sachdev says, “It shows that if you hire the top talent… then the London legal market is a fantastic investment for law firms”.
Setting Partner Comp: Are Law Firms Now Too ‘Short-Term Focused’?
One consultant noted, “People are less patient than they have ever been before. People want to be awarded now.”
Losing its ‘Sparkle’? Why Latham Has Faced a Stream of Exits in Europe, UK
Several top partners have left the U.S.-led law firm in Germany and the U.K., according to sources, who blame the departures on indecision and a move away from “less core” areas.
Mental health in the legal profession: Progress and challenges
On World Mental Health Day, Nikki Edwards, president of the London Solicitors Litigation Association, considers the evolving perspective on mental health in the industry.
‘Who By Fire?’: Reflecting On Law Firms in a Tumultuous Year
Law companies may wish to take some time to consider the year’s events and what they might witness in the next 12 months, according to The Global Lawyer, after a year marked by conflict, office closures, and law mergers.
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Moves:
UK & Ireland
McDermott Continues Its Accelerated Growth in London with Senior Tax Hire
The premier tax practice in the market at McDermott Will & Emery, an international law firm, welcomes Candice Nichol as a partner. As the seventh partner based in London to join the Firm this year, Candice’s appointment enhances the firm’s position in the London market.
Squire Patton Boggs Adds to Capital Markets Expertise in London
Ben Morgan has been named a partner in Squire Patton Boggs’ global corporate practice located in London. Focusing on Equity Capital Markets (ECM), Mr. Morgan most recently worked at Goodwin Procter after practicing at Clifford Chance.
McDermott Strengthens Global M&A Offering with New Partner in London
Sebastien Bonneau is now a partner in McDermott Will & Emery’s Transactions Practice Group, based in London. Sebastien specializes in joint ventures, private equity, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
Alston & Bird Secures Orrick Partner Hire in London
Former Jenner & Block partner Kelly Hagedorn joins to concentrate on privacy lawsuits, regulatory enforcement, and data protection.
Goodwin Procter Adds DLA Finance Duo in Latest London Expansion
According to the firm, partners Lewis Gaut and Paul Gray will be joining the real estate financing practice as partners in the London office. Gray and Gaut are experts in structured real estate and sports finance, respectively, and both came to DLA Piper after working there for more than ten years.
O’Melveny adds senior private equity duo in London from Ashurst
David Carter, the former co-chair of Ashurst’s firm-wide private equity unit, and Braeden Donnelly, the former head of the firm’s UK/European PE business, have joined O’Melveny.
EMEA
Jones Day Hires Eversheds Sutherland Banking Head
Pim van Leersum became a partner at Eversheds Sutherland in 2020. His areas of expertise are capital markets, restructuring, and corporate finance.
Eversheds Adds Three Finance Lawyers in Amsterdam
With the addition of three attorneys from independent firm Rutgers Posch, Eversheds Sutherland has strengthened its finance practice. The UK firm’s Amsterdam branch will be home to senior associate Maarten Ahsmann, partner Vasco Hoving, and senior partner Kees Westermann.
Ashurst Hires Partner-Led Italian Finance Team While Geradin Opens Nordic Hub in Helsinki
At the same time as Geradin Partners opened an office in Finland to serve as its Nordic hub, Ashurst expanded its banking and finance business in Milan by hiring partner Riccardo Rossi and his Chiomenti team.
Baker McKenzie, CMS strengthen Riyadh partnerships
Baker McKenzie has taken on Khalid Alyafi as a partner in the transactional practice group
Leen Zaza joins Latham & Watkins as a partner in Riyadh
Zaza frequently counsel’s governments, investors, private equity firms, and Saudi and foreign businesses on a range of intricate transactions, with an emphasis on private mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures, corporate governance, corporate regulatory issues, and advisory concerns.
APAC
Another KPMG Partner Leaves after Australian Legal Arm Shuts Down
Adrian Wong, a workplace law partner, and his group of three attorneys will be joining Thomson Geer’s Melbourne office. Wong is an expert in enterprise bargaining, personnel strategy, business transfers, employment compliance, misbehavior cases, and litigation.
Australia’s MinterEllison hires construction partner from KWM
Peter Pether, a partner in construction litigation at King & Wood Mallesons, has joined the Australian company MinterEllison. In January 2025, Pether—who is renowned for providing counsel on extremely complicated litigation situations in the fields of infrastructure, resources, engineering, and construction—will join MinterEllison.
Nishimura hires Vietnam partner from MHM
Renowned Japanese law firm Nishimura & Asahi has expanded its presence in Vietnam by bringing in seasoned attorney Nguyen Ngoc Phuc from competitor Mori Hamada & Matsumoto (MHM) as a partner in Ho Chi Minh City.
Tokyo Int’l continues growth with arb hire from Vietnam’s Frasers
By adding seasoned arbiter Earl Rivera-Dolera as a partner from the Vietnamese business Frasers Law Company, where she oversaw the international arbitration practice, Japan’s Tokyo International Law Office (TKI) has grown even further.
Singapore boutique Covenant welcomes construction disputes veteran
Edwin Sim, a specialist in construction and engineering disputes, has been named a director of the Singaporean law firm Covenant Chambers. He joins from Lexton Law Corporation, which he co-founded in 2004, bringing with him over 25 years of experience in dispute settlement.
In house
Covington Adding Former DOJ Civil Appellate Head to Supreme Court Practice
Sarah Harrington, who has argued 22 times before the justices, said she is “not afraid of a hot bench.”
Ex-Legal Chief of Checkers Drive-In, Scotts Miracle-Gro Joins 2,200-Location Home-Services Firm
Vincent Brockman, incoming chief legal officer of Servpro said “In my personal experience with the company on two different occasions, I was very impressed by the skill, professionalism, and expertise demonstrated by my local franchises.”
Former Rutgers Law School Dean Replaces Hoffman as University General Counsel on Interim Basis
Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway named John J. Farmer Jr. as interim senior vice president and general counsel, starting immediately. Previously, Farmer served as general counsel from 2013 to 2014.
CLO of Realtor Group Exits After Stinging Court Defeat, Internal Turmoil
The National Association of Realtors will “develop a comprehensive strategy for its approach to all existing litigation and begin an assessment of any additional risk the association has based on current policies and rules,” CEO Nykia Wright stated in an email to members following the departure of Chief Legal Officer Katie Johnson.
Huel and WeTransfer-backer Highland Europe hires GC from Osborne Clarke
Josephine Healy, a new general counsel appointed by venture capital firm Highland Europe, takes over for Rini Banerjee, who departed the company earlier this year.
Bitcoin start-up Thesis hires former Cooley lawyer as GC
Katherine Snow has moved from crypto data platform Messari, where she was CLO.
The Americas
DHS General Counsel Returns to Sheppard Mullin, Army Judge Advocate General Joins Shook
Two elite lawyers from the U.S. Army and Department of Homeland Security have joined two prominent D.C. law firms.
Potter Anderson Partner Joins Corporate Department at Cole Schotz
With over 15 years of expertise, Pamela Millard has advised clients on Delaware corporation law and governance issues.
Winston & Strawn Adds Cadwalader Structured Finance Lawyer in Charlotte
New partner Jeff Mabrito said, “Winston is on a trajectory for long-term continued success, and I want to be part of the team that helps to drive this.”
Apollo Partner and Former GC Moves to Paul Weiss
Another indication of Paul Weiss’s strong commercial relationship with the massive private equity firm is the lateral move of Joseph Glatt in New York.
Harvey Chief Product Officer Heads to Debevoise
In an effort to become one of the newest legal firms to attract transactional talent, Debevoise hires Gordon Moodie, a longstanding corporate partner at Wachtell, as deal value climbs starting in 2023, and interest rates drop.
People in the News—Oct. 2, 2024—Marshall Dennehey, Flaster Greenberg
Matthew J. Butler is now a special counsel in the health care division of Marshall Dennehey, having joined the Scranton office.
Team Moves
McCarter & English Hires 10 Former Burns & Levinson Lawyers in Boston
As Burns & Levinson winds down, seven partners, two special counsel, and one associate are joining.
Stoel Rives Adds 7-Lawyer Group to Environmental Practice in Northern California
Managing partner Melissa Jones said, “There is an increased demand for environmental services in California, but not just California, it’s really a busy practice for us throughout our firm”.
Asia Pacific Hires: Global Firms Kick Off Q4 with Flurry of Team Hires Across the Region
Kennedys has expanded in New Zealand by taking over a specialist dispute resolution firm in the country’s capital Wellington.
Dechert Hong Kong Quintet Finds New Home at Hogan Lovells
Joining the firm are disputes partner and former head of Dechert’s Hong Kong office Maria Sit, and funds partner Michael Wong. Wong will bring with him two associates. Sit will join the firm later in the month and will bring with her one associate.
14 A&O Shearman Lawyers in South Africa to Join Bowmans
According to Ezra Davids, senior partner and chair of Bowmans, the partner changes are in line with the firm’s strategic goal of becoming the “go to” African law practice for clients seeking advice on complicated legal matters.
Pérez-Llorca Recruits Tax Team in Mexico City
With the Mexican government stepping up audits and collections, tax has been a highly sought-after practice in recent years.
Buchalter Grows New Atlanta Office with More Taylor English Lawyers
Smith Gambrell, Baker Donelson, FisherBroyles among other firms adding new partners in finance and IP.
India’s CAM Hires Partner Quartet Team from Saraf and Partnersv
The disputes offering of Indian legal firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM) has been augmented by the acquisition of four partners from nearby rival Saraf and Partners. Manmeet Singh, senior partner of the firm, is spearheading the effort and will be joining CAM with partners Sairam Subramanian, Anugrah Robin Frey, and Alok Shankar.
TLT adds eight-partner team from BDB Pitmans
The group’s activities are concentrated on infrastructure projects, encompassing, among other things, planning, public legislation, and authorization. Nick Evans, Mustafa Latif-Aramesh, Richard Marsh, Duncan O’Connor, James Ross, Angus Walker, and Sarah Clark are its members.
Promotions & Appointments
Davis Wright Tremaine Names New Firmwide Managing Partner
Scott MacCormack stepped down in March, and the firm picked Jaime Drozd, vice chair of the executive committee and co-leader of litigation, to succeed him on Friday. This after a six-month search committee.
Cozen O’Connor Elects Heller to 5th Term as CEO
Michael Heller, who’s been in the role since 2013 said, “It’s been really exciting seeing our growth and expansion, and we’re having a lot of fun along the way”.
McDermott Will & Emery Hires Its First Director of AI Innovation
After serving as an attorney and consultant in the past, Christopher Cyrus will be concentrating on creating unique AI solutions and fostering innovation in his new position at McDermott Will & Emery.
Kirkland Keeps New Partner Promotion Class at 200 Lawyers
For the first time in the last eight years at least, the class has shrunk year over year with the firm’s most recent partner promotions.
Corporate Partner Takes Over Leadership of Dentons’ Ottawa Office
In addition to leading the company’s Ottawa office, Chase Irwin will carry on providing services to clients in the startup community.
Reed Smith Appoints New Corporate Head in Asia to Succeed 30-Year Veteran
Denise Jong, a Hong Kong native who has headed the corporate practice in Asia for nearly ten years and was just named to the firm’s executive committee, is replaced by Johnny Lim.
Baker Botts has appointed Stuart Jordan as global head of construction
Stuart Jordan has been named worldwide head of construction by Baker Botts.
DLA Piper bolster Oman presence with new co-managing partner appointment
DLA Piper has announced the appointment of Nic Henrikson as co-managing partner of its Muscat office. Nic leaves Addleshaw Goddard to join with this crucial appointment to expand presence throughout the Middle East.
Matheson appoints two new directors
Matheson has named Luke Tyrrell as the head of information technology and Anthony Byrne as the director of international listing services. Having spent twenty years working in the stock exchange industry, Mr. Byrne has a wealth of expertise in the listed bond markets.
Financials:
GCs Receiving Lofty Pay Hikes, but Expectations Are Soaring, Too
John Gilmore, managing partner of the search firm BarkerGilmore said, “You need to be the person who can walk into a room and capture everyone’s attention, deliver your message in a way that people listen to, trust, and are inspired by”.
South African GC Salaries Climbing Quickly but Still Trail Law Firm Partners
In 2025, equity partners can anticipate earning $343,000 to $557,000 year, with high earners potentially earning up to $1.2 million.
What About Wachtell? The Link Between Growth and Profits
The Global Lawyer notes that research indicates a relationship between PEP growth and revenue growth, which may have consequences for higher-caliber, smaller enterprises.
Corporate Bankruptcies Slow Down in Q3 as Weil, Davis Polk and Sidley Earn Major Retentions
According to a recent report, the year is still on pace to surpass the number of company bankruptcy filings in 2023 by 25%.
Skadden tops global Q3 M&A table as total deal value jumps by 16%
In the first nine months of this year, the firm—which ranked sixth overall for the year 2023—provided advice on 159 acquisitions totalling $331.6 billion. These agreements included representing Ansys in its $35 billion sale to Synopsys and Squarespace in its $6.9 billion take-private takeover by Permira. In the interim, Kirkland & Ellis, the top firm from the previous year, came in second, handling deals totalling $315.4 billion.
Diversity & Inclusion:
‘That’s Disappointing’: Only 11% of MDL Appointments Went to Attorneys of Colour in 2023
U.S. District Judge William Orrick said in an interview “If you think that diversity in all of its forms is important in determining excellence, equity, these MDLs are great opportunities for people to learn, have a practice.”
Several companies, according to Mansfield leaders, have “remained quietly committed” to developing diversity leadership and have “blocked out the noise”.
Law Firms Mobilize to Respond to Anti-DEI Backlash
Law firms are expanding their services to customers concerned about lawsuit risk, as companies are left wondering if their hiring initiative or affinity group will land them in court.
Office Openings & Closing:
Faegre Drinker Picks Arizona for Next-Gen Design Lab
The Design Lab was formerly housed in Silicon Valley, where the office eventually amalgamated with the company’s San Francisco branch. However, Faegre Drinker relocated to Scottsdale due to reduced operational expenses and a wish to expand beyond California.
Top Antitrust Litigators Form New Boutique, with 10 Leaving Constantine Cannon, Robins Kaplan
The new firm’s executives expressed their expectation that every client will join them.
Covington Swipes Mishcon Insurance Disputes Head for New Practice Launch in London
The head of insurance disputes at Mishcon de Reya was hired by Covington & Burling, launching a new practice focused on insurance policy holder disputes. As a partner in Covington’s worldwide insurance recovery group, Sonia Campbell will oversee the company’s policyholder disputes business in London.
Dickinson Wright Opens San Diego Office with Focus on Life Sciences Practice
Along with two other members and two patent agents, the company also appointed Jing Liu as a member and chair of its biological sciences group.
Perkins Coie Renovates Portland Office with Focus on Equal Attorney Space, Hoteling
The company’s space was downsized to less than 30,000 square feet after its 12-year contract in Portland was recently extended.
A&O Shearman Signs Up for Extra 100K Square Feet at New London Premises
Allen & Overy and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, GIC, reached an agreement in 2021 to lease a minimum of 254,000 square feet on the Broadgate site.
Skadden to Launch First Middle East Office in Abu Dhabi
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has selected Abu Dhabi as its first Gulf location, making it the newest multinational legal firm to establish a base in the Middle East.
Mergers & Alliances:
In Another Am Law 200 Firm Merger, Spencer Fane Expands in Las Vegas
About 14 more attorneys join Spencer Fane after merging with Holley Driggs, based in Las Vegas.
‘Higher Level’ of Law Firm Merger Activity Expected in 2025, but Tie-Ups Remain Steady so Far
“I do think there are fewer options” for merger partners, noted consultant Lisa Smith, “although there’s always new firms forming, and new firms spinning off.”
Fennemore Craig Combines with Tech Boutique to Jump-Start AI Initiative
Joining forces with Spokane, Washington-based Lucent Law, the Am Law 200 company is launching “Project BlueWave.”
Al Tamimi Cuts Ties with Casablanca’s Roudane & Partners, Restructures Africa
Unexpectedly, Al Tamimi & Co. and Roudane & Partners have severed their partnership, claiming financial difficulties and the necessity to restructure their Moroccan services.
Kennedys absorbs boutique for Wellington launch
As Kennedys continues to grow throughout Australasia, it has acquired specialist conflict resolution firm Darroch Forrest and opened an office in Wellington, New Zealand.
Technology & Innovation:
Barry J. Schindler, Lennie A. Bersh and Laurin Buettner write that, “In some instances, a dual strategy that leverages both patents and trade secrets for protecting a Gen AI innovation can be highly effective.”
New UC Irvine Law Course Explores Practice Management with Help from Gen AI
The fall 2024 course, co-instructed by O’Melveny & Myers managing director for information Ali Shahidi and executive coach and consultant Amy Wegener, focuses on critical issues like the client relationships while supplementing coursework with generative AI guidance.
Reveal Acquires Redaction Tool Source Code From E-Discovery Provider Milyli
Reveal stated that it purchased the source code for Blackout with the intention of improving its e-discovery platform’s redaction capabilities.
Linklaters Launches GenAI Training Programme for Lawyers
The move comes after over 80% of the company’s employees finished the required core GenAI training, according to the firm.
Market Commentary:
Baker McKenzie Sets Profitability Goals, Focusing on New York
Colin Murray, the firm’s North American CEO said, “Our U.S. [PEP] would land us around No. 39. Our goal is to be playing in the top 25.”
Are Only ‘A Handful’ of Law Firms Positioned Well After Citi-Apollo Partnership?
One dealmaker said, “Syndicated option or private credit, you need a firm that can handle either in every iteration”.
From Baby Boomer Lawyers to Gen Z Lawyers—How Do We Communicate?
Elisa Reiter and Daniel Pollack write, “In a law office setting, effective communication across generational lines is vital for enhancing teamwork that ultimately benefits clients.”
Equity Capital Markets Activity Picks Up in Asia Pacific, Q3 Data Shows
According to Dealogic data, initial public offerings rose between the most recent quarter and the same period previous year, with India flotations setting the pace.
Internal Leadership Revamp Aids Growth of Spencer Fane
Firm chair Pat Whalen said, “We don’t believe it is feasible for a practice group leader or co-leaders to effectively execute on everything in the current job description of a practice group leader.”
How Sidley Is Trying to Corner the Private Equity Market in London
Sidley recently caused waves in the market by bringing on a five-partner leveraged finance team from Latham. This is the true meaning of it.
Africa’s New Competition Authority Probes M&A and Competition Practices
The West African cross-border transactions and anti-competitive conduct involving a minimum of two member nations would be the primary focus of the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority.
Law Firm Library and Research Roles, Long Endangered, Are Making a Comeback
The “greatest shake-up” in law firm hiring over the past year is probably due in part to AI.
Wilmer, Greenberg, Foley and Others Beef Up Partner Ranks in California
In recent weeks, a number of Big Law firms in California have added lateral hires to their partner ranks.
Lawyers circled Earth 2,400 times more last year as travel bounces back
The UK’s top 20 firms registered the equivalent of 2,407 more trips around the world in 2023 than they did in 2022, as business travel surged post-pandemic.
Le marché des transferts
Depuis plusieurs années, notre Legal Weekly Update analyse les évolutions du secteur juridique, avec une attention particulière sur les mouvements des associés à l’international. En suivant ces mouvements de près, nous avons formé une base de données unique et riche en insights stratégiques. Ces données nous permettent d’identifier des tendances émergentes et de fournir des informations cléfs pour optimiser vos recrutements, autant à court terme qu’à long terme. L’une des tendances les plus marquantes depuis 2020 est une vague de mouvements d’associés dans les domaines du contentieux et de la résolution des litiges. Des cabinets tels que Dechert et Shearman & Sterling ont été particulièrement touchés. Le départ de certains associés de ces établissements a redistribué les cartes du paysage juridique de la capitale, enclenchant la création de cabinets spécialisés et attirant les compétences les plus pointues vers d’autres pôles.
Dechert a connu des mouvements importants au sein de son équipe contentieux. Plusieurs associés de renom, tels que Claudia Annacker, Eduardo Silva Romero et José Manuel García Represa, ont quitté le cabinet pour créer leurs propres structures, spécialisées dans l’arbitrage international. Cette évolution s’inscrit dans le cadre d’une nouvelle orientation stratégique de Dechert, qui met désormais l’accent sur des secteurs tels que les sciences de la vie et la technologie. En conséquence, le groupe d’arbitrage international parisien, autrefois un pilier du cabinet, a été dissous. Silva Romero a ainsi créé Wordstone Dispute Resolution.
Les départs de nombreux associés de Shearman & Sterling pour créer Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes illustrent une tendance de fond dans le secteur juridique. Les praticiens chevronnés sont de plus en plus nombreux à quitter les grands cabinets pour fonder des boutiques spécialisées, répondant ainsi à une demande croissante pour des expertises pointues en arbitrage international.
Cependant, il est important de noter que le paysage a considérablement évolué depuis. Shearman & Sterling a fusionné avec Allen & Overy pour former A&O Shearman, un géant mondial. Cette fusion s’inscrit dans un mouvement contraire au modèle traditionnel des boutiques, privilégiant l’expansion à grande échelle et une couverture géographique plus vaste. Si le départ d’associés vers des cabinets spécialisés reste une tendance notable, la création de A&O Shearman illustre la consolidation en cours dans le secteur juridique et les diverses stratégies utilisés par les cabinets pour rester compétitifs. La concentration s’accompagne d’une fragmentation du marché juridique, avec l’émergence de cabinets specialistes répondant à des besoins de plus en plus spécifiques.
Cette dualité est également illustrée par l’expansion de cabinets comme Paul Hastings, qui a renforcé son équipe de contentieux avec l’ajout de 12 personnes, notamment grâce à l’acquisition de l’équipe d’Antonin Lévy & Associés, spécialisée dans les affaires en col blanc et les enquêtes. Cette intégration s’inscrit dans la stratégie globale du cabinet visant à renforcer ses capacités en matière de contentieux tout en améliorant sa position dans les litiges internationaux complexes. L’arrivée d’Antonin Lévy et de son équipe devrait attirer de nouveaux clients et renforcer la position de Paul Hastings sur le marché parisien.
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner et Squire Patton Boggs sont devenus de véritables pôles d’attraction pour les talents juridiques. Squire Patton Boggs a ainsi accueilli Sabrina Aïnouz, Jérôme Lehucher et John Adam, provenant respectivement de DWF et Latham & Watkins, reflétant une tendance aux mouvements en groupe. Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner a également renforcé ses rangs avec l’arrivée d’Élodie A. Valette Wlodkowski, Jean-Pierre Delvigne et Philippe Métais, tous trois en provenance de White & Case. Leur arrivée coïncide avec le départ de Nathan Willmott, responsable européen du contentieux chez Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, vers Ashurst.
Le cabinet Hoche Société d’Avocats est également devenu un acteur important dans l’attraction de nouveaux talents, avec l’arrivée de Solène Delafond en tant qu’associée au sein de l’équipe contentieux, apportant son expertise en litiges financiers, commerciaux et d’entreprise.
Il est évident que le paysage juridique parisien est en pleine mutation. La montée des cabinets spécialisés et le départ d’associés clés de structures établies, remodèle le marché en offrant aux clients des services juridiques hautement spécialisés. Parallèlement, la consolidation des grands cabinets, illustrée par la formation de A&O Shearman, souligne l’importance continue de la portée mondiale. En outre, des cabinets comme Paul Hastings, Squire Patton Boggs et Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner capitalisent activement sur ce paysage changeant, élargissant leur vivier de talents et leur offre de services. Cette concurrence accrue profitera aux clients, en leur offrant une gamme élargie d’options juridiques spécialisées. Alors que le marché juridique parisien continue à évoluer, la spécialisation et la concurrence accrues sont prêtes à en définir l’avenir.
Rédigé et traduit par Megan Sturdy, delivery consultant chez Fides Search. Pour en savoir plus contactez: +44(0) 747 130 9526 ou megan@fidessearch.com
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Hogan Lovells bolsters capital markets practice with double partner hire from Linklaters
Two Linklaters finance partners have joined Hogan Lovells to strengthen its capital markets practice in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. A London-based individual named Alex Parkhouse and Íñigo Berrícano, who will be located in Madrid, make up the duo.
Spoor & Fisher appoints new Jersey lead
Matthew Costard will take over as managing director of Spoor & Fisher’s Jersey office. He will take over for leaving managing director Wayne Meiring,
EMEA
Former Sidley Restructuring Partner Joins Clifford Chance Amid Germany Push
The partner Kolja von Bismarck will reconnect with Andreas Steiger and Patrick Schulz, two other former Sidley partners who left the firm earlier this year to join Clifford Chance.
ENS has hired executives Walter Amoko and Geoffrey Muchiri at its Nairobi, Kenya office. The firm announced that Amoko will be leading its dispute resolution practice.
CDH adds Nairobi corporate partner
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) has hired corporate and commercial partner Alex Muchira at its Nairobi, Kenya office.
Baker McKenzie, Hadef & Partners strengthen UAE teams
Dino Wilkinson, an Abu Dhabi-based partner and head of Baker McKenzie’s Middle East data, cyber, and technology practice, was hired. He comes from Clyde & Co., where he headed the Middle East practice for technology, media, and telecommunications and was a partner.
APAC
Gibson Dunn Cuts Half of Singapore Partnership, Four Partners Set to Leave
The change contrasts with the growing influx into the city-state in recent years, leaving the business with three partners who are exclusively located in Singapore.
Oon & Bazul builds R&I offering with hire from Rajah & Tann
The restructuring and insolvency practice of Singaporean law firm Oon & Bazul has expanded with the addition of Lye Yu Min as a partner, who previously worked as a senior associate at Rajah & Tann.
BKL employment partner joins Dentons Lee
Eunjee Kim, a former partner of Bae, Kim & Lee, has joined Dentons Lee, the company’s member firm in South Korea, as a senior attorney, expanding the company’s labour and employment expertise.
U.S. law firm Sterlington hires Withers’ global aviation head
U.S. law firm Sterlington has hired prominent aviation lawyer Paul Jebely as partner and international vice-chair. Jebely, who is based in Hong Kong, joins from Withers where he was the global head of aviation.
In house
F1’s Longtime Legal Chief Exiting as Racing Series Reaches New Heights
Since 2000, Sacha Woodward has served as Liberty Media’s legal chief after previously working for Bernie Ecclestone.
EBay Hires Chief Legal Officer with Proven Business Chops
“My parents started their business by selling skateboard parts at the open market in Sydney, so I have a deep appreciation for eBay’s role in empowering businesses of all sizes,” Samantha Wellington, the new chief operating officer of eBay, stated.
Coinbase Lands Ryan VanGrack as VP of Legal, Global Head of Litigation
Coinbase announced on Monday it has hired Ryan VanGrack to serve as its vice president of legal, where he will be overseeing civil litigation, regulatory probes, employment and intellectual property matters.
CLO of Barnes & Noble Education Ends Tenure with a Cliffhanger
The operator of campus bookstores experienced a liquidity bottleneck, but Michael Miller had made a series of partnerships that helped alleviate it.
Norfolk Southern Replaces Fired CLO With Fast-Rising Internal Candidate
Given his wealth of crisis management expertise, Jason Morris could prove useful should further issues surface from the independent law firm investigation that revealed the CEO and CLO were romantically involved.
Novel Startup Called Free TV Hires Industry Veteran as GC
After launching the service a year ago, programming pioneer Jonathan Katz declared, “Never underestimate the power of free.”
Barry Magee to be next chief legal costs adjudicator
Solicitor Barry Magee is set to be appointed as the next chief legal costs adjudicator.
The Americas
Kirkland Investment Management Partner Jumps to Akin in Dallas
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld expanded its investment fund practice by adding Kirkland & Ellis partner Shannon Thompson in Dallas.
Sheppard Mullin Hires Labor and Employment Partner in San Francisco
After working at Paul Hastings for almost 17 years, Zach Hutton joins the company.
Cooley Lures MoFo Data Privacy Partner
As Cooley strives to bolster its data privacy practice and its litigation capabilities in New York, Kristen Mathews joins the company.
People in the News—Sept. 24, 2024—Gawthrop Greenwood, Brotman
Jennifer L. Simons joined Gawthrop Greenwood as an associate attorney in the trusts and estates division of the company.
Gibson Dunn Hires Former Google Chief Privacy Officer
Three months after Keith Enright left Google, the company revealed that he had been hired.
Akin Adds Greenberg Traurig Energy Partner in Southern California
“After the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, there are a lot more transactions to be had,” April Kim stated.
People in the News—Sept. 25, 2024—McCarter & English, Eckert Seamans
Robert Kaplan, a partner in tax and employee benefits, has joined McCarter & English in its Philadelphia office.
Paul Hastings Managing Director of Finance Leaves for CFO Role at Akin
Following roughly 18 months at Paul Hastings, Brian Sakala stated that Akin’s career trajectory and the chance to assume the CFO position were what spurred him to relocate.
Boies Schiller Brings Back Peter Skinner in Two-Lawyer Lateral Hire
The incoming partners include Peter Skinner, who joins from Morrison & Foerster, and Andrew Smith, who joins from Holland & Knight. Peter Skinner said, “I quickly realized that, as great a firm that Morrison & Foerster is, the smaller litigation-focused firm definitely just fits my comfort level better.”
Gibson Dunn hires Google’s chief privacy officer to expand AI practice
Keith Enright, the former chief privacy officer of Google, has joined Gibson Dunn & Crutcher to strengthen the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) and tech coverage in the United States. Enright becomes a partner at the Palo Alto office of the company, where he will co-chair the AI practice group.
Team Moves
Seven-Lawyer M&A, Real Estate Team Joins Jones Walker in New Orleans
“For many years, we worked on deals across from one another. Partner John Werner of Jones Walker commented, “We’re thrilled to now be on the same side of the table with these lawyers at Jones.”
Malaysia’s LAW bolsters disputes team with RDS duo
With the addition of partner Shaun Tan and associate Rachel Tan, who are leaving RDS partnership, Malaysian legal company LAW Partnership has grown its dispute resolution practice.
Three executives have been hired by ENS for its three practice groups. Principal analyst Sandya Booluck of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMSEA) Competition Commission joined the firm’s Mauritius competition team, while Bowman’s lawyer Diana Burger joined the firm’s projects group in South Africa and RSM Mauritius tax director Davina Boodnah also joined the firm.
Promotions & Appointments
Ropes Chair Julie Jones Will Serve a Second 5-Year Term
In other changes to the worldwide firm’s senior management, Chicago partner and member of the management committee Neill Jakobe has been appointed vice chair, while Ropes & Gray chair Julie Jones will begin her second term in January.
Norton Rose Moves Away from C-Suite Structure as Jeff Cody, Peter Scott Retain Top Roles
According to Cody and Scott, the company will become more agile with the appointment of regional executives to a global management council.
Frost Promotes Founder to Firmwide Managing Partner
Josh Stambaugh, the founding partner of the company, is the first to wear the new title.
Jenner & Block names new co-managing partner
Ishan Bhabha has been appointed as the next co-managing partner of Jenner & Block. Bhabha, located in Washington, DC, will assume the position on January 1, 2025, replacing Katya Jestin, who will continue to work for the company.
Webber Wentzel leader passes the torch
Webber Wentzel has confirmed that senior partner Christo Els is set to step down from the role after 10 years. The Johannesburg-headquartered firm announced on 20 September that Els will be replaced by corporate and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) partner Gareth Driver on 1st March 2025.
Herbert Smith Freehills appoints new Africa leadership team
Global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) have appointed partner Martin Kavanagh as their new Africa chair – with partners Jean Meijer and Paul Morton becoming co-heads of the firm’s Africa group.
Financials:
Compensation for Pa.’s Top GCs Takes Positive Turn with Increases All Around
Following a year in which there was a minor decline in some important compensation indicators in Pennsylvania, things started to improve in 2023. The highest-paid general contractors in the state reported significant profits.
Senior Partners Approach $3,000 an Hour, As More Billing Rate Hikes Expected in 2025
Around half of the Am Law 50 firms are expected to have third-year associate rates over $1,000 by 2025, according to Valeo Partners. Currently, about sixteen companies have associates in this category earning over $1,000 annually.
Jenner Selects New MP, with Katya Jestin Stepping Back from Role
Firm revenue is projected to be up more than 48% relative to 2020 by end of the year, meaning a little more than $660.5 million in 2024.
Oracle Legal Chief Outearns CEO, as He Dazzles in First Full Year at Tech Giant
Stuart Levey was referred to be “one of the sharpest legal minds in the country” by CEO Safra Catz upon Levey’s hiring two years ago. He is being paid appropriately by the corporation.
Addleshaw Goddard joins raft of firms upping London NQ rates to six figures
The latest company to boost the pay of its recently qualified colleagues is Addleshaw Goddard; London-based associates will now earn £100,000 annually. Leeds and Manchester’s newly trained attorneys will now get £65k, while those in Scotland will now make £61k.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Seeking Nominations: Women Attorneys of the Year
Tell us about the achievements of female lawyers working at a government agency, public interest group, law firm, in-house legal department, or somewhere else. Don’t wait; nominations are due soon.
Senior roles for women at Mexican law firms rank lowest among sectors
According to the IBA’s 9th global report on gender disparity in the law, women make up 39% of lawyers at law firms in Mexico, with just 17% holding senior roles—the lowest ratio in the public and private sectors of the nation.
IMF appoints only second woman legal head in 80 years as deputy promoted to GC
Yan Liu has been promoted to general counsel by the International Monetary Fund, taking Rhoda Weeks-Brown’s place, who announced her impending departure last month.
Office Openings & Closing:
Why These Two Partners Broke Away from An Established Fla. Player For Their Own Boutique
Solomon, Cooperman, Recondo & Weiss’s two partners split out to form a boutique that aims to attract talent by providing flexibility, particularly with regard to billing rates, which may enable younger lawyers to establish their practices more quickly.
As part of its global expansion goal to have 100 overseas offices by 2026, Beijing-based Yingke Law Firm opened a new office in London.
UK firm DACB launches HK office amidst foreign firm retreat
With a new office in Hong Kong, the London-based insurance-focused legal firm DAC Beachcroft has increased its footprint in Asia. It will collaborate with the recently established local company CK Lee & Co.
London’s 9 Stone Buildings dissolves as members join Tanfield and Selborne Chambers
In a major shake-up in the chancery set community of London, 9 Stone Buildings has been dissolved. Earlier this week, all of its members joined Tanfield Chambers and Selborne Chambers, two other well-established chambers.
Hogan Lovells to shut Johannesburg office
In the upcoming months, Hogan Lovells, a law firm with offices in London and Washington, DC, will close those in Johannesburg, Sydney, and Warsaw. This will have an impact on about 65 attorneys, including 11 partners. There will be an additional 58 support employees affected.
Mergers & Alliances:
Law Firm Mergers Are Flowing West with the ‘Direction of Business’
An increasing number of businesses are looking for merger partners in the Western half of the United States due to a combination of favourable rate structures in secondary markets, population growth, and specific client industries.
Taft to combine with Sherman & Howard in latest large US merger
The newest in a line of recent significant US law firm mergers will see regional player Sherman & Howard of Denver merge with Am Law 100 company Taft. When the united firm launches on January 1, 2025, it will have over a thousand lawyers and is expected to generate $810 million in revenue.
Technology & Innovation:
Reed Smith’s New Emerging Tech Partner Sees ‘Much Overlap’ Between AI Regulation, Privacy Laws
Attorneys specializing in data privacy and digital regulation, according to Tyler Thompson, Reed Smith’s newest emerging technologies partner, “going to always need to be learning” because of how quickly regulations are changing.
Swedish Legal Research Startup Qura Raises €2.1 Million
This year, Qura is just the most recent in a long line of EU-based legal research businesses to announce funding.
Dentons Rolls Out AI Contract Automation Pilot Program
Approximately 40 Dentons attorneys in the central European market are the only users of the bot at the moment, but eventually, the platform should be accessible to a larger geographic audience.
India-based Startup Jhana.AI, Which Offers an ‘AI Paralegal’, Raises $1.6M
The former Harvard students who launched the legal-tech business received funding from several sources, one of whom was a part of Open AI’s Applied AI team.
Wolters Kluwer Adds Generative AI Feature to Its Legal Research Platform VitalLaw
Legal practitioners in the regulatory field can benefit from improved search and summarizing skills using Wolters Kluwer’s VitalLaw AI.
Summer Associates Want Gen AI Training. Is Big Law Providing It?
“Law has such an ingrained reputation for being the last to embrace new tech, so it was a welcome surprise to be trained in using AI for legal work from day one here,” a summer associate commented.
Cleary Sees AI as ‘Co-Pilot,’ Among Growing Client Eagerness for Legal Tech
Michael Gerstenzang, the firm’s leader, discusses with Law.com how the company works closely with generative AI suppliers to build their offerings and how clients are increasingly interested in using AI for themselves.
The assistant or the master: regulating the rise and rise of AI
The majority of UK adults, according to the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (formerly called the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit), think that artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance public services like healthcare, education, and law enforcement. However, worries about possible AI abuse continue to be a major obstacle to realizing that the advantages of this relatively new technology outweigh the drawbacks.
Market Commentary:
Freshfields Scraps ‘Bruckhaus Deringer’ From Name
The company will officially change its name, and the new brand will be introduced in October.
Employer Obligations When Workers Request Accommodations Related to Mental Health
Employees who are refused adjustments they are requesting—like less hours, working from home, or taking sporadic or prolonged leaves of absence—file disability discrimination lawsuits.
Rise of the Reexam: Surging Ex Parte Reexamination Filings Expected to Increase by 40%
“From 2017 through 2023, IPR filings have been trending downwards, with 86 fewer petitions filed each year on average over that period,” says Rob Maier.
Foreign Law Firms in Hong Kong Cut Head Counts; the 20 Largest Firms Trim 5% of Lawyers in 12 Months
As deal business dries up, capital markets and M&A teams have also been reduced, and senior partners have been urged to leave early. The extent of those layoffs over the past year has been made clear by a Law.com study of data from the Hong Kong Law Society.
Are Lead Attorney Relationships More Important Now Than Law Firm Brands?
One law firm leader noted that companies are now more focused on getting the ‘best’ in each area of the law. Firm A for M&A, Firm B for IP work, Firm C for securities litigation, for example”.
Deal Watch: Freshfields, Simpson, Kirkland, Paul Weiss Among Big Firms on International Deals
A recent wave of international deals seems to be helping law firms with sizable groups of dealmakers both inside and outside the United States.
5 Ways Small and Midsize Law Firms Can Win More Pitches (and Improve Realization Rates)
By focusing on the industry, developing systems and processes around the pitch/proposal process, looking backwards for strengths, utilizing social media, and optimizing their digital footprint, smaller law firms can greatly boost their chances of competing with larger “Goliaths”.
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