Introduction
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) are no longer mere buzzwords but essential to organisational success, especially in the legal sector. Paul Philip, Chief Executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), recently observed that a diverse legal profession benefits not only the public but legal businesses as well, ensuring talent from all backgrounds has the opportunity to thrive. DE&I is important in recruitment because it fosters fairness and has great potential to boost the public’s trust, given the need to represent our dynamic nation and reflect society fairly. This is important as bringing diverse perspectives can enhance innovation, productivity, and ultimately the bottom line for businesses. These are core elements that enable the legal profession to stand out in this competitive and increasingly global landscape. The hunt for talent is on and employees are now insisting that corporates better reflect and practice these core values.
In today’s globalised world, diversity also offers competitive advantages by providing firms with crucial cultural and linguistic skills, better equipping them to handle international challenges. According to 2023 data from the SRA, women now represent 63% of qualified solicitors in England & Wales (up from 48% in 2015), and lawyers from Black, Asian, and other minority ethnic backgrounds make up 19%, compared to 14% in 2015. The socio-economic diversity of the profession is also shifting, with the proportion of lawyers from a professional socio-economic background dropping from 60% in 2019 to 57% in 2023.
However, challenges remain – only 32% of full equity partners are women, despite women making up over half of solicitors in England & Wales. Furthermore, the InterLaw Diversity Forum reported that intersectional identities face even greater disparities, with women of colour making up even fewer equity partners than their non-ethnic female counterparts. Progress has been slow for the LGBTQ+ community as well, with only a 0.7% increase in representation within the legal profession over the past two years. These figures show that progress is starting to take place, but they also highlight the ongoing need to address the deeper inequalities that persist in the legal sector. The question now is: what can be done to further accelerate change?
Too often, companies approach DE&I as a tick box and compliance exercise, focusing on hiring diverse candidates to meet targets rather than embedding these principles into their long-term strategies to ensure retention. Search firms are in a unique position to shift this mindset by emphasising a holistic approach to DE&I that focuses on equity and inclusion, not just diversity.
We can do this by advising our clients on the importance of inclusive hiring practices, from crafting unbiased role profiles to creating equitable assessment processes. Implementing these practices will allow potential biases to be challenged whilst also providing top talent. In addition, it’s crucial to measure success, not just by the diversity of new hires, but also by how well these hires integrate into the organisation. As a result, companies are encouraged to implement diversity and inclusion training on an ongoing basis to help foster an inclusive culture within the organisation. Furthermore, encouraging the adoption of consistent learning and development functions to periodically review company attitudes to diversity and inclusion is another way the executive search industry can contribute. Hiring managers often cite the need for a candidate to be a ‘good fit for the company’ but by creating atmospheres which are welcoming for diverse candidates’ firms will allow for a more diverse range of candidates to come through the door and thrive within their organisation. Moreover, businesses should embrace new ways of thinking to challenge the status quo and be mindful of unconscious bias, especially given the rapidly changing landscape that commercial businesses operate in.
One of the most tangible ways search firms can impact DE&I is by expanding talent pools beyond traditional networks. Often, the lack of diversity in hiring is the result of narrow candidate pipelines. Laura Long, VP of National, Equity, Inclusion and Diversity at Kaiser Permanente says, “It’s a fallacy to say, ‘There aren’t enough diverse candidates out there.’ Yes, there are. You just need to look in the right places.” By broadening our search methods, tapping into historically under-represented groups, partnering with diverse professional organisations, and leveraging technology to mitigate bias, we can introduce clients to a wider array of talented individuals. Whether this be through partnerships with agencies which have proven track records when it comes to finding diverse candidates or by accessing more niche registries and search engines, broadening search methods is a clear way to venture out from the status quo and pinpoint talented individuals who might not be as well represented via traditional means.
Moreover, firms need to fill talent gaps, and finding creative ways to reach new audiences is essential. One seemingly simple way to do this is to source candidates from a variety of different platforms as opposed to relying on the websites and platforms we have grown accustomed to using. Practical examples of this include hiring from a wider range of universities as opposed to simply admitting Russell Group graduates and headhunting from firms outside the Magic Circle and elite US firms when hiring lateral partners. Additionally, various firms are now using The Rare Contextual Recruitment System (CRS) which enables them to identify high-potential candidates by assessing their achievements in the context of their educational background and social mobility factors. Another option for firms to reach an array of students is by partnering with diversity organisations such as Aspiring Solicitors, upReach, The Interlaw Diversity Forum and The Law Collective. Partnering with these organisations can be beneficial during search processes as they provide exposure to a greater range of high-quality candidates from diverse backgrounds and ensure that a more thorough and representative search is taking place. This can be corroborated by data from lawcareers.net which determined that “Firms adopting Rare’s CRS hire 61% more people from disadvantaged backgrounds”. These examples clearly show how we can expand talent pools throughout the search process.
Bias, both conscious and unconscious, remains a significant barrier to true inclusivity in hiring. The recruitment industry can move the needle by embedding bias-awareness training throughout the hiring process. This includes training hiring managers and clients on recognising and addressing their own biases at all stages, from CV reviews to interviews. Research that was carried out by the CIPD has found that only 28% of UK employers train interviewers on legal obligations and objective interview practices. Additionally, less than a fifth make efforts to remove bias through testing the words of job adverts or checking that tests are valid, reliable and objective. By implementing a mindful advisory process when we present candidates, we can encourage clients to be more proactive in terms of ensuring that their selection processes are in line with DE&I policies. This training will allow a hiring manager’s definition of a ‘good fit for the company’ to evolve into a more equitable and mindful form of thinking.
We have discussed how using a range of platforms to find high-quality candidates can be beneficial to the recruitment sector as we try to be more mindful of diversity during searches, and we can enlist the help of technology to take this further. Using data-driven tools to reduce bias in candidate selection, such as blind recruitment software or structured interviews, can ensure that hiring decisions are based on merit rather than stereotypes. This has been corroborated by data collated by LinkedIn, which determined that hirers who are sourcing talent using skills as the key metric and anonymising other areas are 60% more likely to find a successful hire. As talent partners, we can play an essential role in promoting these technologies and methodologies to our clients.
True DE&I progress requires long-term commitment, and search firms should partner with clients for sustained success, rather than focusing solely on short-term placements. By offering ongoing support through talent development programs, retention strategies, and advising on inclusive company culture, we can help organisations retain and nurture diverse talent.
Offering DE&I metrics and post-hire evaluations can also be invaluable. Search firms can provide data on diversity within the talent pipeline, as well as feedback loops on the success and challenges of new hires, helping companies make informed decisions on how to further improve their internal practices. Patti Kachidza, Co-Chair of the Interlaw Diversity forum has corroborated this belief. She states that “a simple data collection exercise about the make-up of their employee population, and monitoring recruitment, progression and salaries would reveal whether or not there is a fair representation of diverse employees at all levels.” Many are currently unaware and apathetic about diversity within their institutions, but when faced with cold hard facts and figures, it’s hard to ignore the problem. Patti also argues that “where disparities are found, constructive discussions can be initiated to implement inclusive recruitment and a promotion toolkit which will improve the landscape. The benefits of this exercise will far outweigh the time cost of collecting the data and will be a powerful demonstration of companies’ commitment to DE&I.” Highlighting the cost is crucial as companies might not see the benefit of these processes, both in terms of time and money, regarding their long-term growth. However, we can see that the benefits would be apparent for the legal profession as a whole and individual firms, as they would lead to the creation of improved search processes, which will be useful in the long term and lead to the retention of diverse talent.
One of the most critical components of DE&I’s success is accountability at the leadership level. Search firms can serve as consultants, helping organisations create leadership buy-in for DE&I initiatives. This could involve educating leadership teams on the business case for diversity; numerous studies show that diverse teams outperform homogenous ones in terms of innovation and financial performance. We can also advise on setting measurable DE&I goals and holding leaders accountable through regular reviews and transparent reporting. In-house lawyer Roshni Thakrar has set up her own consultancy practice called Inclusiviteam, to support organisations in furthering their DE&I commitments and strategies to ensure that all workers are given the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their intersectional social identities. She believes that “leaders must be accountable for implementing diversity and inclusion across all business areas, with financial incentives tied to their KPIs. They should actively engage with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and extend this understanding throughout the supply chain. Increased accountability is crucial for genuine change.” This can be observed because technically strong leaders may be adept at navigating corporate politics, but they may also be more likely to hire from inside their network or look for allies in the boardroom. This reinforces prejudices and ignores the difficulties marginalised groups encounter in the workplace. Roshni argues that “to drive real change, leaders must engage with and understand diverse perspectives and that means having a high EQ.”
We have talked about how we can reduce bias using skills-based hiring driven by data. However, this needs to be implemented in conjunction with the efforts of leaders who are keen to build a truly inclusive environment. The alternative might create a more diverse hiring pool – however, if the environment within the firm is not one where diverse candidates feel comfortable, then they are unlikely to thrive.
Actively encouraging leaders to break down the broken systems or hold others to account will help address existing issues when welcoming diverse hires into senior positions. Roshni maintains that “this is key, as often, you can’t be what you can’t see, hence marginalised groups need to be able to see others that look and sound like them. At the heart of every conversation, leaders must be able to create and foster psychological safety.” This change can take various forms, such as navigating corporate jargon or being sensitive to cultural topics relevant to different individuals — but the overarching reality is that this change can only be enacted if leaders are made aware of their power to create these positive atmospheres and take the necessary steps to bring them to fruition.
Conclusion
As a search firm, we are in a powerful position to be agents of change when it comes to advancing DE&I in the workplace. Moving the needle requires more than just placing diverse candidates; it involves working with clients to build equitable hiring practices, proactively expanding talent pools, eliminating bias, and ensuring leadership accountability. By embracing our role as strategic partners, we can assist organisations in not only meeting their DE&I objectives, but also thriving through the innovation and creativity that comes from true inclusivity.
If you would like to discuss how Fides can assist your business in enhancing the recruitment of diverse, high-calibre talent, please feel free to contact Sershen Ingram – sershen@fidessearch.com.
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Paul Weiss Strikes Kirkland Yet Again in Latest London Partner Hire
The firm’s rapidly expanding London business will benefit from David Pritchett’s expertise, the most recent appointment, who specializes in funds regulation.
Debevoise Adds Another Goodwin Partner in London
After nearly five years at Goodwin, James Grimwood, who works on a variety of private equity transactions such as M&A agreements, leveraged buyouts, and venture investments, is scheduled to join Debevoise. Grimwood had worked at CMS for more than 22 years before joining the company in 2020.
Howard Kennedy bolsters disputes bench with hires from Paul Hastings, Mishcon de Reya
Heidrun Walsh from Mishcon de Reya, an expert in international arbitration, and Crispin Daly of Paul Hastings, a contentious insolvency lawyer, become partners in a London business.
Quillon Law bolsters fraud practice with Covington & Burling partner hire
Ian Hargreaves from Covington & Burling has joined Quillon Law as a partner, strengthening the litigation firm’s proficiency in managing intricate and sizable fraud cases and investigations.
Eversheds Sutherland hires David Kirton as IP, tech and data protection partner
David Kirton has joined the Dublin-based intellectual property, technology, and data protection unit of the international law firm Eversheds Sutherland as a partner.
Dentons welcomes new partner to London Regulatory and Investigations Group
Andrew Barber is a seasoned financial regulatory partner who has joined Dentons’ expanding UK Regulatory and Investigations unit. After serving as a Managing Associate at Dentons, Andrew returns to the company from Pinsent Masons.
Two new partners at Beauchamps
Fiona Egan and Yvonne O’Byrne have been named partners at Beauchamps. Ms. Egan, a partner in the projects, infrastructure, and energy team, joins the company from Arthur Cox. She has extensive construction and project management experience, specializing in both contentious and non-contentious matters in the areas of infrastructure, large-scale commercial and residential projects, manufacturing, logistics, energy and renewables, and more.
Bird & Bird strengthens London Tax practice with the hire of Jesse Dalton as partner
With the addition of partner Jesse Dalton, the law firm Bird & Bird has bolstered its London Tax unit. He will begin work on October 21.
Freshfields Private Capital Partner Exits for Macfarlanes
Victoria Hills leaves Freshfields after 2 decades with the firm in a rare hire by Macfarlanes.
Capsticks expands construction expertise with Mills & Reeve, Bevan Brittan partner hires
Construction law experts Catherine Kay from Mills & Reeve and Matthew Phipps from Bevan & Brittan join UK national firm Capsticks.
EMEA
Jones Day Expands European Footprint with Global Disputes Partner in Madrid
In light of the increasing complexity of European litigation and arbitration, Pablo Doñate Gazapo de Badiola joins Jones Day Madrid, strengthening its expanding global conflicts practice.
Clifford Chance Paris Hires Tech Partner Anticipating ‘Huge Wave’ of AI Projects
According to Patrice Navarro, Clifford Chance’s new partner in data, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, his AI work currently makes up over a third of his practice, and he anticipates that number to rise in 2025.
A&O Shearman Hires Knowledge and Innovation Lead from Pérez-Llorca
Marisa Delgado oversaw the implementation of the Swedish generative AI tool Leya while she was in charge of Pérez-Llorca’s knowledge management division.
BCLP Hires Paris Corporate Partner From Orrick & Other French Moves
BCLP has added George Rigo, well established at Orrick, as a partner in Paris to improve its capabilities in meeting increasing demand for advisory services on complex cross-border transactions.
Clifford Chance Builds Private Capital Capability with Paul Hastings Partner Hire
Blake Jones leaves Paul Hastings after joining the firm in 2018. The move comes shortly after the firm’s London head of private equity, Chris Sullivan, left for Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison together with senior finance partner Taner Hassan.
APAC
Morgan Lewis Takes China Investigations Partner from White & Case
Bingna Guo joins Morgan Lewis from White & Case. Bingna has experience in representing global companies, audit committees, and clients in cross-border investigations and enforcement actions. She has also advised on compliance programs and training in addition to overseeing complex disputes.
Simmons & Simmons Shanghai Office Lawyers Move to Shanghai Alliance Firm YaoWang
Melody Yang, a 14-year Simmons partner, just joined YaoWang, which was founded in 2022 by former Simmons & Simmons partner May Lu.
Baker McKenzie Former Australian Head of Tax to Leave for Jones Day
John Walker was previously head of Baker McKenzie’s Australian Tax Practice, he is now set to join Jones Day. Well known for his knowledge of the tax dimension of M&A, the move is expected to bring further expertise to Jones Day’s capabilities within this specialism.
The tax implications of M&A and other transactions are John Walker’s area of expertise.
Baker McKenzie Loses Second Australian Partner Within Days
Charlie Detmold, a banking and financial professional, will join Johnson Winter Slattery, a local firm.
Malaysia’s Rahmat Lim hires tax partner from Halim Hong & Quek
Andersen Global member firm Halim Hong & Quek has recruited tax attorney Desmond Liew Zhi Hong as a partner at the Malaysian law firm Rahmat Lim & Partners, which is the association firm of Allen & Gledhill.
Offshore firm Ogier hires new funds, digital assets partner in HK
Dennis Li, a specialist in investment funds and digital assets, was hired as a partner in Hong Kong by offshore legal firm Ogier from rival Travers Thorp Alberga, where he served as a counsel.
Philippines: Ocampo & Suralvo bolsters disputes offering with new partner
Anthony RV Jacoba, a litigator, has been appointed as a partner and leader of the dispute resolution and insolvency practice group of Ocampo & Suralvo legal Offices, a Philippine legal company.
JSA hires corporate pro from AP & Partners in Gurugram
With the hiring of corporate lawyer Harshit Anand as a retained partner in its Gurugram office, JSA has maintained its position as the market leader in 2024.
Clyde & Co’s Loses Australian Regulatory Partner Amid Ongoing Exodus
Avryl Lattin is set to take on an in-house role at international development organisation Adara Group, adding to the growing list of partners exiting Clyde & Co.
The Americas
Cole Schotz Adds Corporate Member in Delaware
Pamela Millard joined Cole Schotz’s corporate department in Delaware, the firm stated.
Kirkland Adds FTC Lawyer Amid ‘Pivotal Time’ in Antitrust Practices
Stephen Mohr, who recently departed from the FTC, said he “anticipates agencies will continue to be aggressive in bringing merger enforcement challenges.
Holland & Knight Adds Former US Attorney in Nashville
As a partner, Henry Leventis joins the business with an emphasis on health care customers and their need for compliance and investigations.
Winston & Strawn Hires K&L Gates’ Former Digital Assets Co-Chair in Miami
Winston & Strawn originally opened in Miami in 2022, and since then, the office has not added many new partners in that area, despite hiring a number of founding partners. Since starting the practice, it is now hiring Andrew Hinkes, its second partner with a focus on cryptocurrency.
Davis Polk Capital Markets Attorney Heads to Morgan Lewis
The newest employee at Morgan Lewis with SEC experience is Rahul Patel. According to the firm, there are over 20 SEC graduates spread among its U.S. offices.
Joseph Profaizer’s hire is not the first time that Linklaters and Paul Hastings have traded partners.
Holland & Knight Snags 2 Insurance Partners in New York and Philadelphia from Goodwin
Following a Polsinelli raid in July, Holland & Knight is expanding its Philadelphia office with Alex Selarnick and adding Greg Hoffnagle in New York, Both attorneys left Goodwin Procter and have been collaborating in the insurtech industry since 2018.
McGuireWoods bolsters energy coverage with partner hire from Balch & Bingham – The Global Legal Post
David Martin Connelly, an energy lawyer from Balch & Bingham, has joined McGuireWoods to strengthen the firm’s enforcement and regulatory expertise.
In-House
Sports Attorney Rejoins Jets for Second Tour of Duty as GC
Jill Kelley, who left in July, is being replaced by Andrew Lee, who has over 25 years of experience in sports law.
Kristin Coleman Out as GC of Albemarle Amid Leadership Reshuffles
Deputy General Counsel Stacy Grant, who joined the specialty chemicals manufacturer last year, is taking Coleman’s place.
Team Moves
Jones Day Adding 3 Winston Energy, Infrastructure Partners in Dallas
Rodney Moore, a partner at Winston & Strawn, has already joined Jones Day and stated that Samuel Peca and Scott Delaney will move in shortly once they resolve any outstanding issues.
CMA taps Linklaters, European Commission as part of trio of senior legal appointments
Emma Cochrane joins from Linklaters, meanwhile Lourenço Ventura returns from the EC. Richard Romney joined CMA in 2019 on an interim basis and no takes on a permanent role as senior legal director for the mergers, markets and regulatory appeals team.
Proskauer Rose Investment Management Trio Jumps to Stradley Ronon
Stuart H. Coleman, David Stephens and William T. MacGregor are due to leave an Am Law 50 firm for a legal practice with more than 200 attorneys that excels in the field of investment management.
Australia’s Holding Redlich Hires Seven From KPMG
In an effort to secure more government work, Holding Redlich has strengthened its Canberra team by hiring Philip Jones-Hope, the head of KPMG Law’s government and defence group, and his six-person team.
Korea’s Lee & Ko adds arbitration veteran to head international disputes
Park Eun Young leaves Park Arbitration Chambers, where he had taken on the role of independent arbitrator in 2022.
Promotions & Appointments:
People in the News—Oct. 7, 2024—Dilworth Paxson, Royer Cooper
Attorney Linda Dale Hoffa has been named chair of the Pennsylvania State Committee for the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) for a two-year term, according to Dilworth Paxson.
Chamberlain Hrdlicka Hires New COO, First-Ever Chief Business Development, Marketing Office
In an effort to expand strategically, Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry appointed Lisa Wilmore as its first chief business development and marketing officer and Erin Hulme as its chief operational officer.
Staples Chief Legal Officer Named Chair of 48,000-Member ACC
Tracy Preston, who has served as Macy’s Chief Legal Officer for the past year, will be replaced by Cristina Gonzalez.
North Carolina’s Brooks Pierce Elects New Managing Partner
Veteran commercial litigator James “Jimmy” Adams will take office Feb. 1st, 2025.
UnitedLex Appoints GC Renee Meisel as New CEO, Replacing James Schellhase After Short Tenure
In September 2023, Schellhase was named CEO of the alternative legal services company. Why he left the organization after only a brief period of leadership is unknown.
Clifford Chance, Freshfields and White & Case Make C-Suite Appointments
The high-ranking hires coincide with Big Law firms’ growing reliance on non-lawyers to spearhead expansion and growth plans.
Johnsons promotes Jonathan Calvert to partner
The firm’s defence and litigation practice is where Mr Calvert has spent the duration of his career since training with the team.
John O’Doherty re-appointed to National Gallery board
John O’Doherty is KOD Lyons’ managing partner and his tenure on the Board of Governors and Guardians of the National Gallery of Ireland has been extended by a further 2 years.
Mergers & Alliances:
Clients ‘No Longer Need to Be Referred Out’: Womble and Lewis Roca Eye Merger Benefits
Kenneth Van Winkle, managing partner of Lewis Roca, states, “We have had extreme difficulty representing our client base from other jurisdictions in their work in California.”
Law Firm Mergers – Does Bigger Mean Smart
In light of the disruption caused by technology, law firms must reconsider their approach.
Smaller firms falling out of love with merger, research finds – Legal Futures
A LexisNexis 2024 Bellwether report has found that only one in ten small firms would consider a merger or acquisition, a figure which has declined steadily in recent years.
Partner Cuts: The Grim Reality of Post-Merger Integration
A familiar pattern emerges after the A&O Shearmen Merger as a string of partners are let go in the wake of the deal.
Office Openings & Closing:
Willkie Keeps Building in Chicago as Office Eclipses 100 Lawyers
The lateral moves are consistent with its strategy to stock up on “A-plus practitioners” in places where the firm is already strong, said Willkie Midwest office leader Craig Martin.
Quinn Emanuel’s Miami Office Cracks 20 Attorneys, Three Years After Arrival
“We have vastly more work in Miami than we can do,” stated co-managing partner John O’Sullivan. “Half my cases, I’m working with teams that are from the other offices.”
Wave of Office Closures Highlights the Weighty Stakes Surrounding Law Firm Growth
Major Lindsey & Africa consultant Jennifer Moss said, “Just because a certain legal market is hot does not mean that you should be there.”
‘No Holds Barred’: Why Alston & Bird Is Leaning Into Los Angeles
Partner in charge Jeff Rosenfeld stated, “I’d like equal weight on both sides of town,” referring to Alston’s goal of expanding its new Century City office to match its DTLA footprint.
Butler Snow Shutters in Singapore, Partner to Split Time Between 2 Cities
Three former Butler Snow attorneys joined rival British private client firm Charles Russell Speechlys earlier this year.
Financials:
Surpassing Cravath Associate Pay Scale, Boutique Seeks to Stay Above Market
The boutique’s management stated that it hopes to reward associates for their hard work on important projects this year and aid in hiring by increasing associate compensation above market.
Law Firm and In-House Salaries on the Rise in Canada, Survey Says
According to Robert Half Canada’s compensation guide, legal companies are expected to increase wages by 2% by 2025.
Technology & Innovation:
Securely Navigating the AI Sea
It’s wise that the majority of attorneys remain cautious. AI presents moral dilemmas. Lawyers need to stay away from its various traps. These risks include depending too much on AI tools, not securing sensitive client data, and not communicating with the client or the court in an appropriate manner.
Just 11% of Legal Departments Predict Gen AI Will Be ‘Transformative,’ as Its Honeymoon Phase Fades
According to Marko Mrkonich, businesses should set up their AI compliance framework early on rather than after staff members have been accustomed to using AI in particular ways.
Leopard Solutions Unveils Leopard Prowess, an Outside Counsel Hiring Solution
Leopard Prowess aims to increase exposure to smaller firms and give corporate counsel an advantage when engaging outside counsel.
The Rise of AI in Legal Practice: How Attorneys Can Adapt and Thrive – Vault
Travis Whitsitt considers how AI is currently reshaping how attorneys work and how they can leverage the technology to improve their practises moving forward.
How Legal Tech Providers Can Walk the Walk on AI, Not Just Talk the Talk
Chris Cartrett, CEO of Aderant writes that Instead of using their clients as test subjects for AI, legal tech vendors should lead by example and implement AI-powered transformations within their own operations to ensure innovative thought and ultimately, benefit for their clients.
Summize Releases AI Redlining Tool That Shows Its Work and Learns If You Don’t Like It
Based on redlining rejections, the AI redlining tool can learn a user’s preferences while operating within Microsoft Word.
JAMS Launches Initiative to Leverage AI Technology in Dispute Resolution
As part of the JAMS Next effort, the organization will use the court reporting and testimony management platform Prevail to provide AI transcript services, among other modifications.
The American Arbitration Association Unveils Gen AI-Powered Panelist Search Tool
In the upcoming months, parties will have access to AAAi Panelist Search, which enables case managers to conduct more in-depth panelist searches to suit the requirements of their cases.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Atlanta Law Firm Joins Mansfield Effort for More Leadership Diversity
Julie Sebastian of Smith, Gambrell & Russell said, “Diversity is very important here. We want everybody to walk into the office every day knowing that they can be their full selves”.
Experts that that it’s time to step back and re-evaluate exactly what diversity, equity and inclusion mean for the workplace and for America’s business communities.
The Best Law Firms for Disability Representation in UK, 2024
The statistics also show that corporation law’s representation of people with disabilities still terribly lags behind the national average.
Market Commentary:
London co-head Neel Sachdev says, “It shows that if you hire the top talent… then the London legal market is a fantastic investment for law firms”.
Setting Partner Comp: Are Law Firms Now Too ‘Short-Term Focused’?
One consultant noted, “People are less patient than they have ever been before. People want to be awarded now.”
Losing its ‘Sparkle’? Why Latham Has Faced a Stream of Exits in Europe, UK
Several top partners have left the U.S.-led law firm in Germany and the U.K., according to sources, who blame the departures on indecision and a move away from “less core” areas.
Mental health in the legal profession: Progress and challenges
On World Mental Health Day, Nikki Edwards, president of the London Solicitors Litigation Association, considers the evolving perspective on mental health in the industry.
‘Who By Fire?’: Reflecting On Law Firms in a Tumultuous Year
Law companies may wish to take some time to consider the year’s events and what they might witness in the next 12 months, according to The Global Lawyer, after a year marked by conflict, office closures, and law mergers.
Fides Search is excited to announce that William Carbutt-Todd is joining us as a Researcher at Fides Search.
He has a background in public relations and has advised investors, publicly traded, and privately held companies on material issues, including transactions. He spent over three years with a boutique public relations firm advising clients at the c-suite level in banking, technology, mining, and metal firms throughout Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
Outside of work William is a keen real tennis player, continues to indulge an interest in history developed during his History degree at University of Bristol, and enjoys cooking for family and friends.
See what our Managing Director, Edward Parker, and our Associate Director, Inka Fukalova, have to say:
Ed: “We are delighted to have Will join the Fides Search team. He joins our research and delivery function and will add critical strength to our offering at a time where we are experiencing a high level of demand across consultancy work, due diligence, and search. We are committed to growing in London and servicing our international clients. Will is well travelled and will undoubtedly be involved in domestic and international assignments.”
Inka: “Will is a fantastic addition to our very busy R&D team. Great to have him on board!”
Please join us in giving him a warm welcome to the Fides team!! 😊
Moves:
UK & Ireland
McDermott Continues Its Accelerated Growth in London with Senior Tax Hire
The premier tax practice in the market at McDermott Will & Emery, an international law firm, welcomes Candice Nichol as a partner. As the seventh partner based in London to join the Firm this year, Candice’s appointment enhances the firm’s position in the London market.
Squire Patton Boggs Adds to Capital Markets Expertise in London
Ben Morgan has been named a partner in Squire Patton Boggs’ global corporate practice located in London. Focusing on Equity Capital Markets (ECM), Mr. Morgan most recently worked at Goodwin Procter after practicing at Clifford Chance.
McDermott Strengthens Global M&A Offering with New Partner in London
Sebastien Bonneau is now a partner in McDermott Will & Emery’s Transactions Practice Group, based in London. Sebastien specializes in joint ventures, private equity, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
Alston & Bird Secures Orrick Partner Hire in London
Former Jenner & Block partner Kelly Hagedorn joins to concentrate on privacy lawsuits, regulatory enforcement, and data protection.
Goodwin Procter Adds DLA Finance Duo in Latest London Expansion
According to the firm, partners Lewis Gaut and Paul Gray will be joining the real estate financing practice as partners in the London office. Gray and Gaut are experts in structured real estate and sports finance, respectively, and both came to DLA Piper after working there for more than ten years.
O’Melveny adds senior private equity duo in London from Ashurst
David Carter, the former co-chair of Ashurst’s firm-wide private equity unit, and Braeden Donnelly, the former head of the firm’s UK/European PE business, have joined O’Melveny.
EMEA
Jones Day Hires Eversheds Sutherland Banking Head
Pim van Leersum became a partner at Eversheds Sutherland in 2020. His areas of expertise are capital markets, restructuring, and corporate finance.
Eversheds Adds Three Finance Lawyers in Amsterdam
With the addition of three attorneys from independent firm Rutgers Posch, Eversheds Sutherland has strengthened its finance practice. The UK firm’s Amsterdam branch will be home to senior associate Maarten Ahsmann, partner Vasco Hoving, and senior partner Kees Westermann.
Ashurst Hires Partner-Led Italian Finance Team While Geradin Opens Nordic Hub in Helsinki
At the same time as Geradin Partners opened an office in Finland to serve as its Nordic hub, Ashurst expanded its banking and finance business in Milan by hiring partner Riccardo Rossi and his Chiomenti team.
Baker McKenzie, CMS strengthen Riyadh partnerships
Baker McKenzie has taken on Khalid Alyafi as a partner in the transactional practice group
Leen Zaza joins Latham & Watkins as a partner in Riyadh
Zaza frequently counsel’s governments, investors, private equity firms, and Saudi and foreign businesses on a range of intricate transactions, with an emphasis on private mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures, corporate governance, corporate regulatory issues, and advisory concerns.
APAC
Another KPMG Partner Leaves after Australian Legal Arm Shuts Down
Adrian Wong, a workplace law partner, and his group of three attorneys will be joining Thomson Geer’s Melbourne office. Wong is an expert in enterprise bargaining, personnel strategy, business transfers, employment compliance, misbehavior cases, and litigation.
Australia’s MinterEllison hires construction partner from KWM
Peter Pether, a partner in construction litigation at King & Wood Mallesons, has joined the Australian company MinterEllison. In January 2025, Pether—who is renowned for providing counsel on extremely complicated litigation situations in the fields of infrastructure, resources, engineering, and construction—will join MinterEllison.
Nishimura hires Vietnam partner from MHM
Renowned Japanese law firm Nishimura & Asahi has expanded its presence in Vietnam by bringing in seasoned attorney Nguyen Ngoc Phuc from competitor Mori Hamada & Matsumoto (MHM) as a partner in Ho Chi Minh City.
Tokyo Int’l continues growth with arb hire from Vietnam’s Frasers
By adding seasoned arbiter Earl Rivera-Dolera as a partner from the Vietnamese business Frasers Law Company, where she oversaw the international arbitration practice, Japan’s Tokyo International Law Office (TKI) has grown even further.
Singapore boutique Covenant welcomes construction disputes veteran
Edwin Sim, a specialist in construction and engineering disputes, has been named a director of the Singaporean law firm Covenant Chambers. He joins from Lexton Law Corporation, which he co-founded in 2004, bringing with him over 25 years of experience in dispute settlement.
In house
Covington Adding Former DOJ Civil Appellate Head to Supreme Court Practice
Sarah Harrington, who has argued 22 times before the justices, said she is “not afraid of a hot bench.”
Ex-Legal Chief of Checkers Drive-In, Scotts Miracle-Gro Joins 2,200-Location Home-Services Firm
Vincent Brockman, incoming chief legal officer of Servpro said “In my personal experience with the company on two different occasions, I was very impressed by the skill, professionalism, and expertise demonstrated by my local franchises.”
Former Rutgers Law School Dean Replaces Hoffman as University General Counsel on Interim Basis
Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway named John J. Farmer Jr. as interim senior vice president and general counsel, starting immediately. Previously, Farmer served as general counsel from 2013 to 2014.
CLO of Realtor Group Exits After Stinging Court Defeat, Internal Turmoil
The National Association of Realtors will “develop a comprehensive strategy for its approach to all existing litigation and begin an assessment of any additional risk the association has based on current policies and rules,” CEO Nykia Wright stated in an email to members following the departure of Chief Legal Officer Katie Johnson.
Huel and WeTransfer-backer Highland Europe hires GC from Osborne Clarke
Josephine Healy, a new general counsel appointed by venture capital firm Highland Europe, takes over for Rini Banerjee, who departed the company earlier this year.
Bitcoin start-up Thesis hires former Cooley lawyer as GC
Katherine Snow has moved from crypto data platform Messari, where she was CLO.
The Americas
DHS General Counsel Returns to Sheppard Mullin, Army Judge Advocate General Joins Shook
Two elite lawyers from the U.S. Army and Department of Homeland Security have joined two prominent D.C. law firms.
Potter Anderson Partner Joins Corporate Department at Cole Schotz
With over 15 years of expertise, Pamela Millard has advised clients on Delaware corporation law and governance issues.
Winston & Strawn Adds Cadwalader Structured Finance Lawyer in Charlotte
New partner Jeff Mabrito said, “Winston is on a trajectory for long-term continued success, and I want to be part of the team that helps to drive this.”
Apollo Partner and Former GC Moves to Paul Weiss
Another indication of Paul Weiss’s strong commercial relationship with the massive private equity firm is the lateral move of Joseph Glatt in New York.
Harvey Chief Product Officer Heads to Debevoise
In an effort to become one of the newest legal firms to attract transactional talent, Debevoise hires Gordon Moodie, a longstanding corporate partner at Wachtell, as deal value climbs starting in 2023, and interest rates drop.
People in the News—Oct. 2, 2024—Marshall Dennehey, Flaster Greenberg
Matthew J. Butler is now a special counsel in the health care division of Marshall Dennehey, having joined the Scranton office.
Team Moves
McCarter & English Hires 10 Former Burns & Levinson Lawyers in Boston
As Burns & Levinson winds down, seven partners, two special counsel, and one associate are joining.
Stoel Rives Adds 7-Lawyer Group to Environmental Practice in Northern California
Managing partner Melissa Jones said, “There is an increased demand for environmental services in California, but not just California, it’s really a busy practice for us throughout our firm”.
Asia Pacific Hires: Global Firms Kick Off Q4 with Flurry of Team Hires Across the Region
Kennedys has expanded in New Zealand by taking over a specialist dispute resolution firm in the country’s capital Wellington.
Dechert Hong Kong Quintet Finds New Home at Hogan Lovells
Joining the firm are disputes partner and former head of Dechert’s Hong Kong office Maria Sit, and funds partner Michael Wong. Wong will bring with him two associates. Sit will join the firm later in the month and will bring with her one associate.
14 A&O Shearman Lawyers in South Africa to Join Bowmans
According to Ezra Davids, senior partner and chair of Bowmans, the partner changes are in line with the firm’s strategic goal of becoming the “go to” African law practice for clients seeking advice on complicated legal matters.
Pérez-Llorca Recruits Tax Team in Mexico City
With the Mexican government stepping up audits and collections, tax has been a highly sought-after practice in recent years.
Buchalter Grows New Atlanta Office with More Taylor English Lawyers
Smith Gambrell, Baker Donelson, FisherBroyles among other firms adding new partners in finance and IP.
India’s CAM Hires Partner Quartet Team from Saraf and Partnersv
The disputes offering of Indian legal firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM) has been augmented by the acquisition of four partners from nearby rival Saraf and Partners. Manmeet Singh, senior partner of the firm, is spearheading the effort and will be joining CAM with partners Sairam Subramanian, Anugrah Robin Frey, and Alok Shankar.
TLT adds eight-partner team from BDB Pitmans
The group’s activities are concentrated on infrastructure projects, encompassing, among other things, planning, public legislation, and authorization. Nick Evans, Mustafa Latif-Aramesh, Richard Marsh, Duncan O’Connor, James Ross, Angus Walker, and Sarah Clark are its members.
Promotions & Appointments
Davis Wright Tremaine Names New Firmwide Managing Partner
Scott MacCormack stepped down in March, and the firm picked Jaime Drozd, vice chair of the executive committee and co-leader of litigation, to succeed him on Friday. This after a six-month search committee.
Cozen O’Connor Elects Heller to 5th Term as CEO
Michael Heller, who’s been in the role since 2013 said, “It’s been really exciting seeing our growth and expansion, and we’re having a lot of fun along the way”.
McDermott Will & Emery Hires Its First Director of AI Innovation
After serving as an attorney and consultant in the past, Christopher Cyrus will be concentrating on creating unique AI solutions and fostering innovation in his new position at McDermott Will & Emery.
Kirkland Keeps New Partner Promotion Class at 200 Lawyers
For the first time in the last eight years at least, the class has shrunk year over year with the firm’s most recent partner promotions.
Corporate Partner Takes Over Leadership of Dentons’ Ottawa Office
In addition to leading the company’s Ottawa office, Chase Irwin will carry on providing services to clients in the startup community.
Reed Smith Appoints New Corporate Head in Asia to Succeed 30-Year Veteran
Denise Jong, a Hong Kong native who has headed the corporate practice in Asia for nearly ten years and was just named to the firm’s executive committee, is replaced by Johnny Lim.
Baker Botts has appointed Stuart Jordan as global head of construction
Stuart Jordan has been named worldwide head of construction by Baker Botts.
DLA Piper bolster Oman presence with new co-managing partner appointment
DLA Piper has announced the appointment of Nic Henrikson as co-managing partner of its Muscat office. Nic leaves Addleshaw Goddard to join with this crucial appointment to expand presence throughout the Middle East.
Matheson appoints two new directors
Matheson has named Luke Tyrrell as the head of information technology and Anthony Byrne as the director of international listing services. Having spent twenty years working in the stock exchange industry, Mr. Byrne has a wealth of expertise in the listed bond markets.
Financials:
GCs Receiving Lofty Pay Hikes, but Expectations Are Soaring, Too
John Gilmore, managing partner of the search firm BarkerGilmore said, “You need to be the person who can walk into a room and capture everyone’s attention, deliver your message in a way that people listen to, trust, and are inspired by”.
South African GC Salaries Climbing Quickly but Still Trail Law Firm Partners
In 2025, equity partners can anticipate earning $343,000 to $557,000 year, with high earners potentially earning up to $1.2 million.
What About Wachtell? The Link Between Growth and Profits
The Global Lawyer notes that research indicates a relationship between PEP growth and revenue growth, which may have consequences for higher-caliber, smaller enterprises.
Corporate Bankruptcies Slow Down in Q3 as Weil, Davis Polk and Sidley Earn Major Retentions
According to a recent report, the year is still on pace to surpass the number of company bankruptcy filings in 2023 by 25%.
Skadden tops global Q3 M&A table as total deal value jumps by 16%
In the first nine months of this year, the firm—which ranked sixth overall for the year 2023—provided advice on 159 acquisitions totalling $331.6 billion. These agreements included representing Ansys in its $35 billion sale to Synopsys and Squarespace in its $6.9 billion take-private takeover by Permira. In the interim, Kirkland & Ellis, the top firm from the previous year, came in second, handling deals totalling $315.4 billion.
Diversity & Inclusion:
‘That’s Disappointing’: Only 11% of MDL Appointments Went to Attorneys of Colour in 2023
U.S. District Judge William Orrick said in an interview “If you think that diversity in all of its forms is important in determining excellence, equity, these MDLs are great opportunities for people to learn, have a practice.”
Several companies, according to Mansfield leaders, have “remained quietly committed” to developing diversity leadership and have “blocked out the noise”.
Law Firms Mobilize to Respond to Anti-DEI Backlash
Law firms are expanding their services to customers concerned about lawsuit risk, as companies are left wondering if their hiring initiative or affinity group will land them in court.
Office Openings & Closing:
Faegre Drinker Picks Arizona for Next-Gen Design Lab
The Design Lab was formerly housed in Silicon Valley, where the office eventually amalgamated with the company’s San Francisco branch. However, Faegre Drinker relocated to Scottsdale due to reduced operational expenses and a wish to expand beyond California.
Top Antitrust Litigators Form New Boutique, with 10 Leaving Constantine Cannon, Robins Kaplan
The new firm’s executives expressed their expectation that every client will join them.
Covington Swipes Mishcon Insurance Disputes Head for New Practice Launch in London
The head of insurance disputes at Mishcon de Reya was hired by Covington & Burling, launching a new practice focused on insurance policy holder disputes. As a partner in Covington’s worldwide insurance recovery group, Sonia Campbell will oversee the company’s policyholder disputes business in London.
Dickinson Wright Opens San Diego Office with Focus on Life Sciences Practice
Along with two other members and two patent agents, the company also appointed Jing Liu as a member and chair of its biological sciences group.
Perkins Coie Renovates Portland Office with Focus on Equal Attorney Space, Hoteling
The company’s space was downsized to less than 30,000 square feet after its 12-year contract in Portland was recently extended.
A&O Shearman Signs Up for Extra 100K Square Feet at New London Premises
Allen & Overy and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, GIC, reached an agreement in 2021 to lease a minimum of 254,000 square feet on the Broadgate site.
Skadden to Launch First Middle East Office in Abu Dhabi
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has selected Abu Dhabi as its first Gulf location, making it the newest multinational legal firm to establish a base in the Middle East.
Mergers & Alliances:
In Another Am Law 200 Firm Merger, Spencer Fane Expands in Las Vegas
About 14 more attorneys join Spencer Fane after merging with Holley Driggs, based in Las Vegas.
‘Higher Level’ of Law Firm Merger Activity Expected in 2025, but Tie-Ups Remain Steady so Far
“I do think there are fewer options” for merger partners, noted consultant Lisa Smith, “although there’s always new firms forming, and new firms spinning off.”
Fennemore Craig Combines with Tech Boutique to Jump-Start AI Initiative
Joining forces with Spokane, Washington-based Lucent Law, the Am Law 200 company is launching “Project BlueWave.”
Al Tamimi Cuts Ties with Casablanca’s Roudane & Partners, Restructures Africa
Unexpectedly, Al Tamimi & Co. and Roudane & Partners have severed their partnership, claiming financial difficulties and the necessity to restructure their Moroccan services.
Kennedys absorbs boutique for Wellington launch
As Kennedys continues to grow throughout Australasia, it has acquired specialist conflict resolution firm Darroch Forrest and opened an office in Wellington, New Zealand.
Technology & Innovation:
Barry J. Schindler, Lennie A. Bersh and Laurin Buettner write that, “In some instances, a dual strategy that leverages both patents and trade secrets for protecting a Gen AI innovation can be highly effective.”
New UC Irvine Law Course Explores Practice Management with Help from Gen AI
The fall 2024 course, co-instructed by O’Melveny & Myers managing director for information Ali Shahidi and executive coach and consultant Amy Wegener, focuses on critical issues like the client relationships while supplementing coursework with generative AI guidance.
Reveal Acquires Redaction Tool Source Code From E-Discovery Provider Milyli
Reveal stated that it purchased the source code for Blackout with the intention of improving its e-discovery platform’s redaction capabilities.
Linklaters Launches GenAI Training Programme for Lawyers
The move comes after over 80% of the company’s employees finished the required core GenAI training, according to the firm.
Market Commentary:
Baker McKenzie Sets Profitability Goals, Focusing on New York
Colin Murray, the firm’s North American CEO said, “Our U.S. [PEP] would land us around No. 39. Our goal is to be playing in the top 25.”
Are Only ‘A Handful’ of Law Firms Positioned Well After Citi-Apollo Partnership?
One dealmaker said, “Syndicated option or private credit, you need a firm that can handle either in every iteration”.
From Baby Boomer Lawyers to Gen Z Lawyers—How Do We Communicate?
Elisa Reiter and Daniel Pollack write, “In a law office setting, effective communication across generational lines is vital for enhancing teamwork that ultimately benefits clients.”
Equity Capital Markets Activity Picks Up in Asia Pacific, Q3 Data Shows
According to Dealogic data, initial public offerings rose between the most recent quarter and the same period previous year, with India flotations setting the pace.
Internal Leadership Revamp Aids Growth of Spencer Fane
Firm chair Pat Whalen said, “We don’t believe it is feasible for a practice group leader or co-leaders to effectively execute on everything in the current job description of a practice group leader.”
How Sidley Is Trying to Corner the Private Equity Market in London
Sidley recently caused waves in the market by bringing on a five-partner leveraged finance team from Latham. This is the true meaning of it.
Africa’s New Competition Authority Probes M&A and Competition Practices
The West African cross-border transactions and anti-competitive conduct involving a minimum of two member nations would be the primary focus of the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority.
Law Firm Library and Research Roles, Long Endangered, Are Making a Comeback
The “greatest shake-up” in law firm hiring over the past year is probably due in part to AI.
Wilmer, Greenberg, Foley and Others Beef Up Partner Ranks in California
In recent weeks, a number of Big Law firms in California have added lateral hires to their partner ranks.
Lawyers circled Earth 2,400 times more last year as travel bounces back
The UK’s top 20 firms registered the equivalent of 2,407 more trips around the world in 2023 than they did in 2022, as business travel surged post-pandemic.
Le marché des transferts
Depuis plusieurs années, notre Legal Weekly Update analyse les évolutions du secteur juridique, avec une attention particulière sur les mouvements des associés à l’international. En suivant ces mouvements de près, nous avons formé une base de données unique et riche en insights stratégiques. Ces données nous permettent d’identifier des tendances émergentes et de fournir des informations cléfs pour optimiser vos recrutements, autant à court terme qu’à long terme. L’une des tendances les plus marquantes depuis 2020 est une vague de mouvements d’associés dans les domaines du contentieux et de la résolution des litiges. Des cabinets tels que Dechert et Shearman & Sterling ont été particulièrement touchés. Le départ de certains associés de ces établissements a redistribué les cartes du paysage juridique de la capitale, enclenchant la création de cabinets spécialisés et attirant les compétences les plus pointues vers d’autres pôles.
Dechert a connu des mouvements importants au sein de son équipe contentieux. Plusieurs associés de renom, tels que Claudia Annacker, Eduardo Silva Romero et José Manuel García Represa, ont quitté le cabinet pour créer leurs propres structures, spécialisées dans l’arbitrage international. Cette évolution s’inscrit dans le cadre d’une nouvelle orientation stratégique de Dechert, qui met désormais l’accent sur des secteurs tels que les sciences de la vie et la technologie. En conséquence, le groupe d’arbitrage international parisien, autrefois un pilier du cabinet, a été dissous. Silva Romero a ainsi créé Wordstone Dispute Resolution.
Les départs de nombreux associés de Shearman & Sterling pour créer Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes illustrent une tendance de fond dans le secteur juridique. Les praticiens chevronnés sont de plus en plus nombreux à quitter les grands cabinets pour fonder des boutiques spécialisées, répondant ainsi à une demande croissante pour des expertises pointues en arbitrage international.
Cependant, il est important de noter que le paysage a considérablement évolué depuis. Shearman & Sterling a fusionné avec Allen & Overy pour former A&O Shearman, un géant mondial. Cette fusion s’inscrit dans un mouvement contraire au modèle traditionnel des boutiques, privilégiant l’expansion à grande échelle et une couverture géographique plus vaste. Si le départ d’associés vers des cabinets spécialisés reste une tendance notable, la création de A&O Shearman illustre la consolidation en cours dans le secteur juridique et les diverses stratégies utilisés par les cabinets pour rester compétitifs. La concentration s’accompagne d’une fragmentation du marché juridique, avec l’émergence de cabinets specialistes répondant à des besoins de plus en plus spécifiques.
Cette dualité est également illustrée par l’expansion de cabinets comme Paul Hastings, qui a renforcé son équipe de contentieux avec l’ajout de 12 personnes, notamment grâce à l’acquisition de l’équipe d’Antonin Lévy & Associés, spécialisée dans les affaires en col blanc et les enquêtes. Cette intégration s’inscrit dans la stratégie globale du cabinet visant à renforcer ses capacités en matière de contentieux tout en améliorant sa position dans les litiges internationaux complexes. L’arrivée d’Antonin Lévy et de son équipe devrait attirer de nouveaux clients et renforcer la position de Paul Hastings sur le marché parisien.
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner et Squire Patton Boggs sont devenus de véritables pôles d’attraction pour les talents juridiques. Squire Patton Boggs a ainsi accueilli Sabrina Aïnouz, Jérôme Lehucher et John Adam, provenant respectivement de DWF et Latham & Watkins, reflétant une tendance aux mouvements en groupe. Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner a également renforcé ses rangs avec l’arrivée d’Élodie A. Valette Wlodkowski, Jean-Pierre Delvigne et Philippe Métais, tous trois en provenance de White & Case. Leur arrivée coïncide avec le départ de Nathan Willmott, responsable européen du contentieux chez Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, vers Ashurst.
Le cabinet Hoche Société d’Avocats est également devenu un acteur important dans l’attraction de nouveaux talents, avec l’arrivée de Solène Delafond en tant qu’associée au sein de l’équipe contentieux, apportant son expertise en litiges financiers, commerciaux et d’entreprise.
Il est évident que le paysage juridique parisien est en pleine mutation. La montée des cabinets spécialisés et le départ d’associés clés de structures établies, remodèle le marché en offrant aux clients des services juridiques hautement spécialisés. Parallèlement, la consolidation des grands cabinets, illustrée par la formation de A&O Shearman, souligne l’importance continue de la portée mondiale. En outre, des cabinets comme Paul Hastings, Squire Patton Boggs et Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner capitalisent activement sur ce paysage changeant, élargissant leur vivier de talents et leur offre de services. Cette concurrence accrue profitera aux clients, en leur offrant une gamme élargie d’options juridiques spécialisées. Alors que le marché juridique parisien continue à évoluer, la spécialisation et la concurrence accrues sont prêtes à en définir l’avenir.
Rédigé et traduit par Megan Sturdy, delivery consultant chez Fides Search. Pour en savoir plus contactez: +44(0) 747 130 9526 ou megan@fidessearch.com
Moves:
UK & Ireland
Hogan Lovells bolsters capital markets practice with double partner hire from Linklaters
Two Linklaters finance partners have joined Hogan Lovells to strengthen its capital markets practice in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. A London-based individual named Alex Parkhouse and Íñigo Berrícano, who will be located in Madrid, make up the duo.
Spoor & Fisher appoints new Jersey lead
Matthew Costard will take over as managing director of Spoor & Fisher’s Jersey office. He will take over for leaving managing director Wayne Meiring,
EMEA
Former Sidley Restructuring Partner Joins Clifford Chance Amid Germany Push
The partner Kolja von Bismarck will reconnect with Andreas Steiger and Patrick Schulz, two other former Sidley partners who left the firm earlier this year to join Clifford Chance.
ENS has hired executives Walter Amoko and Geoffrey Muchiri at its Nairobi, Kenya office. The firm announced that Amoko will be leading its dispute resolution practice.
CDH adds Nairobi corporate partner
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) has hired corporate and commercial partner Alex Muchira at its Nairobi, Kenya office.
Baker McKenzie, Hadef & Partners strengthen UAE teams
Dino Wilkinson, an Abu Dhabi-based partner and head of Baker McKenzie’s Middle East data, cyber, and technology practice, was hired. He comes from Clyde & Co., where he headed the Middle East practice for technology, media, and telecommunications and was a partner.
APAC
Gibson Dunn Cuts Half of Singapore Partnership, Four Partners Set to Leave
The change contrasts with the growing influx into the city-state in recent years, leaving the business with three partners who are exclusively located in Singapore.
Oon & Bazul builds R&I offering with hire from Rajah & Tann
The restructuring and insolvency practice of Singaporean law firm Oon & Bazul has expanded with the addition of Lye Yu Min as a partner, who previously worked as a senior associate at Rajah & Tann.
BKL employment partner joins Dentons Lee
Eunjee Kim, a former partner of Bae, Kim & Lee, has joined Dentons Lee, the company’s member firm in South Korea, as a senior attorney, expanding the company’s labour and employment expertise.
U.S. law firm Sterlington hires Withers’ global aviation head
U.S. law firm Sterlington has hired prominent aviation lawyer Paul Jebely as partner and international vice-chair. Jebely, who is based in Hong Kong, joins from Withers where he was the global head of aviation.
In house
F1’s Longtime Legal Chief Exiting as Racing Series Reaches New Heights
Since 2000, Sacha Woodward has served as Liberty Media’s legal chief after previously working for Bernie Ecclestone.
EBay Hires Chief Legal Officer with Proven Business Chops
“My parents started their business by selling skateboard parts at the open market in Sydney, so I have a deep appreciation for eBay’s role in empowering businesses of all sizes,” Samantha Wellington, the new chief operating officer of eBay, stated.
Coinbase Lands Ryan VanGrack as VP of Legal, Global Head of Litigation
Coinbase announced on Monday it has hired Ryan VanGrack to serve as its vice president of legal, where he will be overseeing civil litigation, regulatory probes, employment and intellectual property matters.
CLO of Barnes & Noble Education Ends Tenure with a Cliffhanger
The operator of campus bookstores experienced a liquidity bottleneck, but Michael Miller had made a series of partnerships that helped alleviate it.
Norfolk Southern Replaces Fired CLO With Fast-Rising Internal Candidate
Given his wealth of crisis management expertise, Jason Morris could prove useful should further issues surface from the independent law firm investigation that revealed the CEO and CLO were romantically involved.
Novel Startup Called Free TV Hires Industry Veteran as GC
After launching the service a year ago, programming pioneer Jonathan Katz declared, “Never underestimate the power of free.”
Barry Magee to be next chief legal costs adjudicator
Solicitor Barry Magee is set to be appointed as the next chief legal costs adjudicator.
The Americas
Kirkland Investment Management Partner Jumps to Akin in Dallas
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld expanded its investment fund practice by adding Kirkland & Ellis partner Shannon Thompson in Dallas.
Sheppard Mullin Hires Labor and Employment Partner in San Francisco
After working at Paul Hastings for almost 17 years, Zach Hutton joins the company.
Cooley Lures MoFo Data Privacy Partner
As Cooley strives to bolster its data privacy practice and its litigation capabilities in New York, Kristen Mathews joins the company.
People in the News—Sept. 24, 2024—Gawthrop Greenwood, Brotman
Jennifer L. Simons joined Gawthrop Greenwood as an associate attorney in the trusts and estates division of the company.
Gibson Dunn Hires Former Google Chief Privacy Officer
Three months after Keith Enright left Google, the company revealed that he had been hired.
Akin Adds Greenberg Traurig Energy Partner in Southern California
“After the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, there are a lot more transactions to be had,” April Kim stated.
People in the News—Sept. 25, 2024—McCarter & English, Eckert Seamans
Robert Kaplan, a partner in tax and employee benefits, has joined McCarter & English in its Philadelphia office.
Paul Hastings Managing Director of Finance Leaves for CFO Role at Akin
Following roughly 18 months at Paul Hastings, Brian Sakala stated that Akin’s career trajectory and the chance to assume the CFO position were what spurred him to relocate.
Boies Schiller Brings Back Peter Skinner in Two-Lawyer Lateral Hire
The incoming partners include Peter Skinner, who joins from Morrison & Foerster, and Andrew Smith, who joins from Holland & Knight. Peter Skinner said, “I quickly realized that, as great a firm that Morrison & Foerster is, the smaller litigation-focused firm definitely just fits my comfort level better.”
Gibson Dunn hires Google’s chief privacy officer to expand AI practice
Keith Enright, the former chief privacy officer of Google, has joined Gibson Dunn & Crutcher to strengthen the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) and tech coverage in the United States. Enright becomes a partner at the Palo Alto office of the company, where he will co-chair the AI practice group.
Team Moves
Seven-Lawyer M&A, Real Estate Team Joins Jones Walker in New Orleans
“For many years, we worked on deals across from one another. Partner John Werner of Jones Walker commented, “We’re thrilled to now be on the same side of the table with these lawyers at Jones.”
Malaysia’s LAW bolsters disputes team with RDS duo
With the addition of partner Shaun Tan and associate Rachel Tan, who are leaving RDS partnership, Malaysian legal company LAW Partnership has grown its dispute resolution practice.
Three executives have been hired by ENS for its three practice groups. Principal analyst Sandya Booluck of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMSEA) Competition Commission joined the firm’s Mauritius competition team, while Bowman’s lawyer Diana Burger joined the firm’s projects group in South Africa and RSM Mauritius tax director Davina Boodnah also joined the firm.
Promotions & Appointments
Ropes Chair Julie Jones Will Serve a Second 5-Year Term
In other changes to the worldwide firm’s senior management, Chicago partner and member of the management committee Neill Jakobe has been appointed vice chair, while Ropes & Gray chair Julie Jones will begin her second term in January.
Norton Rose Moves Away from C-Suite Structure as Jeff Cody, Peter Scott Retain Top Roles
According to Cody and Scott, the company will become more agile with the appointment of regional executives to a global management council.
Frost Promotes Founder to Firmwide Managing Partner
Josh Stambaugh, the founding partner of the company, is the first to wear the new title.
Jenner & Block names new co-managing partner
Ishan Bhabha has been appointed as the next co-managing partner of Jenner & Block. Bhabha, located in Washington, DC, will assume the position on January 1, 2025, replacing Katya Jestin, who will continue to work for the company.
Webber Wentzel leader passes the torch
Webber Wentzel has confirmed that senior partner Christo Els is set to step down from the role after 10 years. The Johannesburg-headquartered firm announced on 20 September that Els will be replaced by corporate and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) partner Gareth Driver on 1st March 2025.
Herbert Smith Freehills appoints new Africa leadership team
Global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) have appointed partner Martin Kavanagh as their new Africa chair – with partners Jean Meijer and Paul Morton becoming co-heads of the firm’s Africa group.
Financials:
Compensation for Pa.’s Top GCs Takes Positive Turn with Increases All Around
Following a year in which there was a minor decline in some important compensation indicators in Pennsylvania, things started to improve in 2023. The highest-paid general contractors in the state reported significant profits.
Senior Partners Approach $3,000 an Hour, As More Billing Rate Hikes Expected in 2025
Around half of the Am Law 50 firms are expected to have third-year associate rates over $1,000 by 2025, according to Valeo Partners. Currently, about sixteen companies have associates in this category earning over $1,000 annually.
Jenner Selects New MP, with Katya Jestin Stepping Back from Role
Firm revenue is projected to be up more than 48% relative to 2020 by end of the year, meaning a little more than $660.5 million in 2024.
Oracle Legal Chief Outearns CEO, as He Dazzles in First Full Year at Tech Giant
Stuart Levey was referred to be “one of the sharpest legal minds in the country” by CEO Safra Catz upon Levey’s hiring two years ago. He is being paid appropriately by the corporation.
Addleshaw Goddard joins raft of firms upping London NQ rates to six figures
The latest company to boost the pay of its recently qualified colleagues is Addleshaw Goddard; London-based associates will now earn £100,000 annually. Leeds and Manchester’s newly trained attorneys will now get £65k, while those in Scotland will now make £61k.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Seeking Nominations: Women Attorneys of the Year
Tell us about the achievements of female lawyers working at a government agency, public interest group, law firm, in-house legal department, or somewhere else. Don’t wait; nominations are due soon.
Senior roles for women at Mexican law firms rank lowest among sectors
According to the IBA’s 9th global report on gender disparity in the law, women make up 39% of lawyers at law firms in Mexico, with just 17% holding senior roles—the lowest ratio in the public and private sectors of the nation.
IMF appoints only second woman legal head in 80 years as deputy promoted to GC
Yan Liu has been promoted to general counsel by the International Monetary Fund, taking Rhoda Weeks-Brown’s place, who announced her impending departure last month.
Office Openings & Closing:
Why These Two Partners Broke Away from An Established Fla. Player For Their Own Boutique
Solomon, Cooperman, Recondo & Weiss’s two partners split out to form a boutique that aims to attract talent by providing flexibility, particularly with regard to billing rates, which may enable younger lawyers to establish their practices more quickly.
As part of its global expansion goal to have 100 overseas offices by 2026, Beijing-based Yingke Law Firm opened a new office in London.
UK firm DACB launches HK office amidst foreign firm retreat
With a new office in Hong Kong, the London-based insurance-focused legal firm DAC Beachcroft has increased its footprint in Asia. It will collaborate with the recently established local company CK Lee & Co.
London’s 9 Stone Buildings dissolves as members join Tanfield and Selborne Chambers
In a major shake-up in the chancery set community of London, 9 Stone Buildings has been dissolved. Earlier this week, all of its members joined Tanfield Chambers and Selborne Chambers, two other well-established chambers.
Hogan Lovells to shut Johannesburg office
In the upcoming months, Hogan Lovells, a law firm with offices in London and Washington, DC, will close those in Johannesburg, Sydney, and Warsaw. This will have an impact on about 65 attorneys, including 11 partners. There will be an additional 58 support employees affected.
Mergers & Alliances:
Law Firm Mergers Are Flowing West with the ‘Direction of Business’
An increasing number of businesses are looking for merger partners in the Western half of the United States due to a combination of favourable rate structures in secondary markets, population growth, and specific client industries.
Taft to combine with Sherman & Howard in latest large US merger
The newest in a line of recent significant US law firm mergers will see regional player Sherman & Howard of Denver merge with Am Law 100 company Taft. When the united firm launches on January 1, 2025, it will have over a thousand lawyers and is expected to generate $810 million in revenue.
Technology & Innovation:
Reed Smith’s New Emerging Tech Partner Sees ‘Much Overlap’ Between AI Regulation, Privacy Laws
Attorneys specializing in data privacy and digital regulation, according to Tyler Thompson, Reed Smith’s newest emerging technologies partner, “going to always need to be learning” because of how quickly regulations are changing.
Swedish Legal Research Startup Qura Raises €2.1 Million
This year, Qura is just the most recent in a long line of EU-based legal research businesses to announce funding.
Dentons Rolls Out AI Contract Automation Pilot Program
Approximately 40 Dentons attorneys in the central European market are the only users of the bot at the moment, but eventually, the platform should be accessible to a larger geographic audience.
India-based Startup Jhana.AI, Which Offers an ‘AI Paralegal’, Raises $1.6M
The former Harvard students who launched the legal-tech business received funding from several sources, one of whom was a part of Open AI’s Applied AI team.
Wolters Kluwer Adds Generative AI Feature to Its Legal Research Platform VitalLaw
Legal practitioners in the regulatory field can benefit from improved search and summarizing skills using Wolters Kluwer’s VitalLaw AI.
Summer Associates Want Gen AI Training. Is Big Law Providing It?
“Law has such an ingrained reputation for being the last to embrace new tech, so it was a welcome surprise to be trained in using AI for legal work from day one here,” a summer associate commented.
Cleary Sees AI as ‘Co-Pilot,’ Among Growing Client Eagerness for Legal Tech
Michael Gerstenzang, the firm’s leader, discusses with Law.com how the company works closely with generative AI suppliers to build their offerings and how clients are increasingly interested in using AI for themselves.
The assistant or the master: regulating the rise and rise of AI
The majority of UK adults, according to the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (formerly called the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit), think that artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance public services like healthcare, education, and law enforcement. However, worries about possible AI abuse continue to be a major obstacle to realizing that the advantages of this relatively new technology outweigh the drawbacks.
Market Commentary:
Freshfields Scraps ‘Bruckhaus Deringer’ From Name
The company will officially change its name, and the new brand will be introduced in October.
Employer Obligations When Workers Request Accommodations Related to Mental Health
Employees who are refused adjustments they are requesting—like less hours, working from home, or taking sporadic or prolonged leaves of absence—file disability discrimination lawsuits.
Rise of the Reexam: Surging Ex Parte Reexamination Filings Expected to Increase by 40%
“From 2017 through 2023, IPR filings have been trending downwards, with 86 fewer petitions filed each year on average over that period,” says Rob Maier.
Foreign Law Firms in Hong Kong Cut Head Counts; the 20 Largest Firms Trim 5% of Lawyers in 12 Months
As deal business dries up, capital markets and M&A teams have also been reduced, and senior partners have been urged to leave early. The extent of those layoffs over the past year has been made clear by a Law.com study of data from the Hong Kong Law Society.
Are Lead Attorney Relationships More Important Now Than Law Firm Brands?
One law firm leader noted that companies are now more focused on getting the ‘best’ in each area of the law. Firm A for M&A, Firm B for IP work, Firm C for securities litigation, for example”.
Deal Watch: Freshfields, Simpson, Kirkland, Paul Weiss Among Big Firms on International Deals
A recent wave of international deals seems to be helping law firms with sizable groups of dealmakers both inside and outside the United States.
5 Ways Small and Midsize Law Firms Can Win More Pitches (and Improve Realization Rates)
By focusing on the industry, developing systems and processes around the pitch/proposal process, looking backwards for strengths, utilizing social media, and optimizing their digital footprint, smaller law firms can greatly boost their chances of competing with larger “Goliaths”.
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) 747 130 9526 or megan@fidessearch.com
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