Moves:
UK & Ireland
Ex-NatWest CEO Emerges from Nigel Farage Storm to Join Mishcon
After a crisis involving right-wing British politician Farage last year, Alison Rose resigned from her position at NatWest.
Emer O’Hora joins Johnson Hana as head of legal
Emer O’Hora has taken a position as head of legal and data protection officer at Johnson Hana, an alternative legal services provider.
EMEA
A&O Shearman Hires Veteran Latham Paris Partner to Expand Debt Finance in Europe
Michel Houdayer has joined A&O Shearman’s Debt Finance worldwide practice division as a partner in France.
Skadden Bolsters Financial Sponsor Team in Germany with Addition of Dr. Matthias Schudlo
Skadden welcome Dr. Matthias Schudlo as a partner in their financial sponsor practice. He is based in their Frankfurt office. Dr. Schudlo was previously at another global law firm, where he was a partner in its private equity practice.
APAC
DLA Piper Boosts Employment and Real Estate Offering in Japan With Senior Partner Hires
The hires follow a series of high-profile movements across the firm’s offices in Asia, including securing a fund finance specialist from Mayer Brown in Singapore last week.
Former Harry Elias IP head becomes RHTLaw partner
Singapore’s RHTLaw Asia has appointed Esther Wee, the former head of intellectual property at local rival Harry Elias Partnership, as a partner (foreign lawyer), as they aim to bolster their corporate and IP practices.
Tokyo International continues growth with two more partners
Tokyo International Law Office, a Japanese law company, has expanded this year by adding two new partners: building specialist Hojung Jun joins from Baker McKenzie, and Makiko Kawamura joins from EY Japan to start a new tax practice.
JSA bolsters M&A, PE practice with Quillon partner
The market-leading 2024 expansion of JSA Advocates & Solicitors has continued with the recruitment of Rohan Kumar as a partner in its M&A and private equity practice located in Mumbai. He was a partner with Quillon Partners before.
SAM hires white-collar specialist in Delhi
In its Delhi white-collar crime practice, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. has made investigations specialist Rohit Dhingra a partner. Dhingra was formerly a managing director at FTI Consulting, where he oversaw the risk consulting and investigation unit.
In house
‘Ready to Move Forward’: Lewis Brisbois COO Talks About Priorities and His Move
Richard Davis stated that he was attracted to the fact “that this management team acknowledged some of the challenges but was really ready to move forward.”
Lisa Zornberg, Chief Counsel to NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Resigns Post
On September 14, she sent a letter to Adams saying, “I have concluded that I can no longer effectively serve in my position.”
Kellogg Veteran Takes Legal Reins of Wendy’s
John Min rose through the ranks of Kellogg’s legal department, eventually taking charge of the legal side of the company’s division into Kellanova, a snack manufacturer, and WK Kellogg, a cereal manufacturer, last year.
Former EDNY Prosecutors Head to Am Law 200 Firms
Faegre Drinker has recruited Craig Hereen, a former deputy chief of the office’s national security and cybercrime unit, while Carlton Fields has hired Brian Morris, a former assistant U.S. attorney.
Google Taps One of Its Own for Senior Litigation Post
The internet giant fired Director of Competition Law Matthew Bye and Chief Privacy Officer Keith Enright and reorganized its legal department at the same time that the appointment was made.
Hawaiian Airlines CLO Out of Job but Set for Soft Landing
Before Aaron Alter became Hawaiian Airlines’ legal officer in 2015, he served as the airline’s outside counsel for many years.
Warner Bros. Discovery CLO Exits as Frustrated Investors Turn Up Heat on CEO
Savalle Sims, a vital aide to CEO David Laslav since 2011, is departing for unspecified reasons, according to her and the business.
The Americas
People in the News—Sept. 16, 2024—Barley Snyder, Antheil Maslow
Kristen L. Hartman and Gloria A. Shatto, two new attorneys, have joined Barley Snyder’s Lancaster office, the company said.
Vinson & Elkins Grabs 2 Cadwalader Securities Litigators, Including Global Litigation Group Chair
Along with special counsel Sara (Bussiere) Brauerman, Jason Halper, chair of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft’s worldwide litigation group, became a partner at Vinson & Elkins on Monday in New York.
Deputy GC of Fed Reserve Board Returns to Sullivan & Cromwell
Charles Gray began his legal career at S&C as an associate before moving to the public sector.
Gibson Dunn Hires Akin Partner to Lead Private Credit Efforts
In order to enhance the lending component of Gibson Dunn’s private credit products, Ryan Kim joins the company.
Brown Rudnick Brand and Reputation Co-Chair Joins Sheppard Mullin
One of the seven attorneys that joined Sheppard Mullin from Brown Rudnick is Benjamin Chew, a former co-lead counsel for Johnny Depp.
Paul Hastings Recruits White & Case National Security Partner
Paul Hastings stated that Keith Schomig’s presence will improve the national security and compliance help the company offers to clients including SAP, Mitsubishi Corp., and G42, among others.
Med Mal Defense Litigator Gary Samms Jumps to Marshall Dennehey
For the previous twenty-six years, Samms was the chair of the professional liability and catastrophic loss groups at Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel.
Weil Continues Building Funds Practice, Recruiting from Goodwin
In the previous several months, the company has brought on four new funding partners. That will probably continue, according to Jonathon Soler, head of Weil’s U.S. private funds business.
Freshfields Adds Former Y Combinator General Counsel in Silicon Valley
Nicole Cadman leaves the startup accelerator after almost eight years to become a partner at Freshfields’ Bay Area office.
Connecticut Movers: Recent Hires in Stamford and New Haven
One attorney returns to private work after serving as an assistant U.S. attorney; another comes to Connecticut from the New York City market.
Taylor English Adds Nelson Mullins Practice Leader, Ballard Spahr IP Lawyer
A corporate lawyer from Balch & Bingham has joined Bradley Arant in Mississippi, while a former in-house counsel has joined Eversheds as a West Coast intellectual property partner.
Clark Hill Hires Mexico Tax Partner from Holland & Knight
Mario Barrera has joined Clark Hill’s Mexico City office as a member of the corporate practice group, the company announced today. Barrera joins Clark Hill with more than 25 years of expertise in Mexican tax law.
Team Moves
Cooley Hires Three Partners to Communications Regulations Practice in D.C.
The new hires will work extensively with regulatory bodies including the Federal Communications Commission.
Baker McKenzie’s Korea Joint Venture Law Firm Launches Tax Practice with Team Hire
A team of three joins Baker McKenzie from Big Six Korea firm Kim & Chang.
Orrick Adds Partner-Led Paris Finance Team as European Firms Ramp Up M&A and Finance Hiring
Orrick and Willkie are the latest Big Law firms to bolster their finance and M&A teams as part of the ongoing expansion across Europe.
Greenberg Traurig adds arbitration partner trio in London from Pinsent Masons
Jason Hambury, the former worldwide co-head of international arbitration at Pinsent, along with Gurmukh Riyat and Clea Bigelow-Nuttall, have become shareholders in the US firm.
Addleshaw Goddard adds highly regarded IP team from Stobbs
Leading retail brands have been represented by a five-person team under the direction of Geoff Steward.
Loeb & Loeb hires 17 from Perkins Coie in Beijing
Partners Scott Palmer and James Zimmerman lead the team to Loeb prior to Perkins’ closure in Beijing.
13-lawyer IndusLaw infra group moves to JSA
The newest company to use IndusLaw to expand its partner ranks is JSA Advocates & Solicitors. With the addition of partners M. Arun Kumar and Deepak Chowdhury, who specialize in infrastructure and projects, together with their teams in Hyderabad and Gurugram, respectively, the firm has become even more formidable.
Financials:
Report: Firms Should Focus on Collections to Prepare for Uncertain 2025
“If firms are prepared for a softening demand economy, and are surprised that demand is strong, they’re going to be in better shape than if they plan for future demand and find that it’s weak,” Bill Josten, an analyst at Thomson Reuters, said.
The 2024 Global 200 Ranked by Revenue
In the most recent fiscal year, the 200 biggest legal firms globally—most of which are U.S. companies—saw growth, with certain regions outperforming others.
Armstrong Teasdale Faced Regulatory Inquiry Before Shuttering in London
The firm’s London branch, which debuted in 2021, brought in $14 million in sales in 2022 but posted less than $250,000 in earnings.
Promotions & Appointments
Eversheds Sutherland Elects New Co-CEOs Beginning in Spring 2025
The present executives, Lino Mendiola of Austin and Keith Froud of London, will take over. They managed the 2017 merger that established the transatlantic firm.
EU President Nominates Spanish Minister as Antitrust Chief Role
This position is among the most prominent and influential ones within the European Commission.
Sheppard Mullin Hires Tech Chief to Optimize Data, Explore AI Use
In order to handle corporate data and investigate the usage of AI, Sheppard Mullin has appointed Kate Cain as their new chief knowledge and innovation officer. Cain, who started working for the company last week, will concentrate on putting appropriate AI practices into place and streamlining the data infrastructure of the company. Her position developed in part as a result of client questions regarding the company’s use of AI and security procedures.
Michelman & Robinson Promotes Lara Shortz to Los Angeles Managing Partner
Prior to this, Shortz led the company’s labour and employment practices.
Herbert Smith Freehills appoints new Africa leadership
The group’s new co-heads are Paris-based partner Paul Morton and Johannesburg office managing partner Jean Meijer. The group’s former co-head, London-based partner Martin Kavanagh, has been named as chair.
DWF appoints 16 to Belfast office
The company has added Nick Nolan as a senior associate to the real estate team, Alan Bissett as a consultant in the regulatory team, Stephen McGuigan as an associate, and Lauren Hamilton as a solicitor to the construction team.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Meet the 2024 Women, Influence and Power in Law Honorees!
At an awards luncheon on September 24, as part of the Women, Influence & Power in Law Conference in Chicago, these exceptional women were given recognition.
The 2024 WIPL Awards: In-House Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion
With this award, Corporate Counsel honors a company or internal leader that has actively promoted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the industry.
Women-Owned Midsize Law Firms Are Embracing Flexible Work Arrangements
Although adopting flexible work arrangements has been important to their companies’ cultures, midsize legal firms are more sensitive to absences, especially brief ones.
Office Openings & Closing:
The company had previously worked remotely and internationally, but it is now one of the leaders in AI in the legal field.
Michael Best Adds Nebraska Office in Combination with Venture Capital Boutique
Bart Dillashaw formed Enterprise Legal Studio, a venture capital boutique, and all six of its attorneys have gone to Michael Best & Friedrich, a Milwaukee firm.
10 Lawyers Abruptly Exit GrayRobinson to Start Spinoff Boutique
Two litigation shareholders are leaving GrayRobinson and taking eight other attorneys with them to form a spinoff boutique with offices in Orlando and Tallahassee.
GMS&P Debuts in Cairo, Aiming to Disrupt Egypt’s Legal Landscape
According to Gomaa, the company has already established a “best friends” connection with a mid-sized British company that doesn’t have any branches outside.
Four SRM&O senior partners set up boutique KMAPS Law
Growing foreign direct investment and a more liberalized regulatory environment are bringing more legal work to the Philippines, prompting four senior partners from one of the oldest legal companies in the nation, Siguion Reyna Montecillo & Ongsiako, to branch out and create their own boutique law company.
Mergers & Alliances:
UK and US Law Firms in Merger Talks as Demand for Scale Grows
A corporate consultant reported, “There have been several direct outreach inquiries from U.K. to U.S. firms.”
UK and US Law Firms in Merger Talks as Demand for Scale Grows
“There have been a number of direct outreach inquiries from U.K. to U.S. firms,” noted a firm consultant.
Technology & Innovation:
Navigating the New AI Landscape: What Legal Teams Need to Know for 2025
Many anticipate a notable rise in the application of generative artificial intelligence by 2025 as more businesses prioritize gradual, sustainable adoption.
Workday to Acquire Evisort, Bringing AI-Powered Document Intelligence to Finance and HR
This transaction represents the enterprise software company’s second significant acquisition of a CLM company in 2024.
Startup Eve Launches New AI Agents for Legal Drafting
With its latest offering, Eve, a generative AI legal tech platform that debuted in October 2023, is primarily meeting the legal writing requirements of the plaintiffs’ bar.
Consilio Rolls Out ‘Guided AI Review’, Pairing Gen AI with Human Oversight
Large language models, hosted on Consilio’s proprietary data centers instead of the cloud, underpin the AI Guided Review solution.
The Future Is Now: The Case for Adoption of Generative AI Document Review in E-Discovery
The case for GenAI is strong, and it’s time to investigate the possibilities this technology presents. Hesitant parties run the risk of falling behind in a field that is changing quickly.
BARBRI Acquires Skillburst, Growing Its Digital Training Resources for Lawyers
With the assistance of several Am Law companies, law firm training supplier SkillBurst Interactive has refined their generative AI training.
The George Washington University Law School Is Helping Train Federal Employees on AI
The federal government’s Artificial Intelligence Community of Practice program is hosting an educational series that the school and a few other organizations are directing.
Agency Leaders Accept They Must Use Existing Law to Regulate Artificial Intelligence
The director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Rohit Chopra, stated, “We have the tools that we have,”
Europe’s First Look at the Logikcull E-Discovery Platform
Reveal, the global provider of the leading AI-powered eDiscovery and investigations suite of technologies, announced the launch of its Logikcull platform in Europe.
Market Commentary:
Midlevel Associates at Akin, Susman Godfrey Give High Marks to Firms in Survey
Based on the poll of associate work satisfaction, Texas-founded firms Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and Susman Godfrey are among the highest-ranked businesses in the 2024 Midlevel Associates poll.
‘Social Inflation’ in California Insurance Market Drives Kennedys’ West Coast Expansion
Kennedys, a U.K.-based legal practice, has been expanding quickly in the United States ever since it merged seven years ago with Carroll McNulty & Kull, an insurance law firm.
How Hogan Lovells’ South African Dream Crashed—Twice
Although Hogan Lovells claims it wants to concentrate on strategic markets and is closing its Johannesburg office, there is much more going on here.
Tie-Up or Break-Up? Latin American Firms Are Doing Both
Being independent gives regional legal firms the freedom to work with anybody, whenever they want, but it also strips them of some of the institutional backing that comes with being a part of a larger, international firm.
The Techification of the Law Firm C-Suite
The effects of generative AI were being felt all the way up to the venerable C-suite of Big Law, even though many lawyers were preoccupied with how it will affect legal practice.
Nonequity Tiers Are Growing, but These Big Firms Say Path to Equity Remains the Same
Executives from Paul Weiss, McDermott, and Weil outline their company’s collaboration strategy and its advantages.
Pryor Cashman’s New Leader Plans Growth, but ‘Embraces’ Firm Independence
Pryor Cashman, according to Ron Shechtman, “has been certain and unequivocal in our lack of desire to become part of another firm, or to integrate another firm into ours.”
The Disruptors: How Paul Weiss and Freshfields are Transforming the Global Elite Race
They have starkly different backgrounds. But both firms have succeeded in ways that other firms have not when breaking into significant foreign markets. Leaders at both firms explain how.
‘Put Up or Shut Up’ in Office Attendance: Law Firm Leaders Still Hold the Cards
This year, enforcing office standards may entail lowering bonus pool eligibility or withholding a partner’s draw, sometimes up to a percentage.
‘A Tug of War’: New Research Finds GC-CFO Relationship Fraught with Tension
Susan Hackett, CEO of Legal Executive Leadership said, “It is part of the uniquely arrogant nature of the legal profession that we often argue that what we do is more important than what others do”.
Chinese Law Firms Are in Trouble as Downward Spiral Show No Signs of Easing
Gross revenue decreased in 2023 for more than half of the companies that comprise the China 45.
Baker McKenzie’s Key Linklaters Hire Unveils Game-Changing Global M&A Plan
With over 1,300 M&A lawyers across 45 countries, the firm suggests that there’s “more to come” in Germany.
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Davis Polk Capital Markets Partner Heads to Paul Hastings
Dan Hirschovits, based in London, has participated in a number of significant initial public offerings (IPOs) in recent years.
Travers Longstanding Tax Partner Exits for Latham in London
Simon Skinner had been a partner at Travers Smith for over 18 years and was made the firm’s head of tax in 2017.
Dentons Hires Two Partners to Boost Corporate Team in Dublin
Before joining McDermott Will & Emery as a partner, Garrett Hayes spent almost ten years as a partner at Paul Hastings London. Louise Hodnett joins from Baker McKenzie in London, having trained in Ireland at McCann Fitzgerald. Her focus has been on M&A with a particular expertise in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector.
Norton Rose Fulbright strengthens corporate insurance team with new partner hire
Adriana Cotter, a partner in London, has been added to the Band1/Tier1 corporate insurance team of international legal firm Norton Rose Fulbright. Adriana is a new hire at the company from Eversheds Sutherland. She works primarily with UK and foreign (re)insurers and intermediaries in the insurance business, concentrating on regulatory, commercial, and transactional work.
Wilson Sonsini Hires from Slaughter and May to Boost London Office
Emma Game, who spent fifteen years at Slaughter & May as a trainee before becoming senior counsel, is joining the technology-focused U.S. legal firm as a partner. Throughout her career, she has provided advice to businesses including GSK, John Lewis, and Walmart, among others.
Ashurst Adds Senior Fintech Partner from EY in London
Ashurst has significantly expanded its digital economy expertise by adding the head of EY Law’s fintech division as a partner in its corporate practice located in London. Fiona Ghosh, who led the fintech practice at Addleshaw Goddard before joining EY Law in 2022, has been there for slightly more than two years.
Matheson welcomes new partner and two senior associates to employment team
Matheson has appointed Alice Duffy as partner initially trained with Clyde & Co before joining Matheson in 2014 as a senior associate. From 2019 she worked with an international law firm, before recently rejoining Matheson as partner. They also hired Rachel Barry and Jennifer Bassett as senior associates in its employment, pensions and benefits group.
Weil recruits ex-Goldman Sachs lawyer for London finance team
A former partner at Goldman Sachs has joined Weil Gotshal & Manges to strengthen its London finance team. Nicola Noël, a Canadian pension investor who founded the European credit legal team at PSP Investments, will join the 250-lawyer US firm in January, based in London.
EMEA
Bowmans Taps Eversheds’ Corporate Head for New South Africa Office
Andrew Davidson worked at Eversheds for more than six years, concentrating in banking, finance transactions, venture capital, and private equity.
Veteran Gibson Dunn M&A Partner Leaves for French Firm
Judith Raoul-Bardy, a partner in M&A and private equity at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, left the firm to join Jeausserand Audouard in Paris as a partner, bringing an associate with her.
Sarah Fleury joins DLA Piper as Partner
This week, DLA Piper welcomed Sarah Fleury, a real estate partner at Goodwin, and her group to Paris. She provides advice to both domestic and foreign investors on real estate and development matters, encompassing asset and share deals, sale and lease-back transactions, and the acquisition and divestiture of real estate portfolios.
Bird & Bird appoints Floor van Heijst as Finance partner in the Netherlands
With a focus on asset-based financings, fund finance, and investment-grade facilities, Loor has over 13 years of expertise advising clients on leveraged and acquisition finance concerns. She was employed with NautaDutilh and Freshfields in the past.
Sabrina Borocci joins White & Case as a partner in Milan
Sabrina Borocci, a partner in Milan, has joined the international legal firm White & Case LLP, broadening its scope in the field of global antitrust law. Sabrina has expertise in litigation, broader European law and regulation, and competition law.
Simmons & Simmons adds lawyer to lead the firm’s Public, Regulatory and Environmental Law practice
Daniel Vázquez joins Simmons & Simmons to head the Public, Regulatory, and Environmental Law division of the company. His professional background spans over 25 years and encompasses several domains such as infrastructure, regulated sectors, asset management, public procurement, sanctioning procedures, and subsidies.
Lawyers on the Move Across Spain and Italy
While London-based Seladore Legal opened an office in Milan, White & Case and Baker McKenzie welcomed new partners in Italy.
APAC
Mayer Brown Funds Partner Set to Join DLA Piper in Singapore
Individuals with knowledge of the development said that Soumitro Mukerji, a fund finance specialist, will shortly be added to the company’s offering in the city-state.
Tokyo International continues growth with two more partners
Tokyo International Law Office, a Japanese law company, has expanded this year by adding two new partners: building specialist Hojung Jun joins from Baker McKenzie, and Makiko Kawamura (L) arrives from EY Japan to start a new tax practice.
JSA bolsters M&A, PE practice with Quillon partner
The market-leading 2024 expansion of JSA Advocates & Solicitors has continued with the recruitment of Rohan Kumar as a partner in its M&A and private equity practice located in Mumbai. He was a partner with Quillon Partners before.
SAM hires white-collar specialist in Delhi
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co has added investigations expert Rohit Dhingra as a partner in its white-collar crime practice in Delhi. He was previously a managing director in the risk advisory and investigation practice at FTI Consulting.
Former Trilegal equity partner becomes CAM’s fourth September partner hire
After a two-year professional pause, Rohan Ghosh Roy, a former Trilegal partner who contributed to the firm’s growth in the technology and private equity sectors, is joining Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas as an equity partner in Mumbai.
Guantao & Chow expands HK team with SKYS partner duo
Guantao & Chow, a PRC law firm, has expanded its corporate and intellectual property practice in Hong Kong by hiring partners Keung Yui Fai and Yen Barry Joseph from So Keung Yip & Sin (SKYS), a boutique in Hong Kong. Keung, Yen, and a group of four lawyers are joined.
In house
Discover’s Chief Legal Officer Mehlman Is Leaving for Nation’s Biggest All-Digital Bank
Discover stated that Mehlman was departing for a new job but didn’t identify what it was. That question was solved on Monday by a long-standing but disruptively cultured corporation in North Carolina.
Longtime GC of Nation’s Sixth-Largest Bank to Retire
Gregory Jordan of PNC Financial is leaving his position as head of legal but will continue to work for the company as vice chair, where he will mostly provide advice to the board and CEO.
Ex-Twitter GC Joins Match Group as Legal Chief
Sean Edgett had been at Twitter a decade when Elon Musk bought it for $44 billion in 2022 and immediately fired him and the rest of the leadership team.
‘Trial Lawyer at Heart’ Takes Legal Reins of E-Discovery Star Everlaw
Gloria Lee is joining Oakland, California-based Everlaw at a pivotal moment in the legal tech sector’s rush to leverage artificial intelligence to improve its offerings.
Kramer Levin Hires Ex-Special Counsel to President Biden, Among Latest DC Firm News
Other lateral hiring was made by Arnold & Porter, Nixon Peabody, Holland & Knight, and McGuire-Woods.
Norfolk Southern Fires Legal Chief and CEO, Saying They Had Inappropriate Relationship
Nabanita Nag was fired by the company with immediate effect. Two years after joining the train behemoth in 2020, she was given a significant promotion.
NFL Deputy GC Exits, Adding to Intrigue Over League’s GC Search
Five-year NFL veteran Janet Nova was a member of the legal team that convinced a judge to overturn a $4.7 billion judgment against the league last month.
Former Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Joins Local Boutique as Partner
Former Judge Jennifer Bailey is joining Bass Law, where she will concentrate on private judging, commercial litigation, and alternative dispute resolution after overseeing Florida’s 11th Circuit for nearly thirty years.
Ailing Oslo EV Battery Maker Axes CLO, Seeks Replacement in Incentive-Rich US
Oslo-Brd In a recent statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Freyr Battery Inc. announced that they had parted ways with Are Brautaset after almost four years in the position and that they were “actively looking” for a U.S.-born replacement.
COOs on the Move as Big Firms See Flurry of Business Pro Hires
C-suite hiring in Big Law is happening at a rapid pace, as seen by the announcements of several elite law firms on the addition of new COOs and other administrative staff.
US music publisher the Royalty Network taps Quinn Emanuel for first GC
After a three-year break, Daniel Abowd rejoins the organization, having previously worked for the US litigation heavyweight
The Americas
Paul Hastings Draws More King & Spalding Talent
Paul Hastings have announced that they have hired M&A and corporate governance partner Timothy Fesenmyer in New York.
Google Lawyer Heads to Freshfields’ Antitrust Practice
Kevin Yingling spent almost fifteen years as Google’s director of competition.
Saxton & Stump Adds Health Care Litigator from White and Williams
Daniel Ferhat worked for more than 20 years at White and Williams and specializes in medical malpractice defense.
Fried Frank’s Head of Global Finance Moves to Skadden
After more than three decades at Fried Frank, partner Christian Nahr will move to Skadden.
Brown Rudnick Adds Michelman & Robinson Oil and Gas Trial Partner in Houston
Partly because of Brown Rudnick’s extensive trial bench, Lauren Varnado, who joined Michelman & Robinson in 2022 to open the firm’s Houston branch, relocated there as a partner.
People in the News—Sept. 9, 2024—Maiello Brungo, Eckert Seamans
Ryan C. Thomas, an attorney, has joined Maiello Brungo & Maiello’s teams practicing municipal law and education law.
Paul, Weiss Adds Two Asset Management Partners; Restructuring Lawyer Joins Latham & Watkins
Two of the top asset management M&A attorneys in the country, David C. Hepp and Matthew B. Collin, are joining the firm in New York as partners in the Corporate Department’s Asset Management M&A practice.
Leading Restructuring Lawyer Joins Latham & Watkins in New York
Joe Zujkowski is a new partner in the Restructuring & Special Situations Practice at the firm’s New York office. Zujkowski handles complex financing transactions and in-court and out-of-court restructurings on behalf of debtors, ad hoc creditor organizations, and individual creditors.
Cahill Hires Orrick Sponsor Finance Lead in Bid to Grow In-Demand Private Credit Group
Dan Amato is the second partner to join the practice in the last couple of months.
Dan Horwitz Jumps to Tannenbaum Helpern
Dan Horwitz, a lawyer from New York, is becoming a partner at Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt, where he will focus on criminal defense as well as litigation and conflict resolution. Horwitz leaves McLaughlin & Stern, where he spent ten years as a partner.
Shutts & Bowen Hires Ousted Miami City Attorney Victoria Méndez
Shutts & Bowen is hiring former Miami City Attorney Victoria Méndez after she was ousted following a slew of scandals surrounding her. The firm was formerly hired as outside counsel by Méndez and her former boss.
Big Law Firms Expand Energy, Infrastructure Teams in Houston
Akin Gump Brian Patterson, a labour and employment lawyer at Strauss Hauer & Feld, became a partner at Bracewell in Houston. Om Pandya, a capital markets associate at Latham & Watkins, became a partner with Clifford Chance in Houston. Both are employed in the infrastructure and hot energy industries.
Former D.C.-Based Orrick Litigator Jumps to King & Spalding’s Miami Office as Partner
Will Stute, who headed Orrick’s sports practice before going to Miami in 2021, is now formally based there after joining King & Spalding’s mass torts and products liability practice.
Labor Lawyer Adds to Fox Rothschild’s Atlanta Growth
Ogletree Deakins promotes Atlanta partner to practice co-leader; Southeast-rooted firms add laterals in Georgia, New York, Philadelphia and California.
Scott+Scott Hires Mass Tort Partner in Del. Office
Sindhu S. Daniel, a mass tort lawyer, has joined Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law as a partner in the company’s consumer litigation practice.
King & Spalding Adds M&A Pro from Kirkland & Ellis in Atlanta
John Kleinjan exchanges working remotely for the highest-grossing company in the world for an office job at the highest-grossing company in Atlanta.
Pillsbury Hires US Appellate Practice Leader
Anne Voigts joins the firm after more than seven years with King & Spalding in Palo Alto.
Corporate Partner Joins Bradley in Dallas
Greg Hidalgo provides advice on business acquisitions and sales, equity financings, joint ventures, and corporate governance matters to public corporations, private equity-owned enterprises, and family-owned businesses across a range of industries.
Nelson Mullins Lands Chicago Litigator from Taft
According to attorney Jeff Schieber, “the exciting opportunity to get pretty close to the ground floor on the Chicago office” was the driving force behind the relocation.
Team Moves
Cooley Hires Three Partners to Boost Venture Capital Team in London
In London, Cooley has brought on three venture capital partners, one of whom is Taylor Wessing’s Angus Miln.
Faegre Drinker Adds Three Former Federal Prosecutors from Greenberg Traurig
Partner Jessica Natali is based in Philadelphia, meanwhile partner Carolyn McNiven and associate Brittany Fisher are situated in San Francisco.
King & Spalding Grows in Texas with 6 Partners from 3 Law Firms
Four Butler Snow product liability and mass torts partners, a Vinson & Elkins litigation partner, and a partner from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom joined King & Spalding in Austin, Dallas, and Houston.
Greenberg Traurig Doubles San Diego Office Footprint, Adds 3 Shareholders
The company is moving into the One Paseo neighbourhood which is east of Del Mar, close to La Jolla, and taking over the office space that Withersworldwide formerly occupied at 12830 El Camino Real, Suite 350.
Ogletree Deakins Bolsters Canadian Bench with Five New Lawyers
The partners of this labour and employment firm, which employs up to 19 lawyers in Canada, are from Telus, a telecom company, and Norton Rose Fulbright.
Loeb & Loeb Hires 17 From Perkins Coie in Beijing
Partners James Zimmerman and Scott Palmer, together with fifteen other attorneys, paralegals, and intellectual property specialists, come to Loeb & Loeb from Perkins Coie.
Baker McKenzie’s Korea Joint Venture Law Firm Launches Tax Practice with Team Hire
Two senior tax attorneys from Big Six South Korean leader Kim & Chang, John Kwak and Doug Suh, have joined the firm. According to a statement from Baker McKenzie, Kwak will become a partner in the company, and Suh will take on the position of senior advisor. A senior associate has also been brought along by the pair.
Dentons regroups after Chiomenti’s eight-lawyer raid
Chiomenti has expanded its litigation business in Italy by hiring eight lawyers, two of whom are partners from Dentons. Chiomenti welcomes Sara Biglieri and Luca De Benedetto as litigation partners in Milan.
Financials:
After Unanticipated Slow Start of Year, Law Firms Are Left Waiting For M&A Rebound
Southeast firms surveyed by Citi reported revenue and demand gains in the first half of 2024 as expenses also soared.
The UK Top 50 Ranked by Revenue: Big Rises Mask Slower Underlying Growth
Law firm executives from companies like Linklaters, HSF, and Eversheds are optimistic about the future despite the fact that average revenue per lawyer and profit per lawyer did not soar in the most recent fiscal year. This is in contrast to revenue and PEP.
Facing Increasing Overhead, Midsize Firms Embrace Rate Hikes, Expense Management
“How comfortable we are raising our charges is limited by our size. David Nasatir, chairman of Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel, stated, “I don’t want to raise rates more than 4 or 5% because our clients come to us because we offer something different than those big firms.”
Keystone Enjoys Strong First-Half Growth of 8.3%
Despite the economic issues faced by the United Kingdom and the recent government change, the firm expressed confidence for the remainder of the year.
Promotions & Appointments:
Jim Walden Steps Aside, as Litigation Firm Creates New Management Structure
This week, Walden Macht Haran & Williams managing partner Jim Walden announced that he would be transferring control of the New York-based company to a five-person executive committee, with immediate effect.
Simpson Thacher Names New Leaders for Fund Finance Practice
Julia Kohen and Jennifer Levitt will succeed Mary Touchstone, who held the fund finance leadership position for 10 years.
Thailand’s Chandler MHM Names Next Chairman and Co-Managing Partner
The management of Thai legal company Chandler MHM has changed, with Joseph Tisuthiwongse, a partner in banking and finance, taking over as co-managing partner and co-chair, replacing co-managing partner Jessada Sawatdipong.
Carlo de Vito Piscicelli has joined Baker McKenzie as a partner in its worldwide Banking & Finance practice. This announcement was made today. Carlo, a top-tier finance and restructuring attorney with dual qualifications from Italy and New York, will be Italy’s Head of Banking & Finance.
Korea’s Shin & Kim gets new head of financial regulatory group
With the hiring of Seongkoo Cheong as a partner to head its financial regulation practice, Korean Big Six law firm Shin & Kim has maintained the expansion of its regulatory focus in 2024.
HF Ireland appoints Marc Hickey as head of commercial litigation
Marc will head a Dublin-based team focused on advising clients on a broad range of commercial issues including banking, shareholder, partnership and contract disputes.
Skadden add a staggering number of associates to offices across the globe
Skadden are extending a warm welcome to 184 new associates across 12 offices.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Kemp Appoints First Woman to Piedmont Judicial Circuit Superior Court Bench
Judge Sarah J. Griffie, who was appointed to succeed retired Judge Wayne D. McLocklin, will hold office in Banks, Barrow, and Jackson Counties until December 31, 2026.
The Gay/Trans Panic Defense: Confronting a Legacy of Prejudice in the Courtroom
The “gay/trans panic defense” has long been used in American courts to thwart the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Using this contentious tactic, defendants might defend their acts of violence against LGBTQ+ individuals by arguing that the victim’s gender identification or sexual orientation sparked their hostility.
Pioneering DEI Program at Cruise Offers Lessons for Other Firms
“Our general counsel didn’t just sponsor the program—he was in the meetings, guiding discussions and showing that this was a priority,” said the former head of the DEI program at GM’s Cruise subsidiary.
Office Openings & Closing:
Vinson & Elkins Launches Office in Dublin, a Global Hub for Aviation Finance Practice
David Berkery, who joined Vinson & Elkins in 2022 as an aviation finance partner in New York, will lead the Dublin office.
Quinn Emanuel Expands London Office Space
The decision of the company to stay at 90 High Holborn coincides with the recent updates made by other American companies to their London operations.
With US Expansion ‘Ongoing,’ Kennedys Launches 2 More Offices on West Coast
Over the previous three years, Kennedys operations in North America have seen a 62% rise in staff, according to the firm.
Robinson & Cole Celebrates Upgraded Space on State Street
Managing Partner Rhonda J. Tobin said, ‘Together with Studio Alliance, we’ve created a bold, sophisticated and innovative work environment that will enhance collaboration among our people to continue to provide exceptional services to our clients’.
Perkins Coie Shutters Beijing Office
In order to concentrate on its business in Shenzhen, Perkins Coie will close its Beijing office.
Greenberg Traurig Launches São Paulo Office to Boost Expansion in Latin America
The Miami-based firm’s extensive Latin America practice is increasingly interacting with the largest economy in the area; thus, it has been long-term planning to open an office in Brazil.
Hogan Lovells Will Shutter 3 International Offices Amid Strategy to Follow ‘Greatest Opportunities’
About 65 attorneys, including 11 partners, and 58 support workers are impacted by the office closures.
DWF Group Launches LatAm Practice Co-led By Spanish, Mexican Lawyers
Ignasi Costas, co-managing partner of DWF’s Spanish business RCD, and Claudio Rodríguez, an energy specialist with Mexico barred who joined the firm in February from Holland & Knight, will lead the group jointly.
Bakers-KL Korea JV launches tax practice with Kim & Chang duo
John Kwak and Doug Suh, two attorneys from Kim & Chang, have joined Baker McKenzie KLP JV, a joint venture law firm in South Korea that was established as a result of the company’s continuous market expansion.
Mergers & Alliances:
Ballard Spahr to Merge with Seattle’s Lane Powell
The tie-up will go into effect at the start of 2025, and the combined business will have more than 750 attorneys in 18 U.S. offices.
Leech Tishman Combines Forces with Nelson Hardiman
The firm is set to operate under the banner Leech Tishman Nelson Hardiman in California.
Anapol Weiss Acquires Boutique Led by Star Litigator Alexandra Walsh
In order to start a trial boutique with partner Beth Wilkinson, Walsh left Paul Weiss in 2016. He later left again in 2020 to start a plaintiffs’ side practice.
Womble Bond Dickinson to Combine with Lewis Roca Jan. 1
Lewis Roca managing partner Ken Van Winkle said, “We thought that this would be a firm that would be worth having discussions with. Since a lot of others were reaching out to us, why not talk to one where we know some people?”
Merger mania: what’s driving so many AM Law mergers and what will the combined firms look like?
Companies in the 51st to 100th ranks have grown more slowly than those in the top 50 and are merging to remain competitive. Over the past year, AM Law 50 firms have added 3.2% more Partners to their workforce, while the second 50 firms have only added 0.7%.
A&O Shearman’s Entire South African Team in Advanced Talks to Join Bowmans
By the end of the year, more than thirty of its Johannesburg-based attorneys—seven partners and managing partner Gerhard Rudolph—are anticipated to get their pink slips, a move that has already drawn criticism for being “distasteful” and “disgraceful.”
Technology & Innovation:
Lawyers Are Adopting Gen AI Five Times Faster Than the Cloud
According to Everlaw’s annual Ediscovery Innovation Report, the adoption of gen AI has surpassed cloud migrations, and in the upcoming year, more legal practitioners are expected to make use of gen AI.
LOKKER Launches Consent Management Tool, Expanding Its Privacy Compliance Suite
The technology is designed to track the different pixels and cookies that could gather user data and then develop a system to prevent them if needed.
International AI Treaty Signed by US, UK, and EU Leaves Much to Be Determined
Countries are free to fill in the spaces in an AI treaty that was proposed by the Council of Europe, a human rights body. However, it also creates a common vocabulary and set of guidelines for controlling AI.
K&L Gates Partners with AltaClaro to Offer Gen AI Supervisory Course for Firm Partners and Managers
Building on previous achievements with AltaClaro’s rapid engineering training, the company’s new course intends to provide leaders of law firms with the know-how needed to supervise the application of generative AI in legal practice in a professional and moral manner.
Major vLex Upgrade Expands Vincent AI Platform to Include Transactional Workflows, New Countries
The “Autumn ’24” update from vLex includes additional Docket Alarm AI capabilities, AI tools for France, Portugal, and Brazil, and transactional and drafting workflows in addition to vLex’s standard litigation and research capabilities. However, “Vincent AI is now a platform,” according to vLex Global Head of Product Robin Chesterman, going beyond new abilities.
Singapore Law Firms Partner with AI Startups to Develop Legal Tech Capabilities
At TechLaw Fest, numerous partnerships between governmental organizations, commercial legal practices, and tech enterprises were revealed.
Singapore’s Flagship Legal Research Portal Gets AI Boost
LawNet AI, an enhanced legal research tool supported by the government and intended to assist city-state attorneys in conducting more effective research, is a vast content repository.
Legal Leaders See AI’s Multitude of Uses as Both Blessing and Curse
“Applying AI to your particular work is the best way to understand its practical benefits,” said Ryon Groff, a lecturer at New England Law in Boston.
Filevine Launches Gen AI Transcription Assistant for Real Time Deposition Analysis
With only a few minutes, Filevine’s Depo CoPilot may begin transcribing and analyzing witness testimony in real time.
Interlaw Launches AI Training for 8,000 Lawyers to Promote Responsible Use
The global network’s 90 member companies want to establish guidelines for using AI.
Market Commentary:
Second 50 Law Firms Are Moving Up with Game-Changing Combinations
Industry analysts argue that if you’re not in the top 50, it’s more difficult to grow through lateral hires without suffering attrition of your own.
Womble Bond, Lewis Roca Seeing Competitive Advantages in Combined Firm
Incoming CEO Merrick Benn “You’re really looking at IP, real estate and financial services. Those three areas are really going to differentiate us”.
The Golden Rule Revisited: Treating Clients How They Want to Be Treated
The Golden Rule is predicated on the idea that everyone shares your wants, preferences, and desires, even though it is based on empathy and good intentions. Your clients are actually varied people with their own goals, issues, and points of view. What appeals to you might not appeal to them.
The Techification of the Law Firm C-Suite
The effects of generative AI were being felt all the way up to the venerable C-suite of Big Law, even though many lawyers were preoccupied with how it will affect legal practice.
‘Underwriting’ Laterals Stokes Tension Among Nonequity Partners
Recruiters have noticed that, while equity partner remuneration is increasing, some businesses are not increasing compensation for nonequity partners or, in certain situations, reducing comp.
For Troutman Pepper and Ballard Spahr, the Path to Growth Points Outside of Phila.
Businesses with origins in the City of Brotherly Love are still being pushed to look for expansion outside of the area by rising expenses and a sluggish local economy, but some corporate executives are still optimistic about their hometown.
India’s Capital Markets Work Continues to Surge, Top Firms Drive Listings
The listings are a part of India’s strong IPO pipeline, which attorneys anticipate will continue to bring in significant business for their companies in the latter half of 2024 and the first part of 2025.
Latest Law Firm Office Closures Are Just the Beginning
This article suggests that the era of law firms wanting to be “everything, everywhere” is over. The trend is moving in reverse. Just as in the world of news, smaller stories—and smaller markets—are being pushed aside.
Moves:
UK & Ireland
King & Spalding Broadens Finance Practice with London Funds Hires from Cadwalader
Carolyn Alford, co-leader of the firm’s finance and restructuring practice group said, “It’s not something we were doing before. It was a whole piece of the market that we really weren’t doing until this group joined us”.
Freshfields Disputes Partner, Ex-Quinn Emanuel Partner Jump to Eversheds
After just a year at Quinn Emanuel, where he co-led the firm’s U.K. competition practice with partner Kate Vernon, Lambros Kilaniotis has joined Eversheds. August 2022 marked his joining of the litigation powerhouse from RPC.
Sidley Duo Decamp to A&O Shearman in London
The private equity and M&A practices of A&O Shearman are welcoming Paul Dunbar and Dan Graham. Both individuals moved from Vinson & Elkins to Sidley Austin as partners in 2021.
Latham Taps Baker McKenzie for London Corporate Hire
Since 2017, Melanie Howard has been a partner in M&A at Baker McKenzie. She had spent ten years with Clifford Chance before. Howard is going to be a part of Latham’s fintech and healthcare industry divisions.
Am Law 100 Firm Builds in London with 2 Morgan Lewis Partners
Morgan Lewis & Bockius in London has sent two project finance partners to Hunton Andrews Kurth, an Am Law 100 firm. Seyfi Can Kandemir and Ayesha Waheed will be joining the global energy and infrastructure practice, with a focus on the thermal power, mining, renewable energy, infrastructure, and liquefied natural gas industries.
Weil Gotshal Expands UK Private Credit Team with Hire from Canadian Pension Investor
Senior director of law at PSP Nicola Noel was the executive director of Goldman Sachs’ Credit Finance Transaction Execution Group before founding PSP’s European credit legal unit.
DLA Piper hires Elizabeth Bradley as finance partner
Elizabeth Bradley has been named a partner in DLA Piper’s finance practice department, based in Dublin, effective January 2025. Ms. Bradley comes from the Maples Group, where she spent more than ten years as a partner in the banking and finance division of the company.
DLA Piper appoints new partner to its international Energy and Infrastructure Projects practice
Nikhil Markanday joins from King & Spalding and brings with him more than 20 years of expertise advising clients on significant infrastructure and energy projects throughout the EMEA area.
Orrick nabs competition partner from BCLP
Victoria Newbold was taken from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner by Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, which relaunched the company’s London competition practice in front of the UK’s new digital markets law and increased scrutiny of artificial intelligence.
EMEA
Ashurst Hires Addleshaw Goddard Disputes Head in the Middle East
After serving as partner and head of commercial disputes Middle East at Addleshaw Goddard for three years, Shane Jury, whose practice focuses on complex commercial disputes and investigations, joins Ashurst in Dubai. He had previously worked with Clifford Chance, Minter Ellison, and Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.
August Debouzy Partner in Contention as Macron Seeks Next Prime Minster
One of the leading candidates to be the next prime minister of France is Bernard Cazeneuve, a former prime minister of France who is currently a white collar and compliance partner at the French law firm August Debouzy.
A&O Shearman Hires Ashurst’s Head of Restructuring for Italy
Paolo Manganelli previously was a partner at Paul Hastings, and earlier in his career managed the insolvency litigation for fraud-hit Parmalat when he was deputy head of litigation at the dairy and food company.
DLA Piper Launches German Delivery Centre, Taking Pinsent Masons Vario Co-Heads
Partners Carl Renner and Michael Zollner joined DLA at the beginning of September to oversee the operation, which will offer volume and repeat solutions combined with artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The centre, according to the firm, will free up primary fee earners to engage on higher value problems while the LDC is assigned more repetitive and administrative jobs.
Skadden Hires Prominent White-Collar Defence Partner in Paris
According to Skadden, clients who may have legal issues as a result of recent modifications to France’s white-collar criminal code may benefit from Emmanuel Marsigny’s experience.
Simmons banking partner joins Norton Rose in Dubai
Aditi Sanyal provides conventional and Islamic financing advice to financial institutions in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
With Nils Kupka, the international top 100 law firm Gowling WLG is bolstering its presence in Germany once more. The seasoned partner joins the firm’s Frankfurt office and bolsters the dispute resolution team as part of the firm’s European growth strategy.
APAC
MoFo Loses Four Asia Partners in a Week with Latest Duo Departure in Greater China
Partner Vivian Yiu will be joining Beijing-brd Jingtian & Gongcheng’s Hong Kong office. Ke Huang, a partner at MoFo in Shanghai, will follow suit and join the company in Hong Kong as a foreign-registered attorney.
Haiwen & Partner, Cyril Amarchand, White & Case, Norton Rose and Dentons Rodyk have all hired new partners.
Boutique Australian M&A Firm Hires KPMG Partner
Laura Murphy also joins the company from KPMG as special counsel, and Cath Debreceny joins as a director in the Melbourne office.
Ashurst Hires Real Estate Partner from Australia’s Corrs
Several partners have recently left Corrs, including Alex Peace. A group of partners made a bulk leap to King & Wood Mallesons last month.
HSF Hires Tax Partner from Australian Firmv
As the company expands its tax advice skills, Herbert Smith Freehills has added tax partner Jay Prasad from Australian firm Allens. Prasad is a transaction tax specialist with experience assisting corporations, financial institutions, private equity, and other managed funds on a variety of tax-related concerns.
White & Case hires Orrick as a partner and creates a Tokyo disputes practice.
After almost 14 years at Orrick, where he oversaw the Tokyo office and served as the leader of the IP and complex litigation and conflict resolution groups in Tokyo, Shinsuke Yakura has joined White & Case.
BYJU’s GC rejoins SAM as corporate equity partner
In order to rejoin Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. as an equity partner in its Bengaluru-based business practice, Roshan Thomas resigned from his position at the ailing edtech unicorn BYJU’s.
Luthra grows corporate practice in Bengaluru with Poovayya partner hire
The corporate practice of Luthra and Luthra Law Offices has grown in Bengaluru with the addition of partner Arindam Basu from Poovayya & Co.
In house
Tegna Legal Chief Ousted Just 9 Months After Taking Post
Lauren Fisher’s resignation from her position as chief legal officer follows Tegna’s appointment of a new CEO.
Ex-Lucid, Tesla Legal Leader Joins Gene Therapy Startup with IPO Ambitions
Cellares, which claims to have created a manufacturing process that lowers the cost and expands the availability of cancer-fighting gene therapy, has appointed Jonathan Butler as general counsel.
In-House Moves of Month: FedEx, Target Pass the Torch
Following his declaration that he “found retirement boring,” former Geico legal head Seth Ingall rejoined the industry as chief legal officer of the Crash Champions chain of body shops.
Travel-Tech Giant Sabre Books Fourth Legal Chief in 3 Years
Sabre CLO Chadwick Ho lasted seven months, and Ann Bruder lasted sixteen.
Mathias Gaertner, the group’s top lawyer at the moment, will be replaced by Lukas Studer, general counsel for corporate and M&A at Holcim. Gaertner joined ABB Group as group legal chief.
US real estate group Amherst hires Lendlease Americas’ GC as legal head
Peter Campbell has taken over Gabriel Steffens’ position as general attorney at US real estate investing platform Amherst Group.
Luxury UK hotel estate Stoke Park hires first GC
Dipika Jaisinghani Aggarwal has been appointed as the first general counsel of Stoke Park, a 300-acre private sporting and luxury hotel estate in Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire.
Panodil-maker Perrigo hires Haleon interim GC as legal head
Charles Atkinson has been named general counsel of consumer healthcare company Perrigo Company, taking over for interim general counsel Todd Kingma.
The Americas
Arnold & Porter, a Washington, D.C.-based firm, has expanded its Boston office by hiring a seasoned attorney from Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, and Brown Rudnick has added two lateral intellectual property partners to its D.C. office.
McDermott Adds Gibson Dunn Cyber and Privacy Co-Chair to White Collar Defense Practice
The company is hopeful that the combination of Alexander Southwell’s experience and the company’s dominant position in the healthcare industry will pay off.
Paul Hastings Adds M&A Partner from Goodwin, Readies for Deal Market Turnaround
Ian Engstrand wants to expand the company’s tech and venture capital business both domestically and abroad.
Weil Continues Private Equity Expansion with White & Case Hire
Luke Laumann follows another private equity hiring in California by joining the firm’s New York office.
Former AUSA Joins Keker, Van Nest & Peters
After serving as an associate for three years in the U.S. Department of Justice, Andrew Dawson has returned to the company.
People in the News—Sept. 3, 2024—Unruh Turner
Lauren A. Nehra has become a member of Unruh Turner Burke & Frees.
Freeman Mathis Hires Client Relations Director: Jones Walker Adds New Data Privacy Leader
Ronna Ruppelt is a new addition at Freeman Mathis. “Her decades of work in claims gives her a deep understanding of client needs in terms of best practices for processes and procedures,” said Ben Mathis, the managing partner.
Midsize Dallas firm Bell Nunnally Hires Baker McKenzie M&A Partner
The transactional team at Bell Nunnally & Martin has been “slammed” with work this year, according to managing partner Christopher Trowbridge, and the firm is growing its corporate M&A practice.
Paul Weiss Adds Fried Frank Partner as Head of Fund Finance Group
Funds partner Flora Go, who has extensive expertise working with private equity firms, has joined Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison from Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson. She will take over as leader of Paul Weiss’ fund financing division.
With Simpson Thacher Partner Add, Linklaters Ups US Playv
The hire comes after the firm’s addition of a six-person team from Shearman & Sterling at the start of the year.
Kirkland, Paul Weiss, Weil, McDermott and Other Top Firms Make Lateral Bonanza in NY
Big Law firms have announced at least 10 hires in New York, mostly partners, the day after Labor Day.
Mayer Brown Lands DOJ FCPA Assistant Chief
“I did reach a point where a lot of my cases were sort of wrapping up,” said Sonali Patel, “and it felt like a good time to see if there was the right opportunity in the private sector.”
Paul Hastings’ Vice Chair of Cap Markets and Securities Group Heads to Freshfields
Christopher DeCresce concentrates on the banking, fintech, and financial services industries.
People in the News—Sept. 4, 2024—Margolis Edelstein, Petrelli Previtera
Jacob Kratt has joined Margolis Edelstein as a new partner in the Philadelphia office of the company.
As Dechert Withdraws from Chicago, Shook Hardy Scoops Up White-Collar Leader
According to Andrew Boutros, he has long-standing connections with customers in the engineering, food and beverage, government contracting, and telecommunications sectors.
Haynes and Boone Expands Charlotte Team with First Trial Partner
In the process of the Dallas-founded firm growing its Charlotte, North Carolina, office, litigator Chelsea Corey of King & Spalding became a partner in the litigation section of Haynes and Boone.
Sheppard Mullin Hires Corporate Transactions Partner in Chicago
After working for McGuireWoods for more than five years, Thomas DeSplinter joins the company.
Faegre Drinker Snags Buchanan COO, Aims to Advance in AI Efforts
“At the moment, my ears are listening,” Nolan Kurtz remarked. “The best thing is to come in and actively listen to the partners, our lawyers, our consultants, our operations professionals and really learn from them.”
Winston & Strawn Adds Partner in Houston
Banee Pachuca has joined Winston & Strawn LLP as a partner in the Houston office. Banee joins the company as a member of the Transactions Department, specializing in the medical field.
In other news, Jones Jones elevates a supervising partner, Pashman Stein expands its ADR business, and former Superior Court Judge Thurber joins the firm.
People in the News—Sept. 6, 2024—Barley Snyder, Saxton & Stump
The American Bar Association Section of Intellectual Property Law (ABA-IPL) has selected Joseph R. Falcon III, a partner and intellectual property attorney, to leadership positions once more, according to a statement released by Barley Snyder.
Ex-Major, Lindsey & Africa Leader Joins CenterPeak, Formerly Johnson Downie and Lippman Jungers
CenterPeak now has a base in Washington, D.C. in addition to New York, California, and Texas thanks to Jeffrey Lowe.
Linklaters Ups US Play with Simpson Thacher Partner Hire
As the firm looks to establish a footprint in New York, Linklaters has added a restructuring partner from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett through a lateral hire made in the United States. In Linklaters’ New York office, Michael Torkin takes on the role of U.S. head of capital solutions for the company. He had previously worked at Sullivan & Cromwell and was a partner at Simpson Thacher since 2017.
Canada Gets a Post-Labour Day Hiring-a-Palooza
Former M&A and corporate partner Gordon Raman joined automation solutions supplier ATS Corp. as chief legal officer. Raman was previously with Borden Ladner Gervais and Fasken Martineau DuMoulin.
Partner Exits Newest Canadian IPH Group Firm for More Entrepreneurial Pastures
The strategy of Louis-Pierre Gravelle’s previous company, Bereskin & Parr, was, in his words, “ill-suited” to the kind of IP consultancy business he desired.
Lévy Bazinet has joined McCarthy Tétrault as a partner in the business law group in Montréal. With more than 18 years of expertise in project development, asset management, and mergers & acquisitions in the infrastructure and renewable energy industries, Lévy is a seasoned negotiator.
Dentons Adds Litigation and Dispute Partner from Woods
Iona Jurca, who was previously at Montreal litigation boutique Woods, has more than 10 years of experience handling complex domestic and international litigation and arbitration matters.
Team Moves
With 13-Lawyer Team, Cozen Expands in Canada
Cozen O’Connor announced the addition of 13 new attorneys to its Vancouver office, significantly increasing its presence in Canada and advancing the firm closer to its objective of ranking among the top full-service firms in the nation.
Fourteen From Hunton Andrews Kurth Jump to Predecessor’s Spinoff Firm
Nine trial partners and five associates from Hunton Andrews Kurth joined Houston trial boutique on Tuesday, bringing many of their longstanding friends and former coworkers from the midsize firm back together.
Malaysia: RDS co-founder departs with team to launch cap marks boutique
A founding partner of the Malaysian legal firm Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership (RDS), Ong Eu Jin has left the company with ten attorneys, three of whom are partners, to form Ong Eu Jin Partnership, a boutique that focuses on mergers & acquisitions and capital markets.
Financials:
2024 GC Pay Report: Signing Bonuses Swell in Size as Companies Shy Away from Internal Hires
Legal department consultant Jason Winmill said, “If you have to throw millions of dollars at somebody before, they start work, and then they start work and it doesn’t work out, you are up the creek because you’ve paid them a lot of money,”. “Sunk costs are exactly that—sunk.”
Compliance Chiefs See Pay Surge as Regulatory Onslaught Buries Perception It’s a Backwater Role
“Companies have increasingly trended toward moving the compliance function to an independent organization, sitting as a peer to the legal function.” based on a report by Major, Lindsey & Africa.
Slaughter and May Fast-Tracks Pay Review to Match £150K NQ Benchmark
Slaughter and May has raised the remuneration of its recently qualified attorneys to £150,000, in line with other leading UK law firms. The company pushed forward its compensation review, which was supposed to take place in November.
Burges Salmon Unveils 46% Jump in Profit
The average equity partner profit climbed by 42% from £466,000 to £661,000, while the firm’s net profit improved by £34.6 million to £50.5 million. The 12-month total turnover increased by 27% to £163 million by April 2024.
Australian Legal Sector is Growing Strongly, Report Finds
According to Thomson Reuters and the Melbourne Law School’s 2024 Australia State of the Legal Market, demand for legal services increased by 7.5% in the 12 months leading up to June, while firm fees increased by 5%, marking the third consecutive year that rates had increased by 5% or more. As a result, fee income increased by 12.6%.
Promotions & Appointments:
Marshall Dennehey Appoints New Pittsburgh Managing Attorney
Current managing attorney Scott Dunlop, who will retire at the end of 2024 after serving in the capacity for thirty years, will be replaced by Stuart Sostmann.
Holland & Knight Hires Chief Business Development and Marketing Officer From EY
After working for the Big Four firm for more than 18 years, Patrick O’Connor most recently provided financial reputation advice to businesses.
Weil Recruits Longtime FTC Merger Enforcer
Leading government enforcer of transactions in the supermarket, retail, consumer products, and health care services sectors was Mark Seidman.
Latham Appoints New London Office Leadership
Corporate partner and previous global M&A co-chair Ed Barnett have taken over as Stephen Kensell’s replacement in the position.
Gov. Hochul to Appoint Wilmer Partner Brian Mahanna as Top Counsel
As Elizabeth Fine prepares to leave the governor’s office, Mahanna is expected to assume the top legal position.
2 Key Hires Plus 2 Promotions at Bridgeport’s Koskoff
The Bridgeport firm promotes new associates Skylar Albertson and Luke Reynolds and adds veteran attorneys Ryan Daugherty and Margaret Donovan.
DLA Piper Shuffles Leadership in Mexico City Office
M&A partner Mauricio Valdespino, who joined the company in 2022 from the local office of White & Case, will co-manage the office with Edgar Romo, a finance partner who has been with DLA Piper in Mexico since 2016.
Mason Hayes & Curran appoints Conor Lynch as new London partner
Mason Hayes & Curran, a business law firm, has named Conor Lynch a partner in its financial services division. Mr. Lynch will be headquartered in the company’s London office, where he will be instrumental in providing financial institutions and local and foreign banks with advice on a broad range of transactions.
Diversity & Inclusion:
ACLU, Selendy Gay Seek to Block South Carolina Law Banning Gender-Affirming Care
Three sections of a state law that forbids gender-affirming care are the subject of a preliminary and permanent injunction request made in federal court by attorneys for Selendy Gay, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the ACLU of South Carolina.
DEI Leadership: Unlocking Unique Value
Kimberly Hulsey writes, “DEI leaders lead the charge on workplace innovation that amplifies the contributions and progression of those in both underrepresented and overrepresented communities”.
Office Openings & Closing:
Winstead Launches in Nashville, Building on Real Estate Work in ‘Hot Market’
Winstead, an Am Law 200 firm, sought laterals with experience in construction and land use law, as well as litigation, when it opened in Nashville.
Reed Smith Will Close Beijing Office, Partner Duo to Relocate
The company closes its operations in China, joining a lengthy list of American law companies that have done so in the last 18 months.
McGlinchey Opens Third Florida Office in Tampa, Hopes to Tap Region’s Talent
Will Grimsley, managing member of the new office, “Tampa is a large, growing market that offers a broader range of practice areas that complement what we do across our footprint, but have not been doing in Florida.”
Tyson & Mendes Opens New Sacramento Office
Norma Pedroza Chavez, managing partner, comes from Sims, Lawrence & Broghammer to the office.
The firm’s 800-strong partnership is impacted by the seismic changes, which were disclosed internally on Friday. It also coincides with the firm’s ten-year anniversary in Johannesburg.
Vinson & Elkins opens Dublin office with focus on aviation finance
The US legal firm Vinson & Elkins has opened an office in Dublin’s city centre as part of its expansion into Ireland. The expansion intends to improve the firm’s ability to service clients in the aviation sector and increases its global presence. The firm is based in New York.
Mergers & Alliances:
Four Law Firm Mergers That Could Make Sense
It can be challenging to find the ideal match in any relationship. When thinking about a legal merger, many elements come into play, such as competing egos, incompatible cultures, opposition to a takeover, and inevitably, disagreements overcompensation.
Jonathan Lupkin’s Litigation Boutique Combines with Rottenstreich Farley
Lupkin became the chair of Rottenstreich Farley’s commercial litigation practice after joining the firm.
Troutman Pepper, Locke Lord Secure Merger with Partner Vote
Troutman Pepper Locke will be the name of the merged company.
HSF Expects Another Strong 12 Months of M&A in Australia
The firm’s M&A research says that activity will be driven by lower U.S. interest rates.
Technology & Innovation:
New Revenue Streams: Transform unprofitable practices into thriving businesses
This article discusses how Gen AI can help lawyers to transform unprofitable practices into new revenue streams.
Lame Laptops, Batteries ‘About to Explode’: Midlevel Associates Angered by Lack of Tech Investment
One associate bemoans the fact that “working with tools like these is unbelievably difficult.”
How Australian Firm Allens Is Training Its Lawyers in the Use of Gen AI and Other Legal Tech
The Australian corporate legal company Allens has launched a training program aimed at equipping its staff and attorneys with the necessary knowledge and self-assurance to utilize the different technologies.
In-House Lawyers Weigh in on How AI Will Revolutionize Dispute Resolution
China is not new to using AI agents as online “robot judges.” Is it possible for that to occur here?
How One Firm Is Training Its Lawyers in the Use of Gen AI and Other Legal Tech
The Australian corporate legal company Allens has launched a training program aimed at equipping its staff and attorneys with the necessary knowledge and self-assurance to utilize the different technologies.
Singapore’s WongPartnership to Collaborate with Harvey, Integrate Gen AI Tools into Practice.
According to WongPartnership, the collaboration with Harvey will result in innovative AI solutions that boost productivity and save time for its attorneys.
Market Commentary:
Tensions Ripple Through Partnerships as Law Firm Culture Shifts to Bottom Line Focus
“When partners see their peers are being treated that way by leadership, it typically results in less loyalty across the board,” stated one recruiter regarding the effects of de-equitizations.
Alternatives to Restrictive Covenants in M&A Transactions
While restrictive covenants in the M&A context are not the main focus of this ban, given the lack of certainty in the current legal landscape and the potential hurdles to enforcement, buyers would be well-advised to find other ways to incentivize sellers not to compete with a target company after an M&A closing.
Hershey Company general counsel James Turoff offers insights from within the company on the quickly changing legal services industry.
Beyond Salary: Considerations for Law Students Selecting Their First Law Firm
Salary is undoubtedly a significant component, but this decision has effects that go beyond money.
Recession Fears Cloud Outlook for In-House Hiring
John Gilmore, co-founder of BarkerGilmore said, “It is too difficult for anyone to predict the outcome for the year, but we are optimistic that there will be a place for business-minded lawyers with high emotional intelligence.”
Associate Bonuses Build ‘Morale,’ but Does Management Have More Leverage Now?
Milbank’s chair said, “I’d be delighted if other firms wanted us to pay more than anyone else, but I don’t suspect that will be the case.”
Law Firm Leaders See Rapid Movement by Laterals as Red Flag
John Hall of Hall Booth Smith said, “I think the businesses have to pay attention and hire people that they think are going to be a good, long-term investment and pass on those who seem to be moving further on self- and short-term gain”.
Challenge for Lawyers as Regulators and Financing Delay Oil & Gas Deals in Africa
Local lawyers claim that delays in deal closings are negatively affecting the financial expectations of legal advisers and that it is becoming less and less likely for a law practice to be able to agree on fixed legal fees.
Greece Opens the Door to U.K. Lawyers Under New Law
Following Brexit, British attorneys were unable to register and practice law in Greece, which precluded them from providing legal advice in crucial industries including finance, insurance, and shipping.
Over the years, we have shared our Legal Weekly Update, highlighting changes in the legal sector, such as global partner movements and promotions. By tracking partner movements week on week, we have been able to collect rich data that enabled us to identify trends and actionable insights for strategic hiring, in both the long and medium term.
One of the most interesting trends we’ve noticed is in the Paris legal sphere, where we’ve seen a flurry of partner movements in dispute resolution and litigation spaces, since 2020. Firms like Dechert and the late Shearman & Sterling were significantly impacted. The exodus of partners from these establishments has reshaped the city’s legal landscape, leading to the formation of boutique firms and attracting talent to others.
Dechert saw several high-profile exits from its litigation team. Notably, partners – including Claudia Annacker, Eduardo Silva Romero, and José Manuel García Represa – exited the firm in favour of forming boutiques focussed on international arbitration and litigation. The departures are said to have been triggered by Dechert’s strategic shift away from international arbitration and toward life sciences, private assets, private capital, and technology. The Paris International Arbitration Group, which was once an integral part of Dechert, disbanded as partners pursued their own paths. We saw the aforementioned Silva Romero lead the founding of Wordstone Dispute Resolution.
Shearman & Sterling mirrored Dechert, losing a number of partners who merged to form Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes, a boutique firm specialising in international arbitration and law. These departures reflect a systematic shift in the legal market, with seasoned practitioners choosing specialised boutique settings.
However, it is important to note that the landscape has shifted significantly since then. Shearman & Sterling merged with Allen & Overy to form A&O Shearman, a global legal powerhouse. This merger represents a countertrend to the boutique model, emphasising scale and geographic reach. While the departure of partners to boutique firms remains a notable trend, the formation of A&O Shearman exemplifies the ongoing consolidation in the legal industry and the various strategies firms are employing to remain competitive. This trend towards global mergers stands in stark contrast to the rise of boutique firms, suggesting that the legal market is simultaneously pulling in two distinct directions: specialisation and consolidation.
This is further exemplified in the expansion of firms like Paul Hastings, which grew by 12 people, adding a new litigation team through the acquisition of Antonin Lévy & Associés’ white-collar and investigations team. This move is said to be part of the firm’s overall global strategy to strengthen its litigation capabilities while enhancing its position in complex international disputes. The addition of the well-regarded Antonin Lévy and his team is expected to attract new clients and reinforce Paul Hastings’ reputation in the Paris legal market.
Squire Patton Boggs and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner emerged as top firms in attracting partner talent, with Squire Patton Boggs welcoming Sabrina Aïnouz, Jérôme Lehucher, and John Adam, who joined from DWF and Latham & Watkins respectively, reflecting a trend of group moves. Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner also added three partners: Elodie A. Valette Wlodkowski, Jean-Pierre Delvigne, and Philippe Métais, all of whom joined from White & Case. This move coincided with the departure of Nathan Willmott, Bryan Cave Partners’ European head of litigation, to Ashurst.
We also saw Hoche Société d’avocats emerge as an active player in attracting new talent, with Solène Delafond who joined as a partner in the litigations team, bringing expertise in financial, commercial, and corporate disputes to the firm.
It is evident that the Paris legal landscape is undergoing a significant transformation. The rise of boutique firms, sparked by the departure of key partners from established entities, is reshaping the market by offering clients highly specialised legal services. At the same time, the consolidation of major firms, as seen in the formation of A&O Shearman, highlights the ongoing importance of scale and global reach; additionally, firms like Paul Hastings, Squire Patton Boggs, and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner are actively capitalising on this shifting landscape, expanding their talent pools and service offerings. This heightened competition promises to advantage clients, offering them an expanded array of specialised legal options. As the Parisian legal market continues to evolve, increased specialisation and competition are poised to define its future course.
Megan is a delivery consultant at Fides Search. To find out more, get in touch at: +44 (0) 20 3137 7101 or eparker@fidessearch.com
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Paul Weiss Secures Latest London Partner with Hire from Investment Firm
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison has appointed an investment director from Blantyre Capital, an asset management company, continuing its trend of recruiting people quickly in London.
The most recent partner to join the New York-based company in the UK is Kai Zeng.
Latham & Watkins Adds Senior Energy & Infrastructure Partner in London
Pedro Rufino Carvalho, who was Managing Director and Global General Counsel at Patria Investments, has joined the company as a partner in the Project Development & Finance and Latin America Practices, based in the London office.
Emmet Quish joins Walkers as asset management and investment funds partner
Emmet Quish, a partner in Walkers’ asset management and investment funds unit, has been appointed to the Irish office of the multinational law company. Mr. Quish has worked for asset managers, investment funds, and management organizations during his nearly two decades of expertise advising customers on a variety of topics.
Sidley Duo Decamp to A&O Shearman in London
The private equity and M&A practices of A&O Shearman are welcoming Paul Dunbar and Dan Graham.
Latham Taps Baker McKenzie for London Corporate Hire
Since 2017, Melanie Howard has been a partner in M&A at Baker McKenzie. She spent ten years with Clifford Chance prior to this move.
EMEA
White & Case Hires Prominent Weil Restructuring Partner to Lead Its Paris Practice
Co-head of Weil’s Paris restructuring/insolvency practice Anne-Sophie Noury will collaborate with the head of White & Case’s private equity department.
Linklaters Hires White & Case Partner in Germany
welcome Riaz Janjuah, a market-leading expert in restructuring and insolvency (R&I), who bolsters the firm’s Restructuring & Insolvency practice in Germany as a partner in its Hamburg office.
Norton Rose, Latham & Watkins, and Squire Patton Boggs Recruit
To grow its own banking expertise, Norton Rose Fulbright has recruited Jeremy Grant, the chief of Stephenson Harwood’s Paris debt capital markets practice.
Squire Patton Boggs Expands International Disputes Capabilities with Partner Addition
Nicoleta Timofti, a former partner at Curtis Mallet-Prevost, joined Squire Patton Boggs in August as a partner in the international dispute resolution practice located in Geneva. She worked at Greenberg Traurig in Washington, D.C. for 15 years, and she has licenses in both New York and Washington, D.C.
Hogan Lovells strengthens its global M&A practice with Düsseldorf hire
The international legal practice Hogan Lovells is happy to announce that Dr. Mesut Korkmaz has joined the firm as a partner in its Düsseldorf M&A practice area. Mesut leaves Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer to join the company. Mesut’s practice is extensive and includes capital markets, shareholder activism, corporate restructurings, corporate restructurings, core corporate advising problems, and large and complicated private and public M&A.
Kirkland Builds German Restructuring Practice with Gleiss Lutz Duo
The latest move by Kirkland & Ellis to strengthen its European restructuring capabilities is the employment of a partner and a counsel from the German legal firm Gleiss Lutz. Later this year, Düsseldorf attorney Friedrich Schlott and Frankfurt-based Christian Halàsz are anticipated to join the company.
APAC
HFW Continues to Grow in Australia with Hire of Partner Duo
The Melbourne office of Johnson Winter & Slattery welcomes Paul Buitendag, a partner who was previously the head of dispute resolution for the company, together with Rena Solomonidis, an associate, and a legal assistant.
HSF Expands Hong Kong Private Capital Team with Teneo Hire
Before joining White & Case in 2010, Anthony Vasey started his legal career in London and Hong Kong with Slaughter and May.
Jones Day Hires King & Spalding Corporate Partner in Singapore
In recent years, Parveet Singh Gandoak has provided advice on some of the biggest cross-border corporate deals in South Asia.
CAM continues hiring spree with PSA corporate partner
With the addition of Arya Tripathy to its corporate and technology practice in Delhi in 2024, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas has maintained its robust growth in lateral partners. From PSA Legal Counsellors, Tripathy joins.
Senior SAM lawyer moves to Trilegal as antitrust market
Due to the continued need for antitrust attorneys in India, merger control specialist Aparna Mehra is leaving her ten-year partnership at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. to join Trilegal.
In house
Cigna Taps Rising Star as Chief Legal Officer
Longtime legal boss Nicole Jones is continuing with the company and will still be in charge of law. In recent years, she has assumed a number of additional leadership roles.
Former AbVie legal head Laura Schumacher, a director of General Dynamics and CrowdStrike, said, “The law teaches us how to think about both sides of things, how to anticipate issues, how to see around the corner, and all of those skills are very, very important to be a valuable board member.”
Tech Company and Luxury Hotel Name New GCs
The two women have been appointed to general counsel roles at the companies.
US chip-maker Credo replaces CLO for second time this year with Automation Anywhere hire
Jim Laufman has been appointed chief legal officer of US chipmaker Credo Technology Group, succeeding Kate Schuelke, who is leaving the company after little over six months of employment.
The Americas
Clark Hill Adds Litigator in Continuation of NY Office Expansion
Attorney Nate Goldberg has joined Clark Hill’s New York office, the company announced on Tuesday. According to firm leadership, the hire is a part of the company’s ambition to grow in New York and on the East Coast.
Former Dechert COO Jumps to Klehr Harrison
After 23 years at Klehr Harrison, Thomas Ecker is retiring, and Corey Smith takes his place.
Cooley Hires Securities Litigation Partner in Los Angeles
After working for O’Melveny & Myers for more than 12 years, William Pao joins the company.
Hueston Hennigan Hires Former AUSA in Los Angeles
After working for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles for more than eight years, Bram Alden has joined Hueston as counsel.
Jones Walker Welcomes Bankruptcy Partner
Sean Wilson has joined the Houston office of Jones Walker as a member of the bankruptcy and restructuring team and as a partner in the firm’s litigation practice group.
People in the News—Aug. 29, 2024—Laffey Bucci, Duane Morris
Personal injury law firm Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan announced that associate attorney Ragha Narasimhan has joined the crime victims’ team.
Winston Expands Health Care Transactions Team with Morgan Lewis Partner
Banee Pachuca, a partner at Morgan Lewis, joined Winston & Strawn as a partner in Houston, where she practices transactions law with an emphasis on health care issues.
Employment, Labor Litigation Partner Joins Kaufman Dolowich in Los Angeles
Experienced business litigator Francisco Cabada recently joined Kaufman Dolowich after leaving his own firm.
Sidley Austin Hires Commercial Litigation, Disputes Partner from McDermott
After working with McDermott Will & Emery for more than 18 years, Jon Dean has joined Sidley Austin.
In the largest economy in Latin America, firms are bracing for what they believe will be a pick-up in deal activity after a slow period of recent deals.
Team Moves
Facing Demand Surge, Weber Gallagher Adds 7 Transportation Attorneys in Harrisburg
The team from Rawle & Henderson expands the firm’s capacity to serve clients in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Maryland, where it plans to create a new office later this year.
Dentons Takes Hong Kong Disputes Trio from Norton Rose Fulbright
Shirin Tang and Lip Kian Ang are joining Baker McKenzie, which has added more than 50 partners in major international financial hubs including Singapore and London in the last 18 months.
Triple appointment at Turley Legal
Attorneys Rachel Scroggie, Kathryn O’Hagan, and Eileen McKendry-Gray have joined the staff of Northern Ireland business Turley Legal.
Financials:
Revenue Growth for Homegrown Texas Firms Trailed Industry in First Half of 2024
In the Wells Fargo Legal Specialty Group Six-Month 2024 Survey, a group of Texas firms reported a reduction in demand on average during the first half of 2024.
DC Law Firms ‘Underperformed’ in First Half of 2024
Revenue for D.C.-based companies increased by 5.6% in the first half of 2024, which was less than the industry’s total revenue growth of 11.4%.
Hourly Rates Rocket Higher, as Elite Firms Leverage Pricing Power
Owen Burman, managing director of the Wells Fargo Legal Specialty Group said Legal departments are facing unprecedented financial pressure. “But when it comes to high-value work, they are willing to pay top dollar.”
New York City-Headquartered Law Firms Outpace Industry in First Half of 2024
The capital markets, private equity, and fund creation transactional activities have been the main sources of the additional demand. Late in the third quarter of last year, that trend began.”
California State Judges to Receive 2.6% Pay Hike
Judges’ statutory pay increases are the result of recent wage increases negotiated by some state employees in California.
Norton Rose Fulbright rings in revenue, profit rises
For the fifth year in a row, Norton Rose Fulbright’s business in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia reported strong financial results for the most recent fiscal year.
Accounts filed at Companies House show that the company made £109.9 million in profit before members’ remuneration and profit sharing during the eight months ending December 31, 2023, with a turnover of £401.2 million.
US law firms ring in strong performance in first half
According to a survey by Wells Fargo Legal Speciality Group, US law firms had revenue growth of 11.4% on average in the first half of the year, and there is increasing evidence that 2024 may be a historically strong year for the sector.
Promotions & Appointments:
In Monmouth County, Sarno da Costa D’Aniello Maceri has two new partners: Albertina Webb and John Patti.
Nuzzo & Roberts and Day Pitney: Partner Ascensions in Cheshire and Stamford
At Nuzzo & Roberts, Richard Mather and Ashley Bertsch get recognition for their accomplishments, and Amy Drais joins the Day Pitney tax team.
Connecticut Movers: Continued Growth for West Hartford’s Gfeller Laurie
Mary Patryn has been appointed counsel in West Hartford, while associates Anthony J. Biraglia, Caitlyn A. Burridge, Melissa Modzelewski, and Kara A. Newell have been named; partner Chrystale B. Hewitt is in Princeton.
FedEx Promotes Its Top Lobbyist for Past Two Decades to General Counsel
Gina Adams, a 32-year corporate veteran, will take over as the company’s lawyer from 42-year veteran Mark Allen.
MoFo Singapore Managing Partner Takes Team to Baker McKenzie
Shirin Tang and Lip Kian Ang are joining Baker McKenzie, which has added more than 50 partners in major international financial hubs including Singapore and London in the last 18 months.
McCarthy Tétrault Names Litigation Group Leader as New Firm CEO
At the conclusion of the year, Dave Leonard, the Canadian firm’s senior boss, steps down and is replaced by Sunil Kapur.
Nazia Latif appointed to Equality Commission for Northern Ireland
Nazia Latif has been appointed to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. Her appointment by Northern Ireland secretary Hilary Benn will take effect from 1 September 2024 and last for a period of three years.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Would-Be Gaffer Found to Lack Standing in Bias Case Challenging Diversity Initiative
The Southern District of New York’s Chief U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain reasoned that the plaintiff’s grievance was too abstract because he wasn’t looking for job in the film industry.
IMF announces departure of its first woman GC as hunt for replacement begins
Rhoda Weeks-Brown, the chief counsel of the International Monetary Fund, has announced her retirement at the end of September. A hunt for her replacement has begun.
Office Openings & Closing:
Appleby Boosts Asia Offering with Launch of Offshore Fiduciary Service in Shanghai
David Bulley, managing partner of Appleby’s Hong Kong and Shanghai offices stated that the launch comes in light of growing “client demand for a full-service offshore law and fiduciary business”.
Firms asked to help trainees stranded by ‘imminent closure’ of US firm’s London office
The legal community in London has been urged to assist student attorneys who may be harmed by the upcoming closure of Armstrong Teasdale, a US firm with a London office. In a letter sent to member companies last week, Colin Passmore, the chair of the City of London Law Society (CLLS), made the request.
Mergers & Alliances:
Ohio Firms Combine to Create 200-Lawyer Shop
With effect from October 1, forty-three lawyers from Brouse McDowell will join NLJ 500 firm Roetzel & Andress.
Technology & Innovation:
AFAs Will Grow as Firms Increase Gen AI Usage, New Survey Finds
Barnes & Thornburg’s Cassie Vertovec, one of the authors of the study said, “When we first saw AFAs hit the market, it was totally client driven. With this new shift, it could be law firm-driven, because their profitability is at stake.”
Tracking Generative AI: How Evolving AI Models Are Impacting Legal
An ongoing collection of the ways that generative AI tools—from GPT technologies to art creation tools and beyond—are continuing to influence the legal landscape.
Checking In on AI, Lawyers, Judges and Skeptics
We are beginning to comprehend some of the practical uses that AI—more especially, generative AI—can provide, as well as how AI might integrate into the practice of law.
At Least 2 Midsize Firms Are Using Mysterious AI Startup Harveyv
By formally deploying the technology, Honigman and Whiteford, Taylor & Preston are capitalizing on the excitement surrounding the enigmatic AI startup Harvey.
At DataGrail Summit, Legal Leaders Call for Transparency in the Age of AI
“A year ago, AI was really in a misunderstood state. Executives were trying to understand how to deploy it,” said DataGrail CEO Daniel Barber. “Now it’s about, how do we use it responsibly? And it starts with trust.”
Mid-Tier Firms Falling Behind Top-Tier on AI, Report Finds
The analysis also reveals a difference in the number of internal teams devoted to AI transformation between the top 20 and second 20 largest UK corporations.
Market Commentary:
Pinsent Masons Trials New Measures to Combat Long Hours
The business began talking about mental health and the heavy workloads at big law firms after the untimely death of an equity partner in September 2023.
Over 50 Am Law Firms Without Fla. Offices Employ Lawyers Barred in the State
Husch Blackwell, Womble Bond Dickinson and Troutman Pepper led the list, according to a DBR analysis of Florida Bar data.
Second 50 Law Firms Are Trailing Elite Firms and Smaller Peers in Growth
The Second 50’s slower growth has been caused by slower collections, higher headcount, and lower billing rates than the top 50.
Germany’s Law Firms Defy Economic Downturn, Predict M&A Surge
In the biggest economy in Europe, the legal profession has avoided the recession, but what is ahead?
HSF Expects Another Strong 12 Months of M&A in Australia
As per the Australia Public M&A report 2024 by Herbert Smith Freehills, there were 14 megadeals valued over $676 million in the 2023–24 fiscal year, which is almost twice the average of eight deals per year over the previous five years. Kam Jamshidi, an M&A partner at Herbert Smith Freehills, stated that the company is optimistic about public M&A in the upcoming year.
Germany’s Law Firms Defy Economic Downturn, Predict M&A Surge
In the biggest economy in Europe, the legal profession has avoided the recession, but what is ahead?
Lawyers Cite Strong Appetite for Capital Markets Work in India as IPO Pipeline Grows
Lawyers add that the recent listings show a rise in activity in India’s capital markets, which is “driven by the surge in domestic liquidity.”
Africa Deal Roundup: Hunton Andrews Kurth, A&O Shearman & HSF Advise on Nigerian Oil Deals
In line with a larger trend of energy companies pulling out of Nigerian upstream operations, Eni sold its onshore oil and gas assets in Nigeria to Oando. The transaction involved multiple law firms.
Technology & Innovation:
Spellbook Launches ‘Spellbook Associate,’ a Legal AI Agent for Transactions
According to Scott Stevenson, CEO and co-founder of Spellbook, all Spellbook subscribers will now have free access to the AI agent known as “Spellbook Associate”. But he pointed out that as Spellbook assesses “usage patterns” and the expenses incurred by the business, that might alter.
Tracking Generative AI: How Evolving AI Models Are Impacting Legal
By late 2022, the legal industry was enthralled with the exponential rise in sophistication and power of commercially available generative artificial intelligence systems.
AI in Advertising: Understanding the Hype, Role and Legal Challenges
AI offers businesses—including law firms—powerful tools to attain the right audience, optimize their advertising budgets, and ultimately grow their client base.
Legal Tech Industry Vets Launch New Marketing Comms Firm Limelight
Kenneth Gary and Erin Harrison, who were formerly employed as journalists and marketing specialists, hope to use their years of experience at the nexus of law, business, and technology to provide customers with innovative and effective bespoke communications programs that go beyond public relations.
Minnesota State Bar Takes Big Step Toward Launching Gen AI Regulatory Sandbox
A new committee that will create the framework for an innovative generative AI regulatory sandbox program aimed at enhancing the state’s legal accessibility has received approval from the Minnesota State Bar Association (MBSA). When completely developed, the sandbox would use generative AI, more especially the large language models (LLMs) that drive the system, to assist self-represented litigants when they interface with the court system at various times, such as when they are applying for housing or obtaining immigration.
Richard Susskind, Now Special Envoy for Justice and AI, Talks AI’s Role in A2J
Richard Susskind, a futurist and legal tech specialist, was named the Commonwealth’s Special Envoy for Justice and Artificial Intelligence. In addition, Susskind and Mark O’Conor have been hard at work co-editing a brand-new book, “Computers & Law: The First 50 Years,” in honor of the Society for Computers and Law’s (SCL) 50th anniversary, which was earlier this year.
Spun Off from Deloitte, Moonlit Launches Legal Research Platform for EU Case Law
Moonlit, an internal project created by Deloitte Netherlands’ artificial intelligence lead, aims to assist users in monitoring, contrasting, and comparing how different member states interpret EU legislation.
Global Firms’ Asia Offices Lag Behind US and Europe in AI Uptake
Global law companies are encountering difficulties in Asia, where their efforts have been greeted with less enthusiasm than in the West, as they use machine learning and generative AI approaches to provide better client services. Asian clients continue to favour personalized, “touchy-feely” services, according to Hogan Lovells partner Tommy Liu. As a result, AI use in tasks like contract analysis and document drafting is less widespread in the area.
Market Commentary:
The Future of Law Firm Marketing and Business Development
Carl Grant III of Oxford Strategic Legal Advisors stated that “Revenue-focused marketing and business development organizations of the future will need to be agile and adaptable to changing market conditions, firm requirements, and client needs”.
The Law Firm Disrupted: The Legal Workplace Spans 4 Generations. Treat That as an Opportunity
Husch Blackwell CEO Jamie Lawless noted that Baby boomers, Gen X, millennials and Zoomers are all part of the talent mix right now, offering opportunities in the workplace.
Want to Be a Rainmaker? Master Balancing Business Development and Thought Leadership
Rainmakers put this knowledge into practice by allocating their time wisely and consistently to thought leadership as well as company development.
Young, Digital, Demanding: How Gen Z Is Challenging Germany’s Law Firms
Generation Z are tech-savvy, purpose-driven, and wanting a new leadership style. Are law firms ready?
Sidley Offers Associates ‘Managing’ Titles. Why Isn’t It Catching On?
According to Yvette Ostolaza, head of the management committee, Sidley has completed its Built to Lead development program with 869 attorneys, and the internal appraisals have been “extremely positive.”
Taking Big Leaps in Head Count, ‘Show Me’ State Law Firms Aggressive in Growth
With its roots in Kansas City, a number of Am Law 200 law firms are rapidly drawing clients and talent from around the country.
Could Casablanca Finance City Be the Key to Law Firms’ African Ambitions?
Morocco’s CFC seeks to draw legal firms and their affluent clientele who wish to take advantage of Casablanca’s position as an entry point for investments into Africa.
Moves:
The Americas
Latham Adds Partner to IP Litigation Team
Raghav Bajaj has become a partner in the Litigation & Trial Department and Intellectual Property Litigation Practice at Latham & Watkins, according to an announcement made by the firm. Bajaj is a patent litigator whose area of expertise is the US Patent and Trademark Office’s contentious Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) hearings.
Holland & Knight Adds M&A Partner from McDermott
Ibrahim Barakat, the recent arrival, is only the fifth partner the business has added in Miami in the previous two years. Barakat is bringing his prior experience of assisting clients with private equity and M&A transactions, particularly in the health care sector, to the firm’s corporate, mergers and acquisitions, and securities practice.
2 Longtime Locke Lord Attorneys Jump to Sheppard Mullin Amid Merger Talks
Jennifer Brough and Bruce Grabow, who worked at Locke Lord for over a decade, have joined Sheppard Mullin as partners in the firm’s energy, infrastructure and project finance industry team and the real estate, energy, land use and environmental practice group.
Lewis Brisbois Litigator Moves to Atlanta Boutique to ‘Round Out’ Its Services to Other Lawyers
An Atlanta law firm that says it offers a rather unique niche practice has added a partner who will effectively “close the loop” on the legal services it offers to other lawyers.
Another Weil Partner Heads to Paul Hastings, as McGuireWoods Hires Former SEC Crypto Leader
Daniel Nicholas is at least the fourth Weil lawyer to join Paul Hastings in recent months.
Stradley Ronon Bolsters Investment Management Practice with Vanguard Hire
Brian Murphy, an assistant general counsel at Vanguard, has joined Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young as a partner in its investment management practice. Murphy has worked for the SEC for ten years and an investment management company for another ten. This will be his first time in private practice.
McCarter & English Welcomes 2 Lateral Partners from McElroy Deutsch
James Budinetz, a former McElroy Deutsch Managing Partner for New England, and Peter J. Zarella, a partner, have joined McCarter & English’s business litigation division as partners in Hartford.
Pierson Ferdinand Lures Veteran M&A Specialist from Sheppard Mullin in Silicon Valley
John Booher joined Pierson Ferdinand becoming the firm’s second corporate partner in Palo Alto, California, after six years as a M&A lawyer with Am Law 100 firm Sheppard Mullin.
Paul Weiss Adds New Derivatives Partner From A&O Shearman
Kerri Durso, a partner in the finance division of A&O Shearman, has joined Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Durso joins the group in New York, specializing on exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivatives.
A&O Shearman Power Regulatory Partner Jumps to Hogan Lovells 3 Months Post-Merger
Chip Cannon, a power regulatory attorney from A&O Shearman, has joined Hogan Lovells, becoming the most recent partner to leave the recently combined firm. Cannon becomes a partner in Hogan Lovells’ Washington, D.C. worldwide regulatory and intellectual property practice.
Norton Rose Business Development Head Moves to Ballard Spahr
Norton Rose Fulbright global head of business development Ian Ribald is moving to Ballard Spahr as their new chief marketing and business development officer.
Simpson Partner Heads to Paul Hastings, as Firm Plots Growth in Banking, Finance
Ismael Duran, a partner in finance, left Simpson Thacher & Bartlett after over 20 years of service. He is now a partner at Paul Hastings’ banking, finance, and private credit division in New York.
Debevoise, Seeing Tech Practice ‘Traction,’ Adds IP Litigator from Quinn Emanuel
After working at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan for 12 years, intellectual property litigator Lindsay Cooper Hayman joined Debevoise & Plimpton.
V&E Energy Regulatory Partner Jumps to Kirkland in Houston
Moving to Kirkland & Ellis’ Houston office, Vinson & Elkins energy regulatory partner Damien Lyster noted that this is a “fantastic time” to be active in energy regulatory work.
Paul Weiss, Recruiting Another Cleary Partner, Adds Rising M&A Star
Less than five months have passed since Cleary M&A partner James “Jim” Langston left for Paul Weiss, and now Nickolas Bogdanovich has moved.
According to company chair Frank Lopez, the hiring of Diedre Kalenderian would assist Paul Hastings in “creating a premier executive compensation practice as we continue to build our global platform and gain market share at the top of the market.”
Gibson Dunn Restructuring Partner Exits for Latham After 16 Months
Joe Zujkowski was previously the co-chair of O’Melveny’s restructuring practice before joining Gibson Dunn last year.
People in the News—Aug. 26, 2024—Saxton & Stump, Ballard Spahr
Melissa DeBarbieris has joined Saxton & Stump as a senior counsel attorney in the area that handles franchising, licensing, and distribution.
Former Kirkland PE Partners Reunite at Weil, as NY Firm Seeks More West Coast Growth
With Alice Yuan, a former partner at Kirkland, joining her old colleague Tana Ryan in Los Angeles, Weil hopes to expand its PE practice in California.
In house
Tom Sabatino, an 8-Time Legal Chief, Off to New Adventures After Year-Long Run at Rite Aid
Thomas Sabatino’s run as chief legal officer of Rite Aid proved to be short. But it was filled with excitement.
Hollywood Vet to Be Both COO and GC of Independent Studio
Two years after striking an agreement with a private equity firm that offers it fresh financial strength to pursue production projects and acquisitions, Jeannine Tang is joining SK Global Entertainment.
KPMG Vice Chair Is Latest Winner in Game of GC Musical Chairs
KPMG legal chief and former Washington, D.C., insider Tonya Robinson will join investment management giant Vanguard Group in October as general counsel and managing director of its legal division.
Trailblazer at International Monetary Fund Handing Over Legal Reins After 27 Years with Agency
Rhoda Weeks-Brown, originally from Liberia, declared that she had fulfilled her aim of “working for an organization with a mission that could change the world for the better.”
After 37 Years at Geico, 7 as CLO, Seth Ingall Takes Legal Post Elsewhere
Ingall stated that he “found retirement boring” and the opportunity at Crash Champions too exciting to pass up.
US chemicals business Eastman hires CLO replacement from Clorox Company
Ike Adeyemi will take over as chief legal officer at US specialty chemicals business Eastman Chemical business, following Kellye Walker, who departed the company earlier this year.
Team Moves
Australia’s Clayton Utz Poaches Four Government Partners from Rival
Four partners have been taken by Australian business Clayton Utz from its elite competitor MinterEllison. With the addition of the partners, Clayton Utz’s Canberra-based partnership will grow from 11 to 15, which the company said will improve its services for clients in the public and private sectors.
K&L Gates Hires Real Estate Partner and Team in Sydney
Along with his two-person team, Paul Lalich joins the Sydney-based firm from HWL Ebsworth. Lalich has over 25 years of experience advising the government, state-owned corporations, institutional investors, publicly listed Real Estate Investment Trusts, private businesses, and domestic and international transport and aviation companies on planning and environmental law.
Willkie Adds 11-Attorney Capital Markets Group from Mayer Brown
Willkie Farr & Gallagher has added an 11-attorney group from Mayer Brown in Chicago, comprising five partners and six associates, as a result of renewed market optimism over the demand for deal work. Edward Best, a recent hire, will share leadership of Willkie’s capital markets practice, having previously held the same position at Mayer Brown.
Armstrong Teasdale Loses 10 Real Estate Attorneys to Fox Rothschild
Chief business development officer Jay Wager claims that the group that came to Armstrong Teasdale in 2019 and focused on condos and cooperative housing eventually failed to incorporate its specialized practice into the company.
KPMG M&A Partner and Team of Three Depart for Australia’s Mills Oakley
Hoda Nahlous, a partner at KPMG Law, and her three-person team have joined Mills Oakley in the wake of KPMG’s decision to close its Australian business.
APAC
Hogan Lovells Partner Duo Leaves to Rebuild O’Melveny Singapore
Hogan Lovells longtime partner Stephanie Keen and corporate partner Sylvia Taslim will soon be leaving to fill out O’Melveny’s Singapore outfit, which has seen numerous partner and team departures since 2014.
Sidley Loses Two Disputes Partners in Singapore, One Departs for Skadden
The recent loss of partner Jennifer Lim to Duxton Hill Chambers has negatively impacted Sidley Austin’s disputes offering in Singapore. Additionally, the firm is about to lose its global arbitration, trade, and advocacy co-leader Friven Yeoh to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
Arnall Golden Lands Arbitration Pro from South Korea, Bradley Adds to Atlanta Growth
New Arnall Golden Gregory partner Lance B. Lee said, “In the case of Korean companies, investments into Georgia are exponentially on the rise. By being located where investments are taking place, I can best serve my clients”.
Pisut adds cross-border disputes partner in Bangkok
Partner Dutsadee Dutsadeepanich of Pisut & Partners, a Thai legal firm, has strengthened the firm’s capacity for international arbitration in Bangkok.
Saraf continues August hiring with Quillon corporate pro
Adil Ladha joined Saraf and Partners’ Mumbai corporate practice in August, marking the firm’s third partner hire. Ladha worked as a counsel at Quillon Partners in the past.
Stephenson Harwood SG alliance firm lands corporate partner from Dentons
Eunice Yao, a partner at Dentons Rodyk & Davidson, has joined Virtus legal, the Singapore alliance office of UK legal firm Stephenson Harwood, as a corporate lawyer.
UK & Ireland
Paul Weiss London Hires Client TDR Capital’s General Counsel
After serving as general counsel at private equity firm TDR for just over a year, David Holdsworth is set to become a partner at Paul Weiss, as per an individual with knowledge of the hiring. Early in 2023, he started working at TDR, replacing Blair Thompson, a former partner of SJ Berwin, as general counsel.
With his vast experience in residential real estate, he can offer businesses and individuals professional guidance on a variety of conveyancing procedures. Mr. Jennings, who joined from a well-known Manchester-based company, is licensed to practice law in both England and Wales.
Catherine O’Flynn appointed as employment law partner at Mason Hayes & Curran
The employment law and benefits team of Mason Hayes & Curran has grown with the addition of Catherine O’Flynn as a partner. Ms. O’Flynn has more than 20 years of experience practicing employment law, with a concentration on matters pertaining to age and equality.
Paul Hastings Enhances Market-Leading Finance Practice with Premier London Partner
Reena Gogna became a partner at Paul Hastings LLP in London, the firm reported. In relation to banking and financial matters, such as leveraged finance, debt restructurings, refinancings, senior debt and high yield financings, Gogna represents a broad spectrum of premier financial institutions and direct lenders. She comes from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.
EMEA
Linklaters Hires White & Case Partner to Head Banking & Finance in Sweden
With the addition of Magnus Wennerhorn, a former partner at White & Case who specialises in leveraged finance, Linklaters is growing its banking practice in Sweden.
Kirkland Builds German Restructuring Practice with Gleiss Lutz Duo
Frankfurt-centered Later this year, Christian Halàsz and Düsseldorf attorney Friedrich Schlott are anticipated to join the company.
Latham hires highly rated M&A partner from Saudi independent firm
Leen Zaza, a partner from Khoshaim & Associates (K&A), has joined the US behemoth’s Riyadh office. She will be based in the M&A and private equity division.
Mergers & Alliances:
Hill Dickinson Ties Up with Singapore Firm PDLegal
Hill Dickinson and the Singaporean legal company PDLegal LLC have partnered. Both companies wanted to expand their service offerings by combining their resources, which led to the creation of the new partnership, known as Hill Dickinson PDLegal.
Australia’s IPH Group Takes Over Fourth Canadian IP Law Firm
The acquisition of prestigious Canadian IP company Bereskin & Parr by Australia’s IPH Limited, a preeminent worldwide provider of intellectual property services, has caused another upheaval in the Canadian IP market.
AI Startup Co-Founded By A&O Shearman Recruit Acquired by Thomson Reuters
A news release from Thomson Reuters stated that the company has purchased UK-based startup Safe Sign Technologies “to accelerate its AI strategy.” The acquisition’s financial information was kept under wraps.
Clifford Chance Advises on $1.3B Asia Fund Formation by Sea Town
With more than $2.5 billion in assets under management, Sea Town is the private credit division of Temasek Holdings, the state-owned investor in Singapore. According to a statement, its most recent fund will concentrate on making credit investments in Asia Pacific.
Rouse Group Merges with European IP Firm aera Amid Global Consolidation
Following a wave of global IP business consolidations, including the recent deal in Canada by IPH Group, Rouse’s combination with aera increases its European reach and patent knowledge.
Office Openings & Closing:
Morris, Manning & Martin to Shrink Its Footprint in Move From 37-Year Atlanta Home
Morris, Manning & Martin is moving to a new, 23% smaller location from a building it has held since the late 1980s due to the need for a more contemporary office space that encourages office work and aids in recruiting.
Michigan-Based Midsize Firm Marks Latest Florida Expansion Thanks to Condo Law Changes
The devastating Champlain Tower collapse in Miami Beach occurred in 2021, the same year that the midsize corporation Varnum, located in Michigan, opened an office in Naples, Florida. The office’s workload has increased as a result of the restrictions that followed the disaster, which has allowed it to grow this year.
Financials:
As Associates Watch for Summer Bonuses, Timing Expectations Pushed Back
One Big Law associate recruiter “If it doesn’t happen this week, that doesn’t mean that it won’t happen at all”.
Elite Law Firms Pushed Industry Gains in First Half of 2024
According to Wells Fargo’s first-half report, the “primary contributor” to revenue growth is still the growth in “rack” billing rates, which “was considerably higher for the Am Law 1-50 (10%) than for the other tiers.”
Am Law 50 Law Firms ‘Outpacing’ the Industry More in 2024, as Segmentation Accelerates
According to Citi’s Global Wealth at Work Law Firm Group this week, the top 50 law firms led the way in demand growth through the first half of the year and more than quadrupled the revenue rate growth created by the Second 50 businesses. Additionally, Am Law 50 companies boosted their fee inventory more than the industry average and reduced their collection schedule.
With Some Mid-Market 50 Firms ‘Moving Up,’ Average Revenue Slips in 2023
The reduction in average revenue can be partially attributed to the fact that four firms rose in the Am Law 200 ranking.
Diversity & Inclusion:
In an attempt to stop state officials from implementing a new legislation that prohibits transgender girls from participating in public school sports, two transgender adolescent girls from New Hampshire filed a lawsuit on Friday.
Brazil lags on gender parity at senior levels across the legal profession
According to the IBA’s most recent gender disparity report, Brazil is making progress toward gender parity throughout the legal profession, although at senior levels, the percentage of women drops significantly. The International Bar Association (IBA) commissioned the “Brazil Gender Report,” which revealed that although women made up 50% of all bar registrants, they only made up 44% of attorneys overall and only 37% of top jobs.
Promotions & Appointments:
New Thompson Coburn Chair Focused on Growth of All Aspects
Chris Hohn, who moved into the chair role at Thompson Coburn, is viewing growth from all angles as he focuses on his management priorities and how to best implement the firm’s strategic plan.
Consultancy firm BRG hires ex-Keating, Wilberforce Chambers CEO
Declan Redmond is a managing director of Berkeley Research Group (BRG), a business consulting organization with operations in Asia-Pacific and EMEA.
Nera Capital appoints Robin Grant as global CFO
Robin Grant has been named as the new chief financial officer of Dublin-based specialist litigation funder Nera Capital.
Moves:
EMEA
McDermott Expands Frankfurt Finance Practice with Gibson Dunn Hire
In order to improve its German private equity and finance capabilities, McDermott Will & Emery has hired Alexander Klein as a finance partner and expanded its Frankfurt office.
Edward Nathan Sonnenberg (ENS) lose two directors to DLA Piper and Bowmans
Director and competition expert HB Senekal, who worked for 17 years at ENS, became a partner at Bowmans while his colleague Lorica Elferink was named corporate director at DLA Piper.
Natasha Naidoo, a former member of Norton Rose’s litigation and dispute department, became a director of Fairbridges.
Spencer West add Caroline Karugu-Mwarari as partner in their commercial real estate team.
Caroline came to Spencer West’s Nairobi office after working for two years at Ashitiva Advocates. She spent eight years at Anjarwalla & Khanna before that.
Cairo-headquartered Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy has hired Imane Raouf
Raouf, a former head of capital markets and financial services at Dreny & Partners with experience at the Egyptian Competition Authority, became a partner in the finance & projects practice group.
Africa Roundup: A&O Shearman, Baker McKenzie & ENS Moves
To expand its dispute practice in South Africa, Baker McKenzie has brought on three new attorneys, including a director and senior associate from A&O Shearman. According to Baker McKenzie, on September 9th, director Michelle Porter-Wright and senior associate Rebecca Thomson became partners. Tiffany Gray, a Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) director designate, will also be joining the team in September.
APAC
Indonesia’s GHP Law Firm appoints new partner
Jakarta-headquartered GHP Law Firm have appointed Lavie Daramarezkya as a new partner.
Indonesia’s ARKO adds banking and finance veteran
Dani Indrawan, a new partner with a focus on banking and finance, has been appointed by the Indonesian legal firm ARKO, formerly known as Armila & Rako.
Saraf latest to add capital markets capabilities with JSA partner
By bringing on partner Mathew Thomas from JSA Advocates & Solicitors in New Delhi, Saraf and Partners is the most recent Indian law practice to expand its capital markets expertise.
HSF grows energy practice with W&C hire in Singapore
The international legal firm Herbert Smith Freehills has added former White & Case lawyer Ee Lynn Tan as a partner, enhancing the company’s energy skills in Singapore.
Indonesia: Fast-growing FKNK adds another partner, launches in Surabaya
As a partner at FKNK, capital markets specialist Ferry Rajagukguk has nearly two decades of experience in corporate financing, mergers and acquisitions, and initial public offerings. Prior to this, he oversaw Rakhmat Suroso Adinugraha Advocates’ corporate practice.
In house
Legal-Ops Trailblazer Mary O’Carroll Joins Goodwin Procter as COO
“I think the biggest change is currently taking place in legal companies. Mary O’Carroll, chief operating officer of Goodwin Procter, stated, “I feel like I’m coming full circle as I dive back in. My legal career started at a firm.”
Tyson Veteran to Succeed Target’s Don Liu as Legal Chief
Amy Tu is taking over the leadership of a $107 billion retail behemoth with 415,000 employees.
Longtime Lawyer Lands Front Man Role in Hard Rock’s Legal Dept.
Frank Chesky joined Hard Rock in 2017 to assist with the opening of the company’s casino in Atlantic City, and he has since climbed the ranks.
Ex-Binance General Counsel Takes Legal Reins of Rival Crypto Exchange
A year ago, Hon Ng left Binance amid rumors that the CEO’s handling of a Department of Justice money-laundering probe was not up to executive standards. Later, a $4 billion settlement was reached with the DOJ.
Veteran Legal Chief Who Quit 2 Years Ago—Declaring ‘I Need a Break’—Returns to In-House Game
As the late-stage biopharma Cytokinetic’s legal head, Brett Pletcher has assumed control.
LA Talent Agency Hires Condé Nast Exec to Lead Legal
“I’ve always been impressed by Verve’s ability to push boundaries,” stated Jennifer Jones, who will be joining the company as head of business affairs and general counsel.
UK & Ireland
Latest Kirkland Funds Partner Decamps to Paul Weiss in London
In February, David Pritchett, a former colleague of Jeremy Leggate and James King from Kirkland Funds, started the U.K. funds business. He will join the company as a partner in the corporate department within the investment funds Group, located in London.
Leading 39 Essex Chambers silk departs for new specialist arbitrator set
Former HSF partner David Brynmor Thomas KC has joined Newmans Row, which launched in March.
Edwards & Co appoints Kellie Morwood as youngest ever partner
Ms. Morwood, 28, received a first-class honours degree from Queen’s University Belfast School of Law in 2017 and a distinction from the Institute of Professional Legal Studies (IPLS) in 2019, allowing her to become a licensed solicitor.
The Americas
Gibson Dunn Adds Weil Litigator in Dallas
Elizabeth Ryan becomes a partner in the firm’s trial and litigation practice groups.
Duane Morris Adds Whiteford Hospitality Chair to ‘Litigation-Heavy’ Pittsburgh Office
The addition of Gosia Kosturek and her clientele infuses the firm with a transactional character. Kosturek manages franchise agreements, buyer-side transactions, and seller-side concerns.
Barnes & Thornburg Dallas Office Leader Rejoins Haynes and Boone
Re-joining Haynes and Boone as global chair of the trials practice group is Victor Vital, who has been managing partner of the Dallas office of Barnes & Thornburg since 2022.
K&L Gates Expands Corporate Practice with Wilmington Partner Addition
Kelly Terribile has joined the corporate practice of international law firm K&L Gates in Delaware as a partner.
People in the News—Aug. 13, 2024—Barley Snyder, Saxton & Stump
Rebecca M. Shanaman, an attorney, recently joined Barley Snyder’s York office, the company stated.
Baker Botts Adds Mayer Brown M&A, Energy Projects Partner in Houston
Rebecca Seidl, a recent addition to Baker Botts, will oversee the company’s vital minerals and metals subsector. She has mining and energy transition experience.
2 McDermott Energy M&A, Private Equity Partners Jump to Winston in Houston
By appointing McDermott Will & Emery partners Kevin Brophy and Ming Lei as transaction department partners in Houston, Winston & Strawn is expanding its energy team in Texas.
Paul Hastings Continues to Build M&A Capability with Shareholder Activism Partner from Goodwin
The practice of Andrew Goodman’s shareholder activism, with its emphasis on technology, real estate, and life sciences, adds bench depth to the field and strengthens the firm’s presence in Boston.
Recruiting From Crowell and Paul Hastings, Allen Matkins Builds in New York
Allen Matkins recently hired two lateral partners, who claimed to have full dockets because every customer they brought with them from their prior firms.
Simpson Lands Public Company Advisory Attorney from Skadden
James Rapp, who worked at Simpson from 2013 to 2021, and his newly hired former Skadden colleagues will be returning to their previous firm.
Hallett & Perrin Boosts Real Estate Practice With 2 Corporate Shareholders
In the historic Corpus Christi building, SBSB Eastham installs an office; a former Dallas City Councilman joins JAMS.
Greenberg Traurig welcomes a securities litigation shareholder; the NJSBA gives a pro bono award; and more moves.
Team Moves
Manatt Adds 3 Partners to Health Care, Life Sciences Practices Amid ‘Huge Demand’
Partners Manatt Phelps joined Erin Hertzog, Pat Cerundolo, and Ross Margulies from Foley Hoag.
Sheppard Mullin Picks Up Former Depp Lawyer in 5-Partner Trial Group from Brown Rudnick
Included in this is Camille Vasquez, who gained national attention during the trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.
Davis Polk Adds Debevoise Fund Formation Partners in ‘Transformative Development’
Neil Barr the firm’s chair stated that, “Growing our investment management platform to scale is a top priority for our firm.”
Duane Morris Adds New York Trio From Construction Boutique
The change was made shortly after Duane Morris hired an associate general counsel from Exxon Mobil and a chair of a practice group from Whiteford, Taylor & Preston.
K&L Gates Hires Real Estate Partner and Team in Sydney
Along with his two-person team, Paul Lalich joins the Sydney-based firm from HWL Ebsworth. Lalich has over 25 years of experience advising the government, state-owned corporations, institutional investors, publicly listed Real Estate Investment Trusts, private businesses, and domestic and international transport and aviation companies on planning and environmental law.
Office Openings & Closing:
Venable’s Miami Office Moves Locations with Sights Set on Growth Mode
In an attempt to be closer to the financial area of Miami, Venable is relocating its Miami office from downtown to Brickell.
Amid 38% Head Count Growth, Pierson Ferdinand Pushing for Distributed Law Firm Model Evolution
“When we’re working for other partners, we receive transparent, consistent compensation that we know about in advance right in our partner offer package,” Joel Ferdinand, their co-chairman, stated.
Norton Rose Fulbright’s New Houston Office Features Views of Urban Park
In downtown Houston, a brand-new 28-story office skyscraper with modern facilities including high-tech conference rooms and an outdoor terrace overlooking Discovery Green urban park is home to Norton Rose Fulbright, the building’s primary tenant.
Clyde & Co to Close 1 of 2 Northern Ireland Offices
Two years ago, the firm merged with BLM, acquiring the office.
PRC firms continue HK expansion as Wang Jing & GH opens
The newest mainland Chinese legal practice to establish a foothold in the Asian financial center is Wang Jing & GH, a Chinese law firm that recently opened an office in Hong Kong.
Financials:
After Milbank Rolls Out Summer Bonuses, Big Law in ‘Waiting’ Mode While Associates Watch Eagerly
One recruiter observed that employers are under pressure to emulate Milbank’s audacious action, as many colleagues are inquiring about if their companies will offer summer bonuses.
‘Window Dressing’: How U.K. Associates Really Feel About Six-Figure Starting Salaries
A number of industry pundits, including colleagues, discuss the negative aspects of the wage war.
2024 GC Pay Report: $20M Club Shrinks, but Not Average Compensation
Restructuring its pay policies was unusual for Netflix in a year when investors were reluctant to second guess boards due to strong stock market returns.
The Law Firms with the Largest Partner Pay Spreads
The increasing partner pay ratios are a result of large organizations using several strategies to provide funding to their top achievers.
According to managing partner Stephen Millar, the firm, which have been hunting for a domestic merger for years, is considering looking at a few smaller American companies for possible joint ventures.
Addleshaws and DAC Beachcroft latest firms to post financial results
Addleshaw Goddard have reported robust expansion throughout their global network, with revenue rising by 12% to £495.6 million, while overall profit increased by 14%. Also, publishing their results were DAC Beachcroft, whose record profits were driven by a 9% revenue growth. Both businesses mentioned foreign investment as well.
Diversity & Inclusion:
An Eleventh Circuit panel of three judges decided on May 13 that companies cannot discriminate against transgender workers by outright refusing to cover gender-affirming medical care under employee health care plans.
Has there been any progress made, though, given that ethnic diversity levels in city law firms still significantly behind the national average?
Navigating Conflicting Laws, Regulations When It Comes to Implementing DEI Policies in the Workplace
Employers face a difficult path ahead full of roadblocks due to conflicting laws and regulations that differ greatly between the states. These are only a few recommended strategies to help law firms and businesses deal with the current balancing act that is workplace diversity and equity (DEI).
Promotions & Appointments:
Cahill Recruits Wilmer Partner to Lead New Congressional Investigations Practice
In order “to keep those matters and make sure we can have that offering for the clients who need them,” according to Edward O’Callaghan, the New York business wants to provide the investigative service to financial industry clients.
McGuireWoods Appoints CFO Jeffrey Connor as COO
Connor will be succeeding Richard Davis, who has served as COO since 2019.
Perkins Coie Appoints New Chief Financial Officer from Davis Wright Tremaine
After working with Davis Wright Tremaine for more than six years, David Delafield has joined Perkins.
Former Malaysian judge to lead AIAC
Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC), with its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, has named Mary Lim Thiam Suan, a recently retired Federal Court of Malaysia judge, as its next director.
Madeleine Delaney appointed CEO of Charities Regulator
Prior to arriving at the Charities Regulator, she was the head of legal at the Office of the Ombudsman and previously deputy head of compliance with the Pensions Authority.
Microsoft-Backed Startup Hires Blockchain Guru as First Legal Chief
As chief legal officer, Rika Khurdayan, a seasoned attorney with a strong background in the blockchain and cryptocurrency sectors, has joined Space and Time Labs, a decentralized data platform supported by Microsoft
Mergers & Alliances:
Garrigues, Cuatrecasas & Uría Menéndez Dominate M&A as Deal Value Surges in 2024
With the value of M&A agreements rising dramatically in the first half of 2024, Spain has seen a boom in transactional activity, which highlights the trio’s adept handling of market conditions and capacity to draw in sizable mandates.
For the secondary listing, Latham & Watkins, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, and Linklaters are providing advice, and Ashurst is providing advice for a $440 million wind farm purchase.
‘The market is dynamic and fragmented’ – Gadens’ CEO on its top tier ambitions
In the same month that its network of offices’ financial integration is finalized, Australian firm Gadens has consented to merge with Trinity Law, situated in Canberra, thereby increasing the national firm’s presence in the capital.
Rouse acquires Swedish IP consultancy firm Konsert
Konsert Strategy & IP, a Swedish management consulting firm, has been bought by specialist IP firm Rouse. A specialized IP management consulting company, Konsert is based in Gothenburg, Germany, and serves technology clients in Europe, Asia, and North America.
Technology & Innovation:
A number of planned search, integration, and product capabilities enhancements are also scheduled for this year and the first half of 2025, according to the business.
Deal Watch: AI Race Changes Deal Market, Influencing Capital Markets, Energy, Real Estate Practices
AI firms as well as those in the energy, data, infrastructure, and real estate sectors will require funding, according to Simpson Thacher partner David Azarkh. This “will mean additional capital markets offerings.”
Build, Buy or Borrow? Rise in AI Licensing Deals Prompts Windfall for Tech Transaction Lawyers
AI businesses are finding that license agreements might be their lifelines as they run out of money.
The Next Frontier: AI Agents for Law Firms
As with any new technology, artificial intelligence (AI) agents have limitations even though they are making progress in a number of fields
Market Commentary:
A Law Firm Divided: How Generational Differences Are Fracturing Firms
Examine the statistics from our series to see how legal firms are being divided by generational disparities.
Big Law Attorneys Find Flexibility, Opportunities in Own Firms
According to Gabriel Tese of Cyber Law Firm, “if you’re a small firm, you have to get comfortable doing fee sharing arrangements.”
Will Other Big Law Firms Follow Suit on Associate Hiring Delay?
Recruiter Lauren Wu stated that, “I have not seen in the market something that would make me think that we’re going to see a slowdown in new hires from law school across the market”.
Litigation, Health Care, Telecom, Antitrust Practices Fuel Lateral Hiring in DC
This week in the nation’s capital, a number of Big Law firms increased the number of partners in their ranks.
With Hours Tenuous, New Metric Looks to Baseball to Assess Lawyer Productivity
The new statistic, according to researchers, has a stronger correlation with profitability.
Office Openings & Closing:
Kirkland Opens New Office with Latham M&A Partner Hire
Kirkland & Ellis has expanded its transactional business in Germany by hiring M&A partner Tobias Larisch from Latham & Watkins and opening a new office in Frankfurt.
How McGuireWoods Acted Fast to Snap Up an Insurance Recovery Boutique
Pasich has discontinued operations, with nearly a dozen lawyers moving to McGuireWoods, two to Blank Rome, and two more to other organizations.
California Firm Buchalter Opens in Atlanta with IP Team From Taylor English
The Am Law 200 firm already has a Nashville office and intends to open a “full service” location in the Georgia capital and continued expansion in the Southeast.
Boies Schiller, Proskauer Find New Homes in London
Beginning with the new year, Boies Schiller will be located at 100 Fetter Lane. At the moment, it occupies 13,000 square feet on the top floor of 5 New Street Square. The combined area of the new facility in central London will be slightly smaller, at about 11,700 square feet spread over the top three stories of the building.
Newsmakers: Insurance Firms Expand to Dallas
Merlin Law Group, a property insurance law firm, has announced the opening of their 12th U.S. office in Dallas.
Charlotte Becoming Increasingly Powerful Magnet for Law Firms, Lawyers
Thus far this year, Womble Bond Dickinson and Baker Donelson have been the two most recent Am Law 200 firms to bring on partners in the city.
Boies Schiller, Proskauer Find New Homes in London
“With 5 New Street Square due for renovations, we were pleased to secure the top three floors of 100 Fetter Lane, a new construction that is very near our current office and still strategically located opposite London’s Commercial Court,” said Matthew L. Schwartz, chairman-elect and managing partner at Boies Schiller in a statement.
Noerr Spins Out Warsaw Office After CEE Withdrawal
Karol Kicun, a managing partner and former associate partner of Noerr, will manage a team of nine people in the new breakaway firm, Reon Legal. It follows the firm’s old Budapest office, which is currently run by Zoltán Nádasdy under the name WTS Legal Hungary, taking the first step toward independence at the beginning of June.
Financials:
Top 50 Rankings: Who Are the Highest-Paid NQs in London?
The biggest law firms in London are increasing the compensation of recently licensed attorneys by up to 20%, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight to the talent battles.
Milbank Hands Out Summer Bonuses for Associates and Counsel
Based on seniority, the special bonuses start at $6,000 for associates in their first year, according to an internal memo that Bloomberg Law was able to access.
France’s Century-Old Law Firms Gide and Fidal Report Revenue Gains
According to Gide, which spoke with Law.com International, its global turnover for its fiscal year 2023 ended on December 31, 2023, was around €307.5 million (nearly $337 million). This is a 9% increase over the previous year’s roughly $309 million. During the same time span, Gide’s headcount increased marginally, from 522 attorneys in 2023 to 107 partners in 2022.
Pinsent Masons Revenue Up 7% to Nearly £650M
For the most recent full financial year, Pinsent Masons’ revenue grew to £649.6 million, a 7% rise over the previous year. Profit per equity partner for the company decreased by 0.5 percentage points to £793,000. The amount was £797,000 in 2023. The revenue increased by 8% over the previous year.
Benelux Firms Loyens & Loeff and De Brauw Report Strong Financials
Last year, Loyens & Loeff, a Benelux law company, saw a nearly 11% increase in its global revenue, while De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, a Dutch firm, saw a nearly 9% increase in its net global revenues. According to Law.com International, Loyens & Loeff’s global gross revenues in 2023 increased to approximately €405 million ($443.9 million) from around €365 million ($400 million) in the previous year.
Shepherd and Wedderburn hands out firmwide bonus after profits grow 12%
All of the staff at Shepherd and Wedderburn, an independent law practice in Scotland, received 5% bonuses after the company’s net earnings increased by 12% to £30.2 million by the end of April.
Moves:
In house
Kraft Heinz Legal Chief Quits, Effective Immediately
Rashida La Lande, the legal officer at Kraft Heinz, has resigned, effective immediately, the company said in a securities filing on Monday. At the end of 2018, La Lande—who had been employed by the massive food and beverage company since 2018—was elevated to the position of chief legal and corporate affairs officer.
Sports Law Veteran Returns to Tampa Bay Bucs, This Time as CLO
Cassie McBride, whose career ascent started when she was hired as general counsel of the Jackson Jaguars in 2014 at the age of 26, will be holding her fourth top legal officer position.
.Beverage Trade Group Names Ex-EPA Deputy GC as Legal Chief
The American Beverage Association, which represents producers of non-alcoholic beverages, will benefit from Allison Starmann’s efforts to further its objectives.
Primed for Growth, Nvidia Rival Hires CLO
Groq is racing to capitalize on the tremendous expansion of the AI chip market, and veteran tech lawyer Claire Hart is taking the lead on legal matters.
Dartmouth CLO Jumps to Another Elite School, as Higher Ed’s Summer Shuffle Continues
For the past seven years, Sandhya Iyer has led Dartmouth’s legal department. She served as Oberlin College’s legal chief for nine years prior to that.
New GC of 6th-Largest Defense Contractor to Hunt for Savings Following Merger Spree
After joining L3Harris Corp. in April, Christoph Feddersen is currently leading the legal department of the Florida-based firm.
Champion Homes Taps Express Legal Chief for General Counsel Role
Laurel Krueger is assuming the legal leadership of one of the biggest players in manufactured housing following a lengthy career in the retail apparel sector.
Fusion Unicorn Hires Legal Chief Once a Dealmaker for Ron Perelman
Over his nearly 17 years with Perelman’s MacAndrews & Forbes Inc., Edward Taibi oversaw multiple divestitures in addition to over 20 acquisitions.
Uber’s Legal Chief Tony West Takes Unpaid Leave to Campaign for Kamala Harris
According to an internal email, West said he’ll be “acting as a family-member surrogate, one who can speak about the vice president from the perspective of someone who’s known her for decades.”
Luxury home fittings business Kohler fills empty CLO seat with former Husch Blackwell partner
After leaving for Molson Coors last year, Megan Belcher comes from Scoular to replace Natalie Maciolek.
Team Moves
Fried Frank Lures 3 Willkie Partners, Names New Restructuring Chair
The chair of Willkie Farr’s corporate restructuring and reorganization division was Rachel Strickland. She becomes a partner alongside Andrew Mordkoff and Daniel Forman at Fried Frank.
Burns & Levinson Continues Shedding Talent with Environmental Team Leaving for Verrill
The geographic reach of Verrill and the standing of its Portland-based environmental team drew the five-lawyer Boston-based team.
Burr & Forman Adds Five-Lawyer M&A, Corporate Team from Taylor English
Al Hill, Andrew Keen, Nida Rizvi, Josie Wall, Linda Yang, and the Alabama-founded company were added to its Atlanta office.
McGuireWoods Adds 11 Attorneys from Boutique to Century City Insurance Recovery Team
In high-profile insurance cases involving directors and officers, errors and omissions, commercial general liability, property and business interruption, product recall, event cancellation, motion picture and television production, and other policies, Pasich has earned recognition across the country for representing commercial policyholders.
With Health Care Steady and Litigation Thriving, Dinsmore Adds 5-Lawyer Team
Lead by partner Bobbie Sprader, Dinsmore & Shohl has hired a five-lawyer team from Bricker Graydon in Ohio, as the demand for health care practices continues to rise and litigation is still hot.
Polsinelli Lateral Group from Holland & Knight Totals 47, Includes Philly Leader
After announcing the outlines of last month’s move, Missouri-founded Polsinelli has confirmed 47 lawyers have joined the firm Holland & Knight, including 30 partners, with 24 partners located in Philadelphia and six in Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles and New York.
Five Latham & Watkins Partners Exit for Sidley Austin in London
The partner team consists of Latham partners Jayanthi Sadanandan and Sam Hamilton as well as three other lawyers.
Taylor English Leaders Working to Keep Vision in Place Despite Departures
Twenty attorneys have left the 19-year-old firm in recent weeks as Am Law 200 firms raided Taylor English to open new offices in Atlanta or expand existing ones. Among the departing attorneys were fifteen nonequity partners who were either current or former business executives.
APAC
K&L Gates Singapore Managing Director Leaves to Establish Own Set
Raja Bose, a former head of K&L Gates in Singapore, took over as managing director after Sreenivasan Narayanan.
China’s Fangda Launches Singapore Office with Watson Farley Hire
Ivy Liu spent ten years of her career as a partner at Watson Farley & Williams, where she was based.
Clyde & Co Hires Managing Partner for Perth Office
Jenny Thornton was previously one of Clyde & Co’s founding partners in Australia.
HK: Ex-Ashurst, White & Case R&I partner joins
The bankruptcy and restructuring practice of Howse Williams, a Hong Kong law firm, has been strengthened by the partner addition of Damian Whitehead.
HSF grows energy practice with W&C hire in Singapore
The international legal firm Herbert Smith Freehills has added former White & Case lawyer Ee Lynn Tan as a partner, enhancing the company’s energy skills in Singapore.
Indonesia: Fast-growing FKNK adds another partner, launches in Surabaya
As a partner at FKNK, capital markets specialist Ferry Rajagukguk has nearly two decades of experience in corporate financing, mergers and acquisitions, and initial public offerings. Prior to this, he oversaw Rakhmat Suroso Adinugraha Advocates’ corporate practice.
UK & Ireland
Davis Polk Brings On A&O Shearman Veteran
Gordon Milne is leaving Allen & Overy after nearly 25 years there. According to his LinkedIn profile, he became a partner for the first time in 2009.
Paul Hastings Swoops for Weil Structured Finance Partner
After spending 17 years at Weil, partner Brian Maher is expected to join Paul Hastings. Maher provides regular advice on a variety of custom asset-backed finance transactions to well-known funds and financial organizations, such as Apollo, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Haydock Finance, and Redding Ridge.
Kirkland & Ellis Strikes for Simmons Competition Head
According to Simmons’ website, Satyen Dhana, a partner at the firm since 2018, joined from CMS, is well-known for his regulatory, EU, and competition advice. Clients include Blackrock, Suez, and Honeywell.
EMEA
Dechert taps Morgan Lewis for investment funds partner in Dubai
Dechert announced the addition of a new partner in Dubai for investment funds. Additionally, Amanjit K. Fagura will be crucial to the company’s attempts to expand regionally.
CMS continues Saudi expansion with TMT specialist appointment
The Riyadh office of international law firm CMS is happy to announce the hiring of Ken Wong as a partner. Ken brings a wealth of experience in technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) procurement, outsourcing, and commercial projects and transactions to the table. He joins from a reputable international law firm.
MidEast Roundup: Dechert, CMS, A&O Shearman Partner Moves
By moving corporate partner Benjamin Crawford from Beijing to Abu Dhabi, A&O Shearman is further expanding its presence in the Middle East. Additionally, the move of assets and structured finance partner Emily Widdrington from London to Dubai strengthened Watson Farley & Williams’ presence in the Middle East ship finance market.
The Americas
Goodwin Lures Kirkland Employment Partner
Alexander “Xander” Flynn-Tabloff, a partner in employment law at Kirkland & Ellis, has joined Goodwin Procter in Boston.
Kirkland Hires Former AUSA as IP Partner in San Francisco
Laura Vartain Horn has over ten years of expertise representing the federal government in disputes pertaining to cybersecurity, national security, and intellectual property.
Perkins Coie Hires Private Funds Partner in New York
Kerry Potter McCormick leaves Barnes & Thornburg after 2.5 years to join Perkins Coie.
Paul Hastings Adds to Growing Texas Team with McDermott Tax Partner
Paul Hastings has appointed Alex Farr, a tax partner at McDermott Will & Emery, as a partner. Farr provides tax advice on M&A and reorganizations in a variety of businesses as well as investment fund formation and structuring.
People in the News—Aug. 6, 2024—Sweet Stevens, Saul Ewing
As special counsel, Casandra K. Blaney has joined Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams.
Exxon Mobil Assistant GC Joins Duane Morris as Trial Partner in Houston and NY
Joseph Walsh, the assistant general counsel of Exxon Mobil Corp., has become a trial partner at Duane Morris, where he will handle environmental and commercial litigation in both Houston and New York.
New Partner Joins Archer & Greiner’s Delaware Office
Natasha M. Songonuga, a partner at Archer & Greiner’s Delaware office, has joined the firm’s bankruptcy group.
Paul Weiss Lands Skadden Co-Head of Financial Institutions Group in Two-Attorney Move
A high-profile client list and strategic M&A experience are two things David Hepp and Matthew Collin bring to the table.
People in the News—Aug. 8, 2024—Heckscher Teillon, Blank Rome
Richard L. Holzworth, an attorney, has become a partner at Heckscher, Teillon, Terrill & Sager, a boutique law practice specializing in trusts and estates.
King & Spalding Continues Deepening Disputes Bench with Mayer Brown Partner
Andrew Calica, a partner at Mayer Brown, has joined King & Spalding’s mass torts and product liability practice area. Calica is the most recent addition made by the firm in its disputes department this year.
Holland & Knight Adds Financial Services Partner, Structured Finance Partner Joins Alston & Bird
Ernest Badway is now a partner at Thompson Hine’s business litigation department. From Fox Rothschild, he joins. Nneoma Maduike has joined Holland & Knight’s financial services team as a partner.
Barclay Damon’s Newest Partner Served 2 Years as NY Gov’s Deputy Counsel
Following the revelation that Elizabeth Fine, the governor’s counsel, would be leaving the position in September, deputy counsel Pei Pei Cheng de Castro left the governor’s office.
Baker Donelson Products Liability Lawyer ‘Rejuvenated’ in New Office
Tracy Tomlin, a seasoned attorney specializing in products liability, has joined Baker Donelson’s Charlotte office. Carl L. King, a seasoned private wealth partner, has joined Womble Bond Dickinson, which has a rapidly expanding office. Earlier this month, Kilpatrick partnered with tax attorney Jamie Null in New York to expand its transactional tax division.
With McMillan’s appointment, the company will have a leader for its environmental, social, governance, and sustainability group, as well as a “client relationship ambassador.”
Paul Weiss taps Skadden for asset management partner duo in New York
Alongside Matthew Collin, David Hepp, who co-led Skadden’s financial institutions group, has joined the 1,000-lawyer firm.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Amnesty International Criticises Clifford Chance Saudi Arabia Report
The human rights group stated that the law firm’s report “wholly omits” significant risks related to Saudi hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
‘Women Suit Secondaries’—Hogan Lovells’ Team on the Specialism Everyone’s Talking About
Secondaries co-lead Leanne Moezi and members of her team chat about how this corner of the market has boomed in recent times.
Promotions & Appointments:
Longtime Kilpatrick Lawyer Exits to Help Lead Eversheds’ Restructuring Team
According to Todd Meyers, Eversheds provides a global platform with nine U.S. locations and 65 worldwide offices, along with a developing finance practice.
People in the News—Aug. 7, 2024—Hangley Aronchick, Saxton & Stump
Gerald Shoemaker, a shareholder at Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller, was chosen the next chair-elect of the family law section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
PAG Law Hires Another Brown Rudnick Latin America Practice Chair
Clara Krivoy also co-chaired the Brown Rudnick digital commerce practice before making the leap.
Former Malaysian judge to lead AIAC
Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC), with its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, has named Mary Lim Thiam Suan, a recently retired Federal Court of Malaysia judge, as its next director.
Madeleine Delaney appointed CEO of Charities Regulator
Solicitor Madeleine Delaney has recently been appointed as chief executive of the Charities Regulator.
Mergers & Alliances:
Freshfields, Clifford Chance Lead as Spain’s Iberdrola Buys £2.1B Stake in UK Energy Firm
Yet another example of a foreign entity acquiring an established U.K. business.
Latham, Vinson & Elkins, A&O Shearman Advise on $2.35B Australian Gas Deal
Australia’s Woodside Energy is acquiring a low-carbon ammonia in Texas.
Top Firms Advise on €5.4B AXA-BNP Paribas Deal
The combination of AXA Investment Managers and BNP Paribas would establish an asset manager with €1.5 trillion of assets.
Kirkland, Freshfields score leading roles on £5.4bn Hargreaves Lansdown sale
Both Kirkland & Ellis and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer secured prominent positions in the £5.4 billion sale of Hargreaves Lansdown to a group of private equity investors.
Technology & Innovation:
Cooley Launches Gen AI Chatbot ‘Cooley GObot,’ New Collections for Quicker Entrepreneurial Insights
With the aid of curated information collections, over a decade’s worth of venture capital data, and a new 24/7 chatbot, consumers should be able to find the insights they require more quickly than before.
NY AG: Stakeholders in Generative AI Want State to Develop Algorithm Auditing Standards
According to James, the purpose of the private gathering of experts, advocates, legislators, and business leaders was to assist her office in creating plans to reduce risks and maintain New York’s position as a leader in innovation.
HaystackID Announces Gen AI Expansion: Core Intelligence AI
With intentions to broaden its use in the near future, Core Intelligence AI was developed in collaboration with the startup eDiscovery AI and aims to use generative AI in relevancy reviews.
Market Commentary:
Law Firms Look ‘Stronger Than Ever,’ Even Compared with Transactional Boom
According to a new Q2 study, Am Law 100 companies continue to see the majority of their increase in transactional work, while Second Hundred businesses have discovered a “goldilocks” zone in both corporate and countercyclical work.
Boies Schiller, Quinn Emanuel Square Off Over CrowdStrike Outage
The two legal heavyweights are now pitted against one another following an interruption that resulted in over 5,000 flights being cancelled.
5 Proven Strategies to Prevent Employee Turnover and Cultivate Long-Term Retention
How can your legal practice keep its staff members? Developing a bond with the team is crucial.
Strong outcomes were reported by the companies at the top of our annual A-List in RPL, pro bono, diversity, percentages of female equity partners, and associate happiness.
The Path to Equity Partnership Is Lengthening. Are Firms Making the Change in Good Faith?
The firm is allegedly leveraging its non-equity tier to boost partner income, according to a recent lawsuit against Duane Morris. However, other market watchers view the firm’s continuous progression toward an equity partnership as an acknowledgment of its clients’ valid business requirements.
Full-Service Offering Can Give Midsize Law Firms a Competitive Edge
Midsize businesses gain from offering clients wraparound services at midmarket prices when they are full service or almost full service.
Sturm und Drang: US Firms are Reshaping Germany’s Legal Market
According to the Global Lawyer, U.S.-headquartered companies have been gaining significant traction in the last year, even if U.K.-led businesses continue to be the dominating foreign force in Germany.
Moves:
In house
In-House Moves of the Month: Numerous Big-Name Companies Face Legal Leadership Transitions
General Counsel Mark Allen will retire in September following 42 years of employment with FedEx. Since 2017, Allen, 68, has served as the shipping company’s head of legal affairs. In addition, he serves as a member of the company’s five-person executive committee and oversees security, government affairs, and regulatory compliance.
Myriad Genetics Hires NIH Scientist-Turned-Biopharma Lawyer as Legal Chief
Paul Diaz, CEO of Myriad Genetics, stated in a statement that Jennifer Fox’s experience and knowledge “combined with her integrity, practical insight, and operational excellence, will be essential in guiding our legal strategy.”
Fast-Growing Madrigal Pharma Names Veteran Health Care Lawyer Legal Chief
Shortly after the successful launch of a medication to treat liver disease, Shannon Kelley was elevated to her first general counsel position by the Pennsylvania-based corporation.
Kohler Taps Ex-Conagra Brands Lawyer as Legal Chief
Natalie Maciolek, who left Kohler in August 2023 after more than ten years with the Wisconsin-based producer of plumbing supplies, is succeeded by Megan Belcher.
Bain-backed market research company Kantar raids Vodafone for new GC
Rachel Clarke, who is now General Counsel of Kantar’s media measurement division, is replaced by Rebecca Symondson.
Spanish oil giant Cepsa fills vacant CLO seat with Atento hire
Jörg Häring, who departed the firm earlier this year, was replaced as chief legal officer by Virginia Beltramini, who was appointed by Spanish oil and gas heavyweight Cepsa.
UK & Ireland
Paul Weiss Hires Funds Partner from Kirkland
As part of its continued push for European expansion, Paul Weiss has brought on board Jeremy Leggate, a partner at Kirkland & Ellis in London, as a second funds partner.
Freshfields London Partner Set to Join US Rival
Roger Schofield, a partner in private equity real estate, is anticipated to leave Freshfields after serving as a partner for almost five years after being promoted to the partnership in 2019.
Goodwin Swipes Dechert Funds Partner in London
Thiha Tun from Dechert, who has been a member of the secondaries and liquidity solutions group since 2019, has joined the private investment practice at Goodwin.
Latham Hires Asset Management General Counsel in London
Having worked for Patria for the previous three years, Rufino Carvalho held the positions of managing director and worldwide general counsel. He co-led the company’s Latin America group while he was a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills.
Vinson & Elkins Taps Fried Frank for European Arbitration Head
James Barratt, who is leaving Fried Frank after five years, will work with current partner Louise Woods as V&E’s new Europe co-head of international disputes.
EMEA
Morgan Lewis Builds Out Germany Offices with Reed Smith, Milbank Hires
Dr. Alexander Klett, an IP attorney, will start working at Morgan Lewis on Monday. Dr. Christoph Mikyska, a colleague at Reed Smith, will start working there on an undisclosed date. Sebastian Dexheimer, a former Milbank PE lawyer, will be joining Morgan Lewis.
Ogletree Deakins Two Partners from SKW Schwarz to New Munich Office
In July, Martin Gresslin became a partner. He has 17 years of experience advising employers on labor law. On August 1st, Martin Landauer became a partner.
Energy regulatory partner joins Norton Rose Fulbright in The Netherlands
After serving as a partner at AKD Benelux Law Firm, Marjolein has joined Norton Rose Fulbright. She has extensive expertise advising both domestic and foreign clients on local and EU regulatory law as well as environmental law, and her practice is concentrated on energy projects.
Herbert Smith Freehills hires duo TMT specialists as partners in Paris
TMT attorneys Emmanuel Ronco and Vincent Denoyelle have joined prestigious international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills as partners in the firm’s Paris-based corporate practice.
APAC
China’s Fangda Launches Singapore Office with Watson Farley Hire
Ivy Liu spent ten years of her career as a partner at Watson Farley & Williams, where she was based.
Japan’s AMT expands in Thailand with SRPP partner
SRPP, a local business, has sent corporate specialist Natira Siripun to Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, a Japanese legal firm, to strengthen its Thailand branch.
Han Kun makes corporate hire in SG from Withers KhattarWong
In its Singapore office, Han Kun Law Office has welcomed corporate partner Chuo Ming Leong, together with his team members Low Shan You, Chow Su Rin, and Lanabel Teo.
NRF Indo firm hires disputes partner from Soemadipradja
Indonesia’s TNB & Partners, which operates in association with Norton Rose Fulbright, has hired disputes and arbitration specialist Erie Tobing as a partner from local outfit Soemadipradja & Taher.
The Americas
Davis Polk Lands Investment Management Partner from Simpson Thacher
Neil Barr, a managing partner at Davis Polk, stated that the company is “planning a material growth initiative” in its asset management system.
BCLP Grows Energy Transition Team with Clark Hill Hire
This week, partner James English moved from Clark Hill to the firm’s Denver headquarters.
Former Houston Bar President Joins O’Melveny From Winston & Strawn
Denise Scofield cited the firm’s rapid expansion in Texas, where, in only three years, it has grown to almost 70 attorneys.
Vedder Price, Eying Continued Growth in Miami, Hires Ex-Leader of Trial Boutique
From 2020 until 2022, Javier Lopez managed the boutique Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton and acted as lead attorney for a number of the victims of the Surfside Champlain Towers condo disaster.
People in the News—July 31, 2024—Willig Williams, Babst Calland
Attorney Erica Askin has joined the labour legal practice group at Willig, Williams & Davidson, a family, labour, and workers’ compensation company.
Bradley Deepens Energy Practice in Atlanta; Womble Adds Partner in Huntsville
Alston adds a partner in structured finance in New York, and Womble Bond strengthens its government contracts business in Alabama.
Motley Rice Adds Former DOJ Official in NY
Frank Amanat, a former attorney with the DOJ, has joined Motley Rice as a counsel in its New York office. According to Amanat, plaintiff-side firms stand to benefit greatly by appointing former government lawyers.
Her Justice Adds New Executive Director from Paul Weiss
Paul Weiss partner Alexia Korberg said, “In these exceptionally challenging times, I feel called to commit myself full time to public service and am so privileged I get to do that here in my own community”.
Paul Hastings Lures Arnold & Porter’s Environmental Practice Chair
Brian Israel has joined Paul Hastings as a co-chair of the environmental litigation practice.
Locke Lord Picks Up Sidley Insurance Lawyer, Thompson Coburn Cybersecurity Practice Leader
Even though Locke Lord, an Am Law 100 firm, is expected to merge with Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders by year’s end, the firm is still growing in Chicago.
Skadden Adds New Practice Head from Olshan
Ms. Gonzalez-Sussman is set to join the New York office in September and will advise clients around the globe on how best to anticipate, prepare for, respond to and defend against activist campaigns.
White & Case, Hogan Lovells and Polsinelli Among Latest Firms to Add DC Laterals
The firms added attorneys within their intellectual property, state attorneys general, real estate and immigration practices in recent weeks.
Morgan Lewis Adds Steptoe Finance Chair in Chicago
In response to client requests, we moved a little more quickly than anticipated, according to new partner Stacie Hartman.
Kauff McGuire Hires Entertainment Labor Partner, Balch & Bingham Adds M&A Partner
David Korduner, an entertainment labor attorney and executive, has joined Kauff McGuire & Margolis as a partner in Los Angeles. Lauren Weisman Stein has joined Balch & Bingham as a partner in the firm’s Jacksonville, Florida office.
Karen Werner is joining Garrigues as head of the firm’s dispute resolution practice in Chile, bringing extensive expertise advising Chilean and international companies across a variety of sectors.
Team Moves
Morrison & Foerster Hires Trio of Life Sciences IP Litigators from Desmarais
Partners Todd Krause, Alyssa Monsen, and Bindu Donovan all joined Morrison & Foerster from the intellectual property firm Desmarais in New York. In October 2018, Donovan and Krause moved from Sidley Austin to Desmarais.
People in the News—Aug. 1, 2024—Lamb McErlane, Saul Ewing
Along with two associates, Patrick McGinnis and Sara Hentschke, family law attorney Julie M. Potts has joined Lamb McErlane as a partner, bringing the total number of attorneys in the firm to 51. This addition will support the firm’s family law practice and services.
Daily Mail Publisher Taps Slaughter and May for Legal Head
Currently, Reinhardt Biermann works as a senior associate in the technology area of the law firm. He was a member of the Slaughter and May group that provided DMG Media with advice in 2023 over its proposed joint venture with News UK.
India’s Cyril Amarchand Takes Capital Markets Team of 51 from Rival IndusLaw
Manan Lahoty, who joined IndusLaw in 2019 from another Indian company Luthra & Luthra Law Offices, formerly known as L&L Partners, is one of the nine partners.
Financials:
As It Stands: Who’s Leading the UK Top 50 Law Firm Revenue Race?
A current table that displays each law firm’s performance for the outcomes that have been made public thus far.
Eversheds Reveals Slight Fall in Profit While Revenue Inches Up
Profits per equity partner increased 5.6% despite the company’s non-U.S. operation posting mediocre results.
Latest Firms Join Junior Lawyer UK Salary Race
White & Case announced that they will pay their newly trained attorneys in London £175,000, which puts them on level with firms like Sidley Austin and Goodwin Procter. This puts them above the top paying U.K.-based companies and represents a 16.6% rise from the existing rate of £150,000.
Taylor Wessing ups NQ lawyer pay to £115k
The boost sees NQ rates move from £100,000 to £115,000, which is an increase 15%.
Travers Smith Profits Rebound 22%
Travers Smith reported in its 2023/24 financial reports that its profits had climbed by 22% over the previous year. The firm generated a profit of £77 million in the year ending June 30, 2024.
Mishcon Reports 17% Revenue Rise as Profits Dip Post-Merger
The company claims that although revenues had increased to £300 million, earnings had only reached £90 million, down from £93 million in 2023.
Dentons UKIME revenue grows 6% to top £280m
In the UK, Ireland, and the Middle East (UKIME), Dentons’ income increased by 6% to a record £280.5 million, making it the most recent legal firm to report significant improvements for the fiscal year 2023–2024.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Despite Progress, Pay Equity Remains Elusive in In-House Legal Departments
Heather Fine, a partner on Major Lindsey’s internal recruiting team and co-author of the research, stated that “wage transparency laws being enacted in more states and the increased discussion around pay equity are putting female GCs and CLOs in a better position to negotiate for equal pay.” “However, the 28% global disparity is still significant, and it remains a critical area that we need to address.”
Women of Legal Tech: ‘Don’t Second-Guess Yourself,’ says Mollie Nichols
CEO of Redgrave Data Mollie Nichols talks about her “a-ha” moment for pursuing a career in legal technology, the significance of speaking out against workplace sexism, and why the legal sector lost out on machine learning and analytics before the latest wave of generative artificial intelligence.
South Africa’s First Female Chief Justice: US-Educated Trailblazer Maya Mandisa
Maya Mandisa has a renowned background as a human rights and women’s advocate.
Conservative Groups Challenge Corporate DEI Initiatives with Recent Success
Ed Blum of the American Alliance for Equal Rights stated, “It is to be hoped that corporations that enacted illegal and polarizing DEI policies during the last few years will end those policies before they are sued.”
Diversity Pros Hope Work Allocation Offers a Key to Building Inclusive Law Firms
Diversity Lab arranged a recent hackathon where three of the four winning concepts had to do with equitable work distribution.
Promotions & Appointments:
Newsmakers: Lyons & Simmons Names New Dallas Partner
Wes Black, an appellate and trial lawyer, has been elevated to partner status at the renowned Dallas trial firm Lyons & Simmons, which has a national clientele.
Dentons Taps Real Estate Group Head for Vancouver Office Leadership
John Sandrelli’s successor, Scott Wilson, wants to expand the office on the west coast of Canada.
Former Slaughter and May Senior Partner Cooke to Chair UK Pub Group Young’s
Steve Cooke, a former senior partner of Slaughter and May, has been appointed as the new chairman of Young’s, a U.K. pub chain, with whom he has maintained a close relationship over the years.
Mergers & Alliances:
Merger Prospects Alive but Dwindling for Burns & Levinson
The midsize business might serve as a gateway to Boston for another firm, but there are obstacles to overcome, including an aging partnership, low leverage, rate-constrained practices, and a significant lease obligation.
Applying Merger Doctrine to Contracts for Sale of Real Estate
Peter Fisch and Sal Gogliormella address the merger by deed doctrine in their Transactional Real Estate column, comparing the application of the theory in New York courts to that in other jurisdictions.
With Another Merger, Spencer Fane Lands in Santa Fe
According to announcements made by both parties on Thursday, Spencer Fane will now be joining Montgomery & Andrews in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as part of those plans. With the addition of 11 attorneys through the merger, the platform now has over 530 attorneys spread over 27 offices.
Expanding Footprint in NY and Boston, Manning Gross Acquires Boutique
After acquiring Donovan Hatem, Manning Gross + Massenburg, or MG+M, recruited 21 attorneys, including eight partners.
Kaufman Dolowich Absorbs Professional Liability Law Firm
The firm’s Westchester branch is welcoming partners Stephen Cunningham, Robert Grande, Howard Kronberg, and associate Belino Voshtina. The four come from Cunningham & Keidel.
Midwest Trial Defense Firm Hopscotches to Seattle for Merger
Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice managing partner Scott Kreamer said, “You can look at us and say we’re a Midwest firm, and why wouldn’t our next locations be Chicago or Cleveland, but in today’s marketplace, from a technological standpoint, the practice has gotten smaller in that respect”.
Office Openings & Closing:
Sidley Austin Opens San Diego Office
Chair of Sidley’s Management Committee Yvette Ostolaza stated, “We see potential to recruit talent of the highest caliber and provide a differentiated level of service to clients in this growing market.”
Historic Kentucky Firm Stoll Keenon Ogden Adds Southern Indiana Boutique
According to company executives, the move strengthens the company’s business services, commercial finance, and real estate businesses while reaching a burgeoning market.
China’s Yingke Hires in Tokyo for Fourth Office Launch in 3 Months
The firm, which now has more than 16,000 lawyers, aims to have at least 100 foreign offices by 2026.
Technology & Innovation:
AI to Redefine Paralegal Role, Imperilling Some Practitioners, Turbocharging Careers of Others
A senior paralegal at Greenberg Traurig named Luigi Caldeira stated, “It’s not completely taking over my oversight and judgment.” “Rather, it’s an added feature to increase my productivity and allow me more time to focus on the big stuff.”
Litera Acquires FileTrail, Seeking to Expand its Information Governance Capabilities
With the acquisition of FileTrail, Litera now has over a dozen acquisitions under its belt since 2019.
We May Be in a Legal Tech Bubble—And That’s Great for Lawyers and Consumers
Bubble-related conventional wisdom usually points the finger gleefully at the bad, saying things such, “I can’t believe they thought that would work!” Often overlooked in that understanding is the fact that bubbles are actually very beneficial for tech users.
Key Legal and Regulatory Updates Every AI User Must Know
For businesses, generative artificial intelligence has the potential to result in considerable cost and productivity savings. However, given the speed at which generative AI technology is developing, businesses must be aware of the changing legal and regulatory implications of using AI.
The Knowns and Unknowns of Crossing the AI Frontier
“There are a lot of unanswered concerns about AI regulation in general and Frontier models specifically in particular. I predict that over the course of the next year or more, there will be more clarity around the capabilities and quantification measures that make up a Frontier model, how those metrics are measured, and what kinds of controls can or should be put in place.”
A New Frontier in Litigation: How AI Is Evolving the Practice of Law
With features like predictive analytics and workflow efficiency, these technologies are empowering attorneys and changing the face of litigation.
Paxton AI Launches A ‘Confidence Indicator’, Seeking to Bring Transparency to AI Accuracy
In order to allow users to analyze legal research findings appropriately, the Confidence Indicator sorts them into three categories: low, medium, and high.
‘Risk in AI’: Law Firm Billing Will Need to Adapt
A new ABA ethics opinion touches on the ethics of billing for AI-supported work. The technology may force law firms to rely less on hourly billing.
Fried Frank Legal Tech Director Speaks on Biggest AI Risks, Opportunities and Future Use
Said Fried Frank’s Conan Hines, “The less experience you have, the harder it will be to make generative AI work for you.”
Legal-Ops Professionals Grapple with Power Struggles Among Legal Teams and AI Adoption
Due to competing power dynamics and decision-making authority, all 200 legal operations professionals who responded to the study reported having tense relationships with their legal teams.
Norton Rose Launches Global Online Guide on the IP of AI
For a year, global lawyers and technologists collaborated to create this handbook, which aims to keep clients up to date on the latest developments in technology for business use.
Market Commentary:
What Would a Harris Administration Offer the Asia Legal Market?
Asia’s lawyers think that while a Harris administration is unlikely to clear the clouds over China, it might be good news for the region as a whole.
Midsize Firms’ Family Leave Policies Caught Between Attorney and Client Needs
“They don’t have as deep of benches,” expert Peter Zeughauser remarked. “It has a much bigger impact, and firms feel it.”
Lateral Partner Hirings at Bay Area Am Law 50 Firms Down 27%
Hiring for intellectual property law at Am Law 50 firms fell by 80% in the first half of 2023.
California Law Firms Staffing Up Intellectual Property Ranks to Meet Growing Demand
The West Coast is experiencing a surge in demand for intellectual property, which has led many Am Law 200 companies to expand their IP practices in California in recent weeks.
Japan Streamlines Registration Process for Foreign Lawyers
A deal to streamline the registration process may result in an influx of foreign attorneys.
How Do Law Firms Incentivize Nonequity Partners to Move Up the Ladder?
Provide a clear path forward for those willing to work for it, while providing justification for eliminating those who don’t.
The firm believes that hiring more lawyers in foreign offices for white-collar and regulatory work can add political, social and economic context to its clients’ matters.
Tughans tops Northern Ireland M&A table for H1 2024
In the first half of 2024, there were 112 transactions with a total declared value of just less than £900 million, according to the most recent Experian M&A report.
Market Commentary:
More Aspiring GCs Finding Fulfilment in Wild and Woolly Realm of Private Equity
Sarah Tinsley, general counsel of Culture Amp said, “You have a combination of doing the strategy and the management pieces, but also getting your hands dirty. And I really love that”.
Am Law 50 Law Firms See Uptick in Partner Hiring, With Focus on Funds and White-Collar Practices
According to Macrae, partner movements in four key markets have more than doubled from the same period last year in the areas of investment management, funds, and white-collar defence practices.
London Lateral Hiring Has Busiest First Half in 5 Years
Data from transnational recruitment agency Macrae shows that there were 100 lateral partner changes at Am Law 50 and Magic Circle companies between January and June 2024. This was higher than it was in 2023, when it was 94, at this time of year. As of December 2023, continues to be the busiest year with 187 moves.
Big Law’s New York Offices More Than Doubled Am Law 100 Head Count Gains
Last year, Kirkland saw another increase in the number of lawyers in Manhattan, rising by 6% to 842, maintaining its position as the biggest firm in the state.
‘Harder to Justify’ Counsel Tiers in Big Law, Amid Focus on Nonequity Partners, Lateral Recruiting
One law firm recruiter noted that, “For a lot of firms, nonequity partners are replacing counsel to a large degree”
Lateral Partner Hiring in DC Among Am Law 50 Firms Slow Down
Recruiting firm Macrae discovered that lateral partner hires among Am Law 50 and Magic Circle firms in Washington, D.C. decreased by roughly 6% in the first half of the year, despite a spike in partner movements in other regions.
Midsize Law Firms Are Following the Money into New Markets
One midsize law firm leader stated that “The idea of growing is not so much triggered by a particular market as a recognition that our clients are becoming more and more national in scope and we need to be in more and more markets, generally”.
Big Law Firms Aren’t Downsizing Their Office Space in New York
23 Am Law 200 legal practices signed leases totalling 2.83 million square feet in New York City between the beginning of 2023 and May 2024.
Brazil’s Lefosse to Slow Hiring Activity, Having Achieved Growth Objectives
The corporate firm has been actively seeking partners in an effort to match the best full-service legal firms in the nation.
Less Is More: Baker McKenzie Australia Says It’s Earning More with Fewer Partners
Out of around 87 partners at the beginning of the year, the firm now only has 75 in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Allgrove, though, stated that the drop doesn’t worry her. “We’ve focused on performance and delivering on our strategy, so those numbers have gone down slightly over the last couple of years,” she added, adding that revenue and profitability had increased.
Financials:
NJ Top 40: Firmwide Gross Revenue
Shows the firmwide gross revenue for the largest law firms with a presence in New Jersey
NJ Top 40: NJ Revenue Per Lawyer
Shows the revenue per lawyer for New Jersey-based attorneys at the state’s top law firms.
As Lobbyists Prepare for ‘Dog Fight,’ Big Law Posts Q2 Lobbying Revenue Growth
“We have always known that this race would be a dog fight to the end,” stated Hunter Bates of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, which, along with Brownstein, broke lobbying revenue records in the second quarter.
Midsize Texas firms and out-of-state firms accounted for the majority of the 2.1% increase in the total number of lawyer heads for the 100 Texas law firms with the highest lawyer counts in 2023.
The 2024 Texas 100: Ranked by Gross Revenue
Strong financials were the outcome of several popular practices, including a thriving energy practice and litigation work, which helped the majority of Texas-based firms on the 2024 Am Law 200 list increase their income in 2023.
Legal Chief Pay Fell in 2023 for First Time in More Than a Decade
According to Major, Lindsey & Africa’s 2024 Global In-House Compensation Survey “The need for high-quality legal talent certainly has not decreased. … However, current rates of compensation do not necessarily reflect that need, creating an opportunity for those companies willing to recognize the value of premier legal talent.”
Clifford Chance US Offices Drive Revenue Growth as Firm Outpaces Rivals
The company reported that Clifford Chance’s U.S. revenue led a string of successful financial outcomes, with increase in all three criteria.
Strong Results for Bird & Bird and Taylor Wessing
The two law firms, both known for their strength in the technology and life sciences sectors, are the latest to post robust figures.
Macfarlanes Profit Per Equity Partner Shoots Up 24%
In a record-breaking year for the company, Macfarlanes’ profit per equity partner (PEP) increased by 23.8% to £2.6 million. Additionally, the UK company witnessed a 13.7% growth in turnover to £309 million and a 23.1% increase in operating profit to £174 million.
Simmons PEP pushes past £1m as turnover grows 10% to £574m
The company’s profits increased 8% to £204m from a 2% increase in the previous year’s earnings of 7% to £574m. Profit per equity partner increased 7% to £1,076k in the interim, after remaining unchanged at £1m in FY23.
TLT posts double-digit revenue increase as UK firm continues national expansion plans
On an annualized basis, turnover increased by 12% to £174 million; nevertheless, the company did not reveal its profitability or profit per equity partner.
Moves:
Team Moves
With ‘Stars Aligned,’ Polsinelli Adds More Than 20 Partners from Holland & Knight
Launching in Philadelphia, Polsinelli—a raid on Holland & Knight—will offer one of the country’s “premier” CEO compensation and employee stock ownership plans, according to the business.
Bracewell Launches Paris Office with 11-Lawyer Norton Rose Energy Team
Under the direction of three partners, the Norton Rose Fulbright energy and infrastructure division extends Bracewell’s presence across French-speaking Africa and France.
CAM takes 60-member IndusLaw cap markets team in India’s largest hire of the year
Eight partners and more than fifty other fee earners will be on the team, which will be headed by partner Manan Lahoty, according to insiders.
EMEA
Latham Loses Top German Banking Partners to White & Case
Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, and UBS are among the firms that Oliver Seiler and David Rath advise.
Greenberg Traurig Strengthen Team In the middle east
Greenberg Traurig have added Chadi Salloum as head of their UAE corporate practice, they also added Benjamin D. Jones as a partner in the UAE and Saudi Arabia offices.
MidEast Roundup: Greenberg Traurig, Al-Tamimi & Addleshaw Strengthen Teams
To strengthen their regional expertise, Greenberg Traurig, Al-Tamimi & Co., and Addleshaw Goddard have all added fresh personnel to their Middle East teams.
APAC
Goodwin Private Equity Partner Joins Latham Singapore
Goodwin Procter partner Elyn Xing has departed from the firm to join Latham & Watkins in Singapore.
Partners at Australia’s Corrs in Talks to Join King & Wood Mallesons
John Tuck, the previous head of Corrs’ labour division, is one of five partners in negotiations.
PwC M&A Partner Nick Brown Leaves for Small Australian Firm
Brown is going to open a Kain Legal office in Melbourne.
Linklaters Hires Capital Markets Duo, Targets New Economy Market in China
As it seeks to expand on its strategy change with a focus on “New Economy” agreements while maintaining its conventional strengths in capital markets, Linklaters says it has great hopes for the partnership
Withers Bolsters Asia Real Estate Offering
Withers, an international legal firm, has strengthened its real estate business in Asia by promoting Akinari Nakano to partner in Tokyo and adding a two-lawyer team from Shook Lin & Bok in Singapore, led by partner Chau Hwei Lee (L).
Quinn Emanuel strengthens in Japan with partner hire from Nagashima Ohno
Tokyo-based international disputes attorney Hisaya Kimura joins the company
UK & Ireland
Paul Weiss Fills Restructuring Gap with Akin Hire
Liz Osborne, who is leaving Akin after just short of a decade, is set to join the firm as head of European restructuring in London
Fieldfisher bolsters banking litigation offering through hire of John McElroy
Fieldfisher announced the appointment of John McElroy as a Banking and Finance Litigation Partner, John joins the firm from Hausfeld and will be based in Fieldfisher’s London office.
A&O Shearman expands leveraged finance team with partner hire from Barclays
To grow its debt financing business, A&O Shearman has brought Filippo Crosara, a lawyer specializing in leveraged finance, from Barclays.
The Americas
Paul Hastings Welcomes Adele Maloney as General Counsel
Adele Maloney, who will be located in the firm’s New York office, has joined Paul Hastings LLP as general counsel.
Winston & Strawn Adds Tax Partner as M&A Sees Uptick
Katherine Erbeznik has worked on a number of cross-border M&A in Latin America, chairman Steve D’Amore said that this addition is “particularly relevant as Winston continues to grow internationally”.
Michael Best Hires Former Chief Clerk of Texas General Land Office
Mark Havens has joined Michael Best’s Austin office as a partner in the Regulatory Practice Group and a principal of Michael Best Strategies.
Orrick Adds Winston Tax Lawyer to Renewables Team
Mark Christy, a partner at Winston & Strawn, stated that Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe’s growing renewable energy team drew him in.
Pashman Stein’s Delaware Office Adds New Senior Counsel
David B. Stratton has joined Pashman Stein Walder Hayden’s Wilmington office as senior counsel in the practice areas of bankruptcy, restructuring, and creditors’ rights.
Pryor Cashman Lures Warshaw Burstein Management Committee Lawyer
Maxwell Breed stated he left 60-lawyer Warshaw Burstein because he “felt like his practice could benefit from a broader platform and a deeper bench.”
Hartford’s Robinson & Cole Celebrates Beantown Boost with Real Estate Hire
Sigler worked as an internal assistant general counsel and director specializing in international real estate before coming to Robinson & Cole. He possessed a portfolio of over 70 office buildings and industrial locations worldwide.
People in the News—July 25, 2024—Eastburn and Gray, Antheil Maslow
Robert D. Caro has joined the practice groups of Eastburn and Gray that handle business, taxation, and wills, trusts, and estates.
Reed Smith Litigation Partner Jumps to Midsize Firm
Mark Johansen, a trial attorney from Fort Worth, departed from Reed Smith to join the midsize legal firm Egan Nelson as a partner in commercial litigation. He will bolster the firm’s trial squad.
Proskauer Adds Real Estate Partner from Milbank
In response to predicted growth in demand, Proskauer Rose has appointed Kieran Murphy as a partner in its real estate practice, the company said on Thursday. Murphy leaves his position as special counsel at Milbank to join the firm’s New York office.
People in the News—July 26, 2024—Margolis Edelstein, Saxton & Stump
Michael Sosnowski has joined Margolis Edelstein as a partner at the company’s Hollidaysburg office.
Dentons Taps Former EY Executive as New Global CEO
Kate Barton, a former global vice chair of Ernst & Young, will take over as Dentons’ CEO worldwide.
Greenberg Traurig Adds Top Philanthropy Lawyer Erika Mayshar as Chair
Greenberg Traurig, LLP expands its Tax-Exempt Organizations & Philanthropy Practice with Shareholder Erika Mayshar, who will chair the group.
In house
Former Wells Fargo, Bank of America Legal COO Tapped as McGuireWoods AI Leader
Less than a year after joining the company for the newly established position, Peter Geovanes is leaving to take over as chief innovation and AI officer from Thomas Trujillo.
After Settling With FTC, Vroom Brings Aboard New Legal Chief
The revolving door between Brussels-based legal firms and the European Commission has often generated controversy; however, the revolving door between law firms and one of the world’s leading antitrust enforcers has garnered far less notice.
Fox News General Counsel Exits, Replaced by Big Law Partner
Under the shadow of a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit, former New Orleans Times-Picayune writer Katherine Meeks is grabbing the legal reins of the cable news mogul.
Retail Tech Startup Taps Farfetch Exec to Lead, Build Out Legal Team
As Radar deploys its inventory tracking technology in 500 American Eagle locations, Morgan Levine will be joining the company.
Broadcasting company Sky add new General Counsel to be based in London
Ed Wheatley has joined as Sky’s Group Head counsel for Ethics and Compliance. In the past he has worked at Linklaters, Ericsson and Rolls-Royce.
With Kenneth Cole’s Latest Hire, Putting Legal Chief Over HR Is Officially in Fashion
As general counsel and senior vice president of human resources for the fashion retailer, Renada Williams claimed that her dual roles enable her “to see around corners and mitigate a lot of the risk the company might otherwise face.”
JetBlue Airways re-hires former associate GC from UiPath to replace departing legal head
Brandon Nelson, who will continue as an advisor until November, will be replaced by Eileen McCarthy.
Greyhound bus-owner Flix North America replaces GC with EnLink Midstream hire
Long-distance bus operator Flix North America has hired James Bristow as general counsel, replacing Tricia Martinez, who is departing from the company.
Laura Lee O’Driscoll appointed general counsel at ARI
With more than ten years of experience in private practice, notably at Mason Hayes & Curran, Ms. O’Driscoll has advised several well-known international clients over her career.
Promotions & Appointments:
Richards Layton Names New Department Chairs
Directors Mark Collins and Bernie Kelley have been appointed to senior roles within Richards, Layton & Finger.
People in the News—July 22, 2024—Wisler Pearlstine, GRB Law
With effect from July 1, Wisler Pearlstine announced that Justin D. Barbetta has been elected to partnership in the company.
Haynes and Boone Hires First-Ever Pro Bono Counsel
The former Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support director of legal services was hired by the Dallas-based company as pro bono counsel. She will be in charge of the business’s pro bono initiatives throughout all 19 offices.
Bob Bodian Elected to Sixth and Last Term as Mintz Leader
As Bodian nears the end of his final term, succession planning will receive significant attention, he stated.
Lewis Roca Appoints California Offices Managing Partner
The recently appointed managing partner from California expressed his intention to enhance and broaden Lewis Roca’s intellectual property practice, saying, “We do an exceptional job in the IP litigation side, and I’m not sure we are as well-known as we should be.”
Newsmakers: Reynolds Frizzell Names New Managing Partners
New co-managing partners have been announced by Reynolds Frizzell. With almost twenty trial attorneys, the boutique trial firm will be led by Elizabeth Wilkerson and Jim Weiss.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Many Southeast Firms See Rankings Fall for Diversity of Lawyers, Leadership
The American Lawyer’s most recent Diversity Scorecard rankings show that Troutman Pepper, King & Spalding, and Alston & Bird, the three biggest firms in Atlanta, have all fallen. They weren’t alone, either.
Expanding Law Firm PR Programs Crucial to Empowering Diverse Voices
Catherine Oswalt and Melissa Anderson of Infinite Global, “Law firms should develop a spokesperson program that encourages organic involvement and reiterates the firm’s goal of exemplifying unique attorney perspectives”.
Mergers & Alliances:
Sullivan & Cromwell, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer provided legal counsel for the $8.1 billion purchase of Hitachi and Johnson Controls’ residential ventilation assets by Bosch Group.
A&G, A&O Lead on Billion Dollar JV Deals, Hong Kong IPOs Pick Up but Deal Values Remain Small
Some of the biggest transactions in the region in recent months include two deals from Singapore. A&O Shearman and Allen & Gledhill are providing advice on both.
Middle East Deal Roundup: White & Case, CC & Freshfields Lead on Deals
While White & Case is handling ADES’ $3 billion facility and Rasan’s IPO, Clifford Chance is advising ALAFCO on its $3.3 billion sale to Macquarie.
Bird & Bird open to US merger as firm races past £500m barrier
The firm’s CEO, Christian Bartsch, mentioned that he “would not say no” to the idea of a US merger after the firm surpassed the £500 million revenue mark for the first time.
Office Openings & Closing:
UK 100 Firm and Consulting Group Alvarez & Marsal to Create New Law Firm
The firm’s managing partner said, “Big law firms are pricing themselves out of quality work, yet mid-market firms are failing to capitalize on this dynamic due to structural headwinds”.
Holland & Knight Weighs Fate of Philadelphia Office Following Polsinelli Raid
In Philadelphia, Holland & Knight is facing an unclear future after more than 20 partners left to work in Polsinelli’s own flagship office.
Robin AI Will Open Singapore Office, Drawn in by Talent and Business Opportunity
In addition to its presence in New York and London, Robin AI now has three physical locations: Singapore, New York, and London.
Willkie Inks 20 More Years in Midtown Manhattan
Rosalind Fahey Kruse, the New York offices managing partner, said the firm will be “undergoing a complete overhaul of the space.”
Rimon Launches Fourth Asian Office in Tokyo
After months of selecting partners with significant experience in providing market advice for Japan, Rimon opened an office in Tokyo.
Technology & Innovation:
Lexis Announces Updates to Gen AI Platform Lexis+ AI, Upgrading Research and Drafting Capabilities
With the improvements, Shepard’s Citations Service and several other Shepard features are integrated into Lexis+ AI.
IT Organizations, Are You Ready for Generative AI?
Are legal departments’ and law firms’ IT divisions ready in terms of organization and technology? Although it can be challenging to look in the organizational mirror of IT, it is now more important than ever to make sure that businesses are not merely treading water.
Thomson Reuters Launches Claims Explorer, Newest Gen AI Skill in Westlaw Precision with CoCounsel
The most recent feature to CoCounsel is intended to help professionals working for law firms and in-house departments discover prospective claims and counterclaims that are relevant to their case’s facts more quickly and accurately. It also helps them better comprehend potential responsibility before lawsuits are filed.
It’s Time for the Energy Industry to Embrace—Not Just Fear—Artificial Intelligence
While many sectors could benefit from the offensive adoption of AI, the energy sector stands out for ripe opportunities to tap AI.
The Importance of Technology in Litigation and the Practice of Law
The move toward artificial intelligence (AI) frees up legal practitioners’ time to concentrate on more important facets of their work, freeing them from tedious tasks that eat up valuable time that could be spent developing new strategies or closing deals.
Norton Rose Launches Global Online Guide on the IP of AI
For a year, global lawyers and technologists collaborated to create this handbook, which aims to keep clients up to date on the latest developments in technology for business use.
LexisNexis Completes Acquisition of Belgian Gen AI Startup Henchman
Henchman’s generative AI technology will be incorporated by Lexis into its Lexis+ AI and Lexis Create platforms.
How Afriwise is Using AI to Tackle Africa’s Compliance Bottleneck
Using AI and its own legal database, Afriwise, the African legal platform that purchased Pythagoria, a provider of AI-based legal software, in 2023, is assembling a compliance toolkit.
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