Moves:

UK & Ireland

Gibson Dunn Hires Two Shearman Projects Partners in London

The moves are the latest in a line of Shearman partner exits across the UK, Europe and Middle East over the last nine months, as it seeks to merge with Allen & Overy. Ben Shorten and Trinh Chubbock both join the firm from Shearman & Sterling.

Pinsent Masons Loses Fourth Dublin Partner in Eight Months

The partner becomes the second Pinsents partner to move to Bird & Bird in recent months.

South African Corporate Finance Partner Joins Fasken in London

Joz Coetzer moves to the Canadian-based firm after more than a decade with White & Case.

EMEA

Cuatrecasas Lures Veteran Partner Duo from PLMJ

Serena Cabrita Neto has joined the Spanish law firm in its tax area, and Sofia Gomes da Costa in real estate and urban planning. Both partners are already working in Cuatrecasas’s Lisbon office, just down the street from PLMJ in the city center. Both hires will be based in Lisbon.

BonelliErede Loses 18-Person Tax Team to Rival Italian Firm

It is the second team departure from the firm this year after losing a nine-lawyer M&A team in Milan to Chiomenti in February.

Baker McKenzie Hires A&O Partner to Head Its M&A and Capital Markets Practice in Madrid

Torrente is the second corporate and M&A partner to leave Allen & Overy’s European operation recently. His departure comes just one month after Allen & Overy and U.S.-based Shearman & Sterling announced a proposed trans-Atlantic merger.

APAC

Allen & Gledhill Disputes Team Breaks Away to Form Singapore Boutique

In Singapore, dispute resolution lawyers have increasingly been drawn to leave established law firms to set up or lead new ventures.

Australia’s JWS Hires Disputes and Insolvency Partner from Jones Day

Australian law firm Johnson Winter Slattery (JWS) has hired Jones Day arbitration partner Lucas Wilk as the firm sees an increase in disputes and insolvency work.

Greenberg Traurig Hires Tokyo Real Estate Duo From Orrick

Yuko Ino joins Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder, bringing along with her a real estate and securitization lawyer, who will be taking on the position as of counsel.

Shihui Partners Lands Dentons Dispute Resolution Partner in Beijing

The lateral hire comes as Shihui Partners has been expanding its firmwide head count by adding partners from law firms such as King & Wood Mallesons.

Construction Duo Leave Norton Rose for Baker McKenzie in Sydney

Emanuel Confos, head of construction for Norton Rose, and partner Harriet Oldmeadow are both leaving to join Baker McKenzie, but Norton Rose said it will soon be bringing on its own additions to its national projects and construction team in Sydney.

The Americas

Akin Infrastructure Partner Moves to New Clifford Chance Office in Houston

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld energy and infrastructure partner David Sweeney has joined Clifford Chance’s new Houston office, which is building a team with Big Law partners.

McDermott Lands Cybersecurity Partner From Baker McKenzie

Stephen Reynolds, McDermott’s new cybersecurity partner, said it’s becoming more important for law firms to have dedicated cyber and incident response teams, not just recruiting IP lawyers for the work.

Clifford Chance Adds Another Infrastructure Partner to New Office in Houston

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld energy and infrastructure partner David Sweeney has joined Clifford Chance’s new Houston office, which is building a team with Big Law partners.

Winston Grabs Alston & Bird’s Texas Litigation Leader

Alston & Bird litigation partner and Texas litigation leader Stephanie Clouston moved to Winston & Strawn in Dallas.

Shearman 4-Lawyer IP Litigation Group Heads to Trial Boutique

Shearman & Sterling IP litigation partner Matthew Berkowitz and three other attorneys joined trial boutique Reichman Jorgensen in Northern California.

Nixon Peabody Picks Up 10 Lawyers From Kaufman Dolowich Amid Uptick in Real Estate Disputes

Partners Ashley Klein and A. Jeanne Grove led a team that represented 40% of Kaufman Dolowich’s head count in San Francisco.

BCLP Adds 7th Dentons IP Partner in 2 Weeks in 4-Person Lateral Hire

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner went to Dentons for IP talent again this week with the hiring of Dentons’ post-grant group leader Scott Cummings.

Fintech In-House Attorney Moves to Greenberg Traurig and Other ‘On the Move’ News

Plus, patent lawyer David Franklin Sawrie has moved to Baker Donelson.

Morgan Lewis Hires Winston & Strawn’s M&A Leader in Northern California

Khoa Do and a Winston associate joined Morgan Lewis in Silicon Valley on Wednesday, in a move that strengthens its M&A and private equity capabilities in an important business sector and key industries.

In-House

Yulchon Hires SK Biopharmaceuticals General Counsel as Dispute Resolution Partner

Chae, who has held several senior in-house roles in Korea’s healthcare and medical tech industries, will be handling various issues related to internal investigations, customs, whistleblowing and rebates in the healthcare and medtech industry, the firm said.

Paris-Based Customer-Care Giant Hires US Outside Counsel as Legal Chief

Teri O’Brien, a fixture of the San Diego legal scene for two decades, is becoming the top lawyer for Teleperformance, which has 410,000 employees in 91 countries.

Move to T5 Computes for Veteran Data Center Lawyer

Karen Stein’s fourth stop on the data-center builder carousel is T5 Data Centers, which has grown explosively since launching 15 years ago.

Startup Using Tech to Disrupt Health Care Fills Long-Vacant GC Post

Zachary McBride has taken the legal reins at Solera Health, whose platform helps patients access health and wellness programs aimed at preventing common and expensive chronic conditions.

UBS General Counsel Absorbs Credit Suisse GC Role Amid Cuts

The move comes as Credit Suisse’s GC exits the bank amid a sweep of cuts at the beleaguered Swiss bank that have followed its sale to UBS.

McKesson’s Compliance Chief Joins Alphabet’s Verily Life Sciences as GC

Laura O’Donnell is joining the precision health company following a retrenchment that led to new leadership, a narrower focus, and a $1 billion funding infusion from its parent.

Australia’s Real Estate Group CBRE Appoints New Regional GC

Leah Boyd replaces Betty Ivanoff, who left to join casino rival.

Clayton Utz Chair Becomes GC at Australia’s Largest Bank

Karen O’Flynn joins CBA on September 1.

Promotions & Appointments:

Norton Rose Names New Managing Partner in Calgary

Elizabeth Williams has been at the firm since she was called to the bar in 2009.

White & Case’s Hugh Verrier Stepping Down, Firm Names Lit Partner as Next Chair

The firm’s new chair, Heather McDevitt, was announced Tuesday after a partnership vote and will take the helm on September 1, 2023.

MSA Safety Elevates 28-Year Company Veteran to Chief Legal Officer

Richard Roda most recently served as MSA’s deputy general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer for more than a decade.

Troutman Pepper Elects New Leadership, Chair Steve Lewis to Step Down

Lewis will be replaced as chair by current managing partner Tom Cole. Washington, D.C., partner Amie Colby will become the firm’s next managing partner.

Richards, Layton & Finger Elects New Firm Directors

Richards, Layton & Finger announced that it has elected attorneys Robert Greco, Antonios Roustopoulos and Brendan Schlauch as directors of the firm, effective July 1.

K&L Gates Appoints Jason Opperman to Lead Australian Offices

Nick Nichola, who has led the firm’s Australian practice for over 18 years, will remain a partner at K&L Gates.

Baker McKenzie Names New Greater China Managing Partner

Tracy Wut succeeds tax partner Steven Sieker, who will be moving on to become the firm’s chief executive, overseeing its offices and businesses in Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar.

PwC’s Legal Arm Appoints Next UK Head

The announcement comes after the the big four outfit announced a plan to ‘significantly’ grow its legal operations.

Mergers & Alliances:

UK Top 50 Firm Snaps Up IP Outfit

The IP firm has offices in Germany, France and Belgium, as well as its London base.

Bunge-Viterra Merger Involves Lawyers on 4 Continents

The combination of Bunge and Viterra involved lawyers from Latham, Freshfields, Swiss firm Homburger, Tauil & Chequer Advogados in association with Mayer Brown in Sao Paulo, Mitrani Caballero & Ruiz Moreno in Buenos Aires and RuiMin Law Firm in China.

Office Openings & Closing:

HFW to Launch Representative Office in Shenzhen

Some of HFW’s lawyers are now qualified to advise on commercial matters in the nine municipalities of China’s Greater Bay Area.

AZB & Partners Launches in Chennai with Team Hire from JSA

Sivanandh joins AZB as a senior partner to lead the new office along with a team of seven associates from JSA in the corporate, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity practices.

Financials:

PEP Drops 13% at Osborne Clarke

The firm’s international CEO said more consolidation in the industry was ‘inevitable’ given difficult market conditions.

Technology & Innovation:

LexisNexis and Thomson Reuters Weigh In on the Future of AI in Legal Research

The recent acquisition of Casetext by Thomson Reuters has raised many questions about the future of generative AI in legal research. Here, LexisNexis and Thomson Reuters weigh in on issues including build vs. buy, which LLMs to use, securing AI talent and more.

Despite Growing Tech Challenges, Legal Departments See Legal Tech as More Essential

Tech purchase cycles are getting longer at legal departments as the dependence on tech is growing, according to the 2023 Legal Technology Survey from Exterro and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC).

Crypto Winter Leads to Flurry of Enforcement Activity

Crypto companies, for their part, have complained that it is not clear what digital assets, if any, are securities, and that they have not been given clear regulatory rules of the road.

Generative AI and Patent Considerations

A patent strategy informed by the unique considerations raised by generative AI will optimize protections for innovations in the field. Patent strategies should reflect the current legal landscape as well as anticipate potential future legal developments.

Data Remediation: The Critical, But Less Sexy Side of Cybersecurity

Deleting large amounts of old information that was once important and still seems relevant can be a daunting task. Nonetheless, the benefits of data remediation for both law firms and corporations are immense and cannot be overlooked.

Artificial Intelligence for Lawyers: Not Ready for Prime Time

Now, there is a new temptation—and, to paint a somewhat frightening picture—for some lawyers it is metamorphosizing from a curiosity into the starting point for legal research.

Diversity & Inclusion:

Now Is the Time to Step Up for the LGBTQ+ Community

This year alone, an unprecedented amount of legislation has been introduced throughout the country targeting expression and speech rights affecting the LGBTQ+ community. Now is a critical time for the legal industry to use its power, influence, and resources to support the LGBTQ+ community, both collectively and individually.

The Top Law Firms for LGBTQ+ Representation in the UK, 2023

Though a handful of firms have consistently performed well year on year, the sector as a whole is struggling to improve its numbers.

Market Commentary:

ESG Impact 2023: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius

The firm continues to advise companies and investment managers on how to comply with new SEC, DOL, and other regulations around ESG disclosures, and have successfully handled one of the first SEC ESG-related enforcement matters.

Top 10 Legal Department Budget, Staffing and Spending Trends in 2023

After emerging from the COVID era, organizations must now contend with a “triple squeeze” of compounding pressures in 2023 consisting of high inflation, scarce and expensive talent, and global supply challenges. In this article we share 10 key insights – grouped into four broad categories – that GCs must take into consideration as they make spending, staffing, and structure decisions.

In Era of Disengagement, How Do Law Firms Motivate Lawyers and Staff?

Law firm leaders are trying to spark a sense of pride and ownership in their law firms for the next generation, a sense they feel has diminished since the pandemic.

Goodwin Performance Reviews Lead to Cuts, as Midyear Reviews Increase

Sources confirmed cuts at Goodwin that coincided with the firm’s midyear review process this week.

UK Law Firms Suspect ChatGPT Being Used to Write Training Contract Applications

There is growing evidence that generative AI is being used to write applications—sparking a debate across the UK legal sector about the pros and cons.

Australian In-House Lawyers Expect to Send More Work to Firms, Survey Finds

Seven in 10 respondents said lawyers should spend time working for a law firm before they commence their in-house careers.

Moves:

UK & Ireland

Boies Schiller Boosts London with Six-Lawyer Team Hire

The appointment of the highly-ranked partner and his team marks the latest move in the firm’s bid to rebuild its London operation. Pierre Valentin is set to join the firm along with five lawyers from boutique firm Constantine Cannon, the firm announced on Monday.

EMEA

Reed Smith Snaps Up DLA Piper’s UAE IP and Tech Law Head

Jamie Ryder will be based in the firm’s UAE offices when he joins the firm on July 3. He most recently headed up DLA Piper’s UAE-based intellectual property and tech practice.

Webber Wentzel Nabs M&A Partner Back from Herbert Smith Freehills

Webber Wentzel has re-hired M&A specialist Huneiza Goolam as a partner in the South African firm’s corporate business unit. She re-joins from international firm Herbert Smith Freehills, where she had been a partner since November 2020, according to a spokesperson.

Orrick Adds 2 Partners in Paris

The hires, in energy and infrastructure, are an investment in growth in a key practice area at a time when the firm is retrenching in other ways. Christophe Lefort will join on July 3 as a partner and leader of Orrick’s Paris energy and infrastructure and Africa practices, the firm has announced.

New Wilson Sonsini Data Privacy Partner: ‘Regulatory Tsunami’ Coming to EU

Yann Padova, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s newest member of the firm’s privacy and cybersecurity practice in Brussels,discusses how the GDPR has evolved in its five years in action, and what areas are likely on regulators’ radar going forward.

APAC

Charles Russell Speechlys Adds Family Lawyer to Hong Kong Partnership

The firm now counts six partners and 14 other lawyers in the city-state. Vanessa Duff, who has spent the last 15 years at Withers and was most recently a senior associate, joins the firm to focus on family law including issues arising from divorce, financial arrangements and separation, custody, child maintenance, and pre-and post-nuptial agreements.

Han Kun Kick-Starts Singapore Operations With Duane Morris Director Hire

Beijing-based Han Kun Law Offices has hired Duane Morris & Selvam’s Singapore-based director Lan Yu as a partner for its newly-opened Singapore office.

M&A Duo Leave Australia’s Gilbert + Tobin to Join Ashurst

Partner Neil Pathak will leave Australia’s Gilbert + Tobin and join Ashurst as head of its Australian mergers and acquisition practice. He will be joined by Susannah Macknay, who is also coming across from G+T.

Baker McKenzie Adds Deacons’ Tax Practice Head as Counsel in Hong Kong

Stefano Mariani’s joining will give Baker’s Hong Kong tax practice ten members in total, including partner and practice head Pierre Chan.

The Americas

Clifford Chance Grabs Baker Botts Partner as Houston Launch Rolls Along

Baker Botts partner Jonathan Bobinger, in Houston who handles transactions for the renewable energy, power and natural gas sectors has joined Clifford Chance’s new Houston office.

Norton Rose Adds Kirkland Corporate Finance Partner in Dallas

Kirkland & Ellis corporate finance partner Kimberly Perdue has joined Norton Rose Fulbright as a partner in Dallas, as the firm deals with high activity in the practice.

Lowenstein’s Crypto Vice Chair Moves to Sterlington

Eric Swartz, Lowenstein’s former crypto vice chair, said he was recruited by Sterlington “to accelerate the growth that we’re already seeing and bring in the work to attract talent on the legal side.”

Akerman Poaches Corporate Team From Harter Secrest

The firm is building up its New York office with corporate lawyers after it recently suffered a loss of nine corporate litigators to Blank Rome.

McGuireWoods, With New Office Leadership, Eyes More Lateral Growth

McGuireWoods has named new attorney leadership in several offices across the U.S., including areas where the law firm is still seeking to grow through lateral hires.

Shook Launches Civil Rights, Racial Justice Pro Bono Practice

Shook, Hardy & Bacon hired a former civil rights division prosecutor in Houston to lead a pro bono practice focused on civil rights and racial justice litigation.

Kirkland Adds Partner From A&O as Energy Practices Boom

Sam Kamyans, who has joined Kirkland’s D.C. office, said the recent merger talks between Allen & Overy and Shearman had “no impact” on his move.

Morris Nichols Adds Bankruptcy Attorney

Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell announced that Scott D. Jones has joined the firm’s bankruptcy and restructuring group as an associate attorney.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Poaches Dentons Global IP Founder in 15-Person Raid

BCLP landed Dentons’ former U.S. chair Jeffrey Haidet, as well as former global IP and technology chair Song Jung. A group of 15 lawyers and patent professionals has decamped from Dentons to join Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, the latter firm announced Tuesday morning.

Holland & Knight Scoops Up Finance Trio From McGuireWoods as Clients Demand Deeper Bench

Former McGuireWoods attorneys Hamid Namazie, Yoojin Lee and Mark Spitzer are joining the Florida-founded firm’s financial services practice group, bringing their experience representing commercial lenders even as economic conditions slow the sector.

Jackson Walker Launches Public Finance Practice With Orrick Team in Houston

Orrick public finance partners Rick Witte, Todd Brewer, Tanya Fischer and Hoang Vu moved to Jackson Walker in Houston on June 13, and tax partner Russell Miller, who joined from public finance firm Hawkins Delafield & Wood in California, made the move on Tuesday. All are partners based in Houston.

Paul Hastings Lands Two Fintech Partners, Including Co-Chair of Perkins Industry Group

Dana Syracuse and Josh Boehm said they believe strongly in their client relationships, when asked whether they expected their client base to move with them.

Holland & Knight Lands IP Team From Perkins Coie

“We have been working to expand our intellectual property practice, particularly on the West Coast, and before the ITC as well,” said Holland & Knight’s David Donoghue. James Coughlan and Terrence Wikberg have joined Holland & Knight’s Washington, D.C., office, and Amy Simpson joined the Los Angeles office earlier this month, bringing experience with the International Trade Commission and Patent Office post-grant review proceedings, the firm said Wednesday.

Todd Silliman Exits Dentons’ Atlanta Leadership Role for Eversheds Sutherland

Silliman’s departure comes soon after Dentons lost another prominent Atlanta partner, former U.S. chair Jeffrey Haidet. Prominent environmental lawyer Todd Silliman is moving from the Atlanta managing partner role at his longtime firm, Dentons, to lead Eversheds Sutherland’s U.S. environmental practice.

Arnold & Porter Adds CIA Lawyer as National Security Remains a Top Enforcement Priority

Deborah Curtis will be based in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, focusing her practice on national security investigations and defense, and other litigation and enforcement matters.

In-House

Private Equity Giant Permira Names Ex-Clifford Chance Lawyer as General Counsel

Private equity firm Permira has appointed Peter Gibbs as its global general counsel. The long-time Permira executive will take over the role in January 2024, replacing current general counsel Ulrich Gasse, who the firm said will retire at the end of 2023.

Caterpillar’s CLO to Hand Legal Reins to Deputy

The chief legal officer of heavy equipment maker Caterpillar, Suzette Long, plans to retire on Dec. 31, paving the way for company attorney Derek Owens to succeed her.

Building-Materials Giant Blue Linx Brings in New Legal Chief After C-Suite Shakeup

The company in March replaced CEO Dwight Gibson with then-legal chief Shyam Reddy. Now, it’s backfilling the legal role with a veteran attorney, Tricia Kinney who has deep experience from ServiceMaster and Kimberly-Clark.

World’s Largest Truck Maker Hands Legal Reins to Insider

Florian Hofer, who two years ago was a key player in splitting Daimler AG into two separate businesses—Daimler Truck AG and Mercedes-Benz AG—will lead legal for a colossus with 100,000 employees and $49 billion in annual revenue.

Donnelley Financial Replaces Longtime GC With Morningstar’s No. 2 Lawyer

Jennifer Reiners, the only legal chief the financial software company has ever had, will receive severance following her replacement by Morningstar’s deputy chief legal officer, Leah Trzcinski.

AI Firm Taps Ex-HP, Dell Attorney as First Legal Chief

Jim Rittinger will help Empower AI’s new owner navigate the increasingly complex intersection of government contracting and technology.

Embattled Regional Bank Hires GC, Continuing Leadership Overhaul

Republic First Bancorp CEO Thomas Geisel said newly hired legal chief Brian Doran “brings a deep understanding of the legal intricacies and challenges faced by financial institutions such as ours.”

Promotions & Appointments:

Hogan Lovells Names New Singapore Office Managing Partner

Hogan Lovells has named corporate partner and India practice co-head Biswajit Chatterjee as managing partner of its Singapore office. Biswajit Chatterjee has advised on a number of billion-dollar transactions in India and Southeast Asia.

Goodwin’s Wait for New CFO Comes to an End

AmEx veteran Christina Wong has joined the firm in New York. Goodwin had been without a CFO since early 2022, when longtime CFO Jon Kanter left.

Clark Hill Expands C-Suite, Creating Chief Legal Officer Slot

Dallas appellate member Jadd Masso is the firm’s first chief legal officer, with responsibilities beyond the office of the general counsel.

Hogan Lovells Changes Leadership in DC and New York

Ajay Kuntamukkala takes over the D.C. office role from Michele Farquhar, who will join the firm’s Americas leadership team. Farquhar is replacing Tim Aragon, who left Hogan Lovells to become GC for the Denver Broncos.

Mergers & Alliances:

Canadian Firm Segev Inks Cooperation Agreement with India’s S&Co

Canadian law firm Segev and India’s Singhania & Co. have taken early steps to establish a reciprocal relationship to deliver legal services and collaborate on corporate development between their two countries.

Andersen Global Adds First Singapore Law Firm Member

In Asia, Andersen Global counts only a handful of traditional Asian law firms as members. Domestic Singapore law firm CNPLaw has become the country’s first practice to join Andersen Global, an international association of independent tax and legal practices founded in 2013.

Office Openings & Closing:

Elite Paris Firm August Debouzy Opens First Foreign Office in Brussels

Fielding a team with experience in government and industry as well as the law, the firm is significantly expanding its ambitions in advising on European law and institutions.

Spain’s Pérez-Llorca Ramps Up International Expansion Efforts

Pérez-Llorca is bringing on its first Portugal-based partner while doubling its office space in London and New York; two markers of the Spanish firm’s international expansion.

Ex-Dentons Leader Aims to Create Top US-Based Korea Practice at BCLP

“We’ve always wanted to build a stronger U.S. Korean practice,” said Jeff Haidet. “Song and I coming to [work] with Kwon Lee probably creates one of the top U.S.-based Korean practices that there is.”

Is Toronto the Next Hot Spot for US Firm Expansion?

Canada’s largest city has a lot to offer and firms like Mintz and Cozen O’Connor have already started the trend to move north of the border.

Financials:

An Emerging Financial Crisis In 2023? A Primer on Old Metrics

Potential weaknesses in the financial system are augmented by social media and the gamification of financial markets. This article explores risks that have surfaced in prior financial crisis cases and potential strategies for mitigating exposures.

Technology & Innovation:

The Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and ESG

AI tools have the potential to help or hinder companies in achieving ESG goals. To minimize use risks, corporate counsel may wish to consider what AI tools they are using, as well as why and how these tools intersect with ESG goals.

Cautious to Invest, Pennsylvania Law Firms Experiment With AI

While most firms are eyeing preexisting tools or those that are currently in development from outside vendors, others are building their own customized tools to mitigate risks.

Fact, Fiction or Privacy Infringement: Artificial Intelligence and Deepfake Liability

Most agree that internet deepfake content is widespread and may be used to manipulate the public, attack personal rights, infringe intellectual property and cause personal data difficulties. However, little agreement exists as to who is legally liable for internet AI deepfake content.

How Vendors and Clients Can Bridge the Divide Over How AI Applies to CLM

Training AI is an aspect of implementation that vendors need to discuss more with their prospects during sales calls—and one that prospects must educate themselves better on to make more informed CLM purchase decisions.

Breaking Boundaries in Legal Tech: The Game-Changing Potential of Generative AI

Despite an outpouring of media coverage for generative artificial intelligence (AI), some may still wonder whether reality will actually measure up to all the hype. Sure, this is a clear technological advancement, but haven’t we been here before?

Diversity & Inclusion:

The Top Law Firms for LGBTQ+ Representation, 2023

Though a handful of firms have consistently performed well year on year, the sector as a whole is struggling to improve its numbers.

Market Commentary:

ESG Backlash Creates Maze of Challenges for GCs

“The world wants companies to take positions on the issues,” said Rob Chesnut, a former general counsel of Airbnb. “You might want to duck it in some cases, but sometimes you can’t.”

‘A Huge Concern’: Big Law Leaders Grappling With Attorney Disengagement

“We can’t just measure ourselves on billable hours,” said Paul Schmidt, chair of Baker & Hostetler. “In the long run, engagement is important, and we’ve got to get people engaged.”

Perkins Coie Defers Incoming Corporate Associates

Corporate associates will receive a $15,000 stipend and begin in January. Perkins is the latest of several tech-oriented law firms to defer its incoming class.

Inside Track: Why In-House Lawyering Isn’t for the Spineless

“In-house counsel needs to have a view. It’s unacceptable for lawyers to put a couple of different paths in front of the business decision-makers and say, “Go ahead and pick one,” said Tim Parilla, chief legal officer of LinkSquares.

‘With Everybody Getting Back,’ More Law Firms Want Lawyers in the Office

A new Savills survey finds that 90% of firms either recommend or mandate in-office attendance for lawyers and staff, up from a total of 67% a few months ago.

In Era of Disengagement, How Do Law Firms Motivate Lawyers and Staff?

Law firm leaders are trying to spark a sense of pride and ownership in their law firms for the next generation, a sense they feel has diminished since the pandemic.

Australia’s MinterEllison and Clyde & Co Make Back Office Job Cuts

Both firms say they are streamlining their businesses. Both firms also confirmed the cuts but did not provide details on the number of staff affected, whether any lawyers have also been made redundant, and whether the redundancies were in response to the slowing economy.

Layoffs Are Spreading. After All, There’s Only So Much Work to Go Around

A patchy corporate market has created a mismatch between staffing and demand levels at several law firms with broader client bases that stretch beyond the tech sector.

The EU Court Decision That Could Change Data Breach Class Actions

Hausfeld’s Tim Brown argues for the need for data protection laws that provide cost effective remedies.

‘No Way to Get This Right’: Why Law Firms Are Getting Pushback on Office Returns

In the second part of Legal Speak’s conversation with Ira Coleman, chairman of McDermott Will & Emery, about returning to the office, Coleman takes the position of an associate trying to convince a managing partner to loosen up on the firm’s attendance policy.

Moves:

UK & Ireland

Boies Schiller Boosts London with Six-Lawyer Team Hire

The appointment of the highly-ranked partner and his team marks the latest move in the firm’s bid to rebuild its London operation. Pierre Valentin is set to join the firm along with five lawyers from boutique firm Constantine Cannon, the firm announced on Monday.

EMEA

Wilson Sonsini Hires Baker McKenzie Partner and Former Regulator in Brussels

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s Brussels office has beefed up its Brussels privacy and cybersecurity practice with the hire of Yann Padova a Baker McKenzie partner with deep regulatory experience.

Long-Serving Allen & Overy Paris Partner Leaves for Norton Rose Fulbright

Jean-Claude Rivalland was a founding partner of Allen & Overy’s Paris office, according to Norton Rose’s statement, having joined the firm in 1999. During his near quarter-century career there, he served as the office’s managing partner from 2010 to 2018.

APAC

K&L Gates Lands BCLP Tokyo Finance Partner

K&L Gates added finance lawyer Dominic Gregory as a partner in Tokyo. A former Tokyo managing partner at Ashurst, has returned to Japan to join K&L Gates from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner.

DLA Piper, Dentons Hire Partners from Australia’s Holding Redlich

Dentons has hired corporate partner Warren Scott and DLA Piper has brought on projects partner Tony Rutherford.

Bird & Bird Grows Sydney Finance Team with Partner Hire

Bird & Bird has appointed banking and finance lawyer Tim Macmillan as a new partner for its financial and financial regulation practices in Sydney.

Bird & Bird Hires Sports Lawyer for Sydney Practice

Brianna Quinn joins from Swiss arbitration firm Lévy Kaufmann-Kohler. Bird & Bird has become the largest dedicated sports practice in Australia with the hire of partner Brianna Quinn for its Sydney office, its second Australia hire in a week.

King & Wood Mallesons Picks Up Melbourne Construction Partner

Melbourne-based Jane Hider is moving over from Corrs Chambers Westgarth. Jane has more than 20 years’ of experience and specialises in major projects and procurement, real estate development and transport and energy infrastructure.

Mayer Brown Lands Veteran M&A Partner From Greenberg Traurig in Tokyo

U.S.-qualified Eiji Kobayashi, who was most recently a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig in Tokyo, has become Mayer Brown’s third partner in Japan.

Charles Russell Speechlys Adds Family Lawyer to Hong Kong Partnership

The firm now counts six partners and 14 other lawyers in the city-state. Vanessa Duff, who has spent the last 15 years at Withers and was most recently a senior associate, joins the firm to focus on family law including issues arising from divorce, financial arrangements and separation, custody, child maintenance, and pre- and post-nuptial agreements.

The Americas

In New Houston Office, Clifford Chance Adds Jones Day, Kirkland Partners

Jones Day partner Alexandra Wilde and Kirkland & Ellis partner Enoch Varner are among seven lateral partner hires tapped to launch Clifford Chance’s Houston office.

Simpson Thacher Again Dips into Lateral Pool, Takes Another Partner From Paul Weiss

Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett has gone back to Paul Weiss Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison to recruit its second partner from the firm in a week, with M&A lawyer Justin Rosenberg joining Simpson in New York, the firm announced Monday.

As Trials Ramp Up, Arnold & Porter Adds DLA Piper Litigator in Houston

DLA Piper litigation and investigations partner Allissa Pollard has moved to Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer’s Houston office, which is expanding its trial team.

Sidley Austin’s DC Office Snags First Chair Trial Lawyer From Covington & Burling

“The regulatory area of our firm … is a bit more active in a couple of areas, including antitrust. And we see that there’s a lot of top national talent that just happens to be based in D.C., like Jennifer,” said Yvette Ostolaza, Sidley’s management committee chair.

Wigdor Grows Practice with Pickup of Three Experienced Employment Attorneys

The new hires said they were drawn to Wigdor because of the firm’s reputation for successfully handling cases on behalf of individuals or groups who are taking on powerful and deep-pocketed institutions.

Simpson Thacher Again Dips into Lateral Pool, Takes Another Partner From Paul Weiss

Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett has gone back to Paul Weiss Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison to recruit its second partner from the firm in a week, with M&A lawyer Justin Rosenberg joining Simpson in New York, the firm announced Monday.

Baker McKenzie Snags Paul Hastings’ Former Latin America Head, Along With Team of Partners and Associates

Former Paul Hastings Latin America practice head Michael Fitzgerald, who is considered a pioneering U.S.-based lawyer in Latin America, is moving to Baker McKenzie along with two long-time collaborators, partners Joy Gallup and Arturo Carrillo, a counsel and several associates.

Freshfields Becomes Latest to Add to Antitrust Practice With Two New Partners

Antitrust litigators Heather Lamberg and Justina Sessions will join the firm in Washington, D.C., and Silicon Valley respectively.

Two Lawyers Move to Establish Tax Controversy Practice at Morris Manning in Atlanta

Barclay Taylor and William Stone moved from Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, William & Aughtry’s tax controversy practice group to Morris Manning. Taylor will serve as of counsel, and Stone will serve as an associate.

Wilson Sonsini Hires Spaceflight Former CEO as Space Sector Sees ‘Astronomic Growth’

Curt Blake joined as co-lead of the firm’s newly launched NewSpace industry group, which represents clients such as Astranis, BlackSky and Skylo Technologies.

Spain’s ECIJA Expands in Mexico With Intellectual Property Hire

The new partner previously ran the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property and held other important policy roles before joining a local law firm and now ECIJA. Miguel Ángel Margáin joins from Mexican firm Pérez Correa González, bringing more than 30 years of experience in both the private and public sectors as well as a specialization in technology.

Dentons Canada Brings on Experienced Banker as Partner in Toronto Office

Lisa Ford leaves the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) to join the firm’s national banking and finance group.

In-House

Women’s General Counsel Network Founder Joins Climate Consultancy as It Expands Globally

“What could be better than working at a company whose mission is to help businesses and their customers take urgent action on climate change,” Jan Kang, general counsel of San Francisco-based 3Degrees Group, wrote on LinkedIn.

Lending Tree General Counsel Exits to Join Silicon Valley Stock-Exchange Startup

Lisa Young said she was drawn to the Long-Term Stock Exchange’s focus on long-term business thinking, which helps companies “be better corporate citizens and further interests that benefit society.”

Axiom Hires Former Mastercard, Pitney Bowes Attorney as GC

Veteran in-house attorney Ashlin Quirk started out as a client of Axiom, a provider of on-demand legal talent. Now, she’s jumping across the chasm to help run the business.

Largest Family-Owned Cinema Chain Promotes Compliance Chief to GC

“It’s just wonderful to be part of a team where you have the owner working with you so closely. It goes a long way toward establishing a family atmosphere,” said Max McCauley, general counsel of Harkins Theatres.

Former Tanger GC Joins DC Hotel Investor RLJ Lodging Trust

Chad Perry is the new executive vice president and general counsel at the high-end hotel investment company.

AI Startup Taps DoorDash Privacy Lead as CLO

“As the market matures, security, compliance and privacy will become a top priority for companies looking to leverage AI solutions. It’s important that AI firms, like Inbenta, take steps now to differentiate themselves in this area,” Inbenta CLO Adam Rivera said of his new role.

Former SpaceX, Lucasfilm GC Joins Charter Flight Startup

“Surf Air attracts people passionate about the future of flight, and we couldn’t be more excited to have someone as forward thinking as David join us as chief legal officer,” said Sudhin Shahani, co-founder and CEO of Surf Air.

Promotions & Appointments:

Wilmer Taps NY White-Collar Partner as Next Leader for a Series of ‘Firsts’

New managing partner-elect Anjan Sahni will be the firm’s first ‘solo’ managing partner since the 2004 merger, the first firm leader to be located in New York and the first person of Sikh faith to run any Big Law firm.

Clifford Chance Names First Managing Partner for New York

Ness Cohen stepped into the new role Thursday as the firm continues to find ways to expand its U.S. presence.

Skadden Names New Executive Partner as Eric Friedman Steps Aside After 15 Years at the Helm

Skadden has selected Jeremy London to succeed Eric Friedman as executive partner, effective April 2024.

Houston Litigator Elected Next Managing Partner of Baker Botts

Partners in Baker Botts tapped Houston partner Danny David, a co-chair of the firm’s litigation department and a member of the executive committee, as the firm’s next managing partner.

Mergers & Alliances:

From ‘Neither’s First Choice’ to ‘Substantial Benefits for Both Firms,’ Big Law Leaders React to Proposed A&O-Shearman Merger

Sources predicted that despite rhetoric from both firms about the combined entity’s global balance, its investment and energy will be focused on the U.S.

Mourant Expands into Luxembourg With Acquisition of Two Local Outfits

Mourant now has eight global offices and says it ‘has ambitious plans’ to attract talent to support the growth and development of both teams. Offshore law firm Mourant has expanded into Luxembourg with the acquisition of two local outfits, law firm LexField and its affiliated governance services business, FideField.

Office Openings & Closing:

Will San Francisco Make a Comeback? This Firm Is Betting on It

Lewis Roca opened a San Francisco office, replacing its Silicon Valley footprint, with the aim to ramp up recruitment and expand its practice areas in the region.

Kirkland & Ellis to Launch Saudi Office

It becomes the latest major firm to leverage lucrative opportunities in the Middle East. For the launch, the world’s largest law firm by revenue has hired a partner from Latham & Watkins and two local partners from White & Case ahead of the office’s opening, according to a person at the firm.

French Law Firm Opens in Abu Dhabi

France-based law firm SRDB has opened an office in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi. The operation will be headed up by two of the firm’s existing lawyers, disputes specialist Chafic Nehmé and financing and corporate governance expert Karl Khoury, who began their careers in Lebano, the firm announced. The firm now has 20 offices in Europe, the Middle East, North and sub-Saharan Africa.

Clifford Chance Adds Jones Day, Kirkland Partners In New Texas Office as US Expansion Continues

Jones Day partner Alexandra Wilde and Kirkland & Ellis partner Enoch Varner are among seven lateral partner hires tapped to launch Clifford Chance’s Houston office.

Proskauer Rose Calls It Quits in Beijing

The firm has confirmed that it will be closing its office on mainland China. But it says it will continue to operate in Hong Kong, where it has had an office for 15 years.

Kim & Chang Expands Into Indonesia with Jakarta Desk Launch

Kim & Chang’s Indonesia desk launch comes about six months after it launched its second Vietnamese outfit in Hanoi.

Financials:

Boutique Firm Exceeds Big Law Pay Scale for Incoming Associates

In an aggressive effort to grow its head count, Dallas-founded litigation boutique Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors has raised the starting salary for incoming first-year associates to $250,000.

Technology & Innovation:

AI is Saving Up to 50% of Lawyers’ Time, Say Heavyweight African Firms

Bowmans, Webber Wentzel and Cliff Dekker Hofmeyr all say they are investing heavily in the technology.

New AI Tool Could Aid In Unlocking The Mysteries Of AI-Based Legal Reasoning

OpenAI has released a new AI tool intended to aid researchers in exploring and ascertaining how generative AI such as the widely popular GPT apps can deeply analyze text and fluently interact in a human-like manner. This tool is a handy means to also examine how generative AI can undertake legal tasks and seemingly perform AI-based legal reasoning.

AI Considerations for In-House Counsel

Having an AI policy that outlines acceptable use, and documenting assessments that establish that AI systems are used in a manner consistent with the policy and that the benefits outweigh potential harms, can go a long way in managing legal and reputational risk.

Amid Generative AI Boom, Law Firms’ Metaverse Offices Stuck in ‘Holding Pattern’

Law firms eagerly invested in the metaverse in 2021 and 2022. But since then, high costs to entry are keeping the audience for such virtual services stagnant.

Combating Legal Burnout: Harnessing Technology to Optimize Efficiency and Alleviate Industry Challenges

It is crucial for law firms to consider their ability to streamline general document and record retrieval processes and maintenance. Doing so will result in significant time savings, ultimately reducing industry burnout and enhancing work-life quality and balance.

5 Ways APIs Are Affecting the Legal Ecosystem

More APIs mean faster and more convenient integrations. But as the plug-ins are fast spreading across legal, they are bringing with them their own risks and concerns.

Diversity & Inclusion:

Who Are the 2023 Diversity Initiative Honorees?

These law firms were honored for their diversity, equity and inclusion program efforts.

The Law Firms With the Most Female Equity Partners, 2023

Ropes & Gray, Trowers & Hamlins and Cooley topped the ranking of the UK equity partnerships with the most women, but wider progress at the top level has stalled.

Legal Remains One of the Least Socioeconomically Diverse Sectors in the UK

The legal sector stands to gain significantly from access to the top jobs being decided on merit, rather than limiting opportunities only to those with financial advantages or networks.

Market Commentary:

Legal Departments Hit Accelerator on Insourcing as Cost Pressures Rise

One driver of the trend is in-house frustration over law firm inefficiencies, such as attorneys’ showing off how much they know and commenting excessively on draft documents.

Orrick Lays Off Attorneys and Staff, Defers Incoming Class

The firm is letting go of about 40 associates and 50 staff members due to reduced client demand in some areas and the impact of technology, data and the evolving workplace on the type of support it needs to operate.

Reed Smith Cuts Global Workforce by 50 to Address Demand Slump

Around 20 staff members and 30 lawyers, including those in corporate and bankruptcy practices, are affected, according to sources with knowledge of the cuts.

The Law Firm Disrupted: ‘It’s Lonely at the Top’

A new survey of law firm leaders finds that while expectations for the role are becoming more formalized, they’re still not keeping pace with the growing complexity of the job.

Global Competition Regulators Look Ahead at Enforcement Goals

Continued robust enforcement of antitrust laws in the tech and digital markets, and grounding killer acquisitions were key themes during the Enforcers Roundtable.

Hybrid Work Schedules May Be Here to Stay

“I don’t know if the traditional five days will return in full. There may be some pushback. I do think people have adjusted to the three- to four-day (schedule),” said one legal recruiter.

‘The Power Is Going Back to the Law Firms’: Only Modest Pay Hikes Likely at Australian Firms in the Coming Year

The lower raises come after two years of outsized pay increases.

The FTSE 100 is More Global Than Ever. So Why Isn’t Slaughters?

It trumpets its position as ‘the advisers to corporate Britain’, but research by Law.com International shows the extent to which the firm’s core client base seeks out other advisers on non-UK mandates.

Moves:

UK & Ireland

Freshfields Makes Two Further Finance Lateral Hires

The additions in London and New York make it three finance partner arrivals in the same day for the firm. The firm has added a partner from Shearman & Sterling in London, and a partner from Weil, Gotshal & Manges in New York, it announced on Wednesday.

One In, One Out For Fieldfisher as Firm Hires Former Travers Smith Partner

Sebstian Reger became the seventh partner to leave Travers Smith this year in April, although it was unclear at the time which firm he was heading to.

Freshfields Bolsters Leveraged Finance With Baker McKenzie UK Partner Hire

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has strengthened its leveraged finance practice with the hire of partner Haden Henderson, the firm announced on Wednesday. Henderson’s arrival marks the latest in a series of private equity and leveraged finance hires.

Freshfields’ Mark Austin Departs for Latham & Watkins

The ECM specialist had spent his career from traineeship to partner at Freshfields, spanning 22 years.

EMEA

Paul Hastings Loses Paris Bankruptcy Team to Freshfields

The five-lawyer team is led by the same partner who joined Paul Hastings in 2020 to establish the firm’s insolvency practice in the French capital.

Major Defection to Clyde & Co Rocks PwC Legal Middle East

The 13-lawyer hire is thought to be among the biggest team moves ever to take place in the Middle East.

APAC

Clifford Chance Grows Antitrust Team with Sydney Partner Hire

Clifford Chance has hired partner Elizabeth Richmond from Australian firm Clayton Utz for its antitrust team in Sydney.

Linklaters Hires Hong Kong Regulator SFC’s Takeovers Team Head

A former Slaughter and May partner, Roger Cheng was involved in the launch of the SFC’s special purpose acquisition companies (SPAC) regime in 2021.

K&L Gates Lands BCLP Tokyo Finance Partner

Former Ashurst Tokyo managing partner Dominic Gregory has returned to Japan to join K&L Gates from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner.

Deloitte Legal Singapore Member Firm Builds IP Practice With Withers Partner Hire

Sabara Law, a member firm of Deloitte Legal in Singapore, has added intellectual property to its practice by hiring intellectual property lawyer Gretchen Su as a director from Withers KhattarWong, where she was most recently a partner. The move follows a number of lateral hires by Withers for its Asian regional offices in the past year.

The Americas

‘A Sensational Offering’: Cooley Hires 3 IP Litigators From Fish & Richardson

“These are elite first-chair litigators who specialize in life sciences patent disputes, and we’re combining them with a best-in-class life sciences practice,” said Cooley’s Michael Attanasio.

Former Dallas Judge Joins Norton Rose Fulbright

Norton Rose Fulbright announced that trial lawyer Kristina Williams, who previously served as a Texas state district court judge, has joined its Dallas office as senior counsel.

Holland & Knight Adds Former Energy Dept Lawyer, As Law Firms See Demand in Clean Energy

Holland & Knight is the latest law firm to grow its regulatory infrastructure bench, with the firm on Monday announcing that it had hired Ken Cestari, a former deputy chief counsel of the Loan Programs Office of the U.S. Energy Department.

Garrigues Recruits Tax Partner, Ignacio Campino, in Chile as Government Seeks to Raise Revenue

Wealthy Chileans have shuttled an estimated $50 billion out of the country since civil unrest erupted in 2019 and brought calls for heavier taxes on the rich. But some of that capital is trickling back.

Ready for Another Chapter, Ninth Circuit Judge Joins Wilson Sonsini

Former U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Judge Paul Watford has joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Los Angeles after 11 years on the bench.

Shearman IP Litigator Jumps to Gibson Dunn

Kieran Kieckhefer is the sixth technology-focused litigation partner to join Gibson Dunn in Northern California since 2021.

Paul Weiss Picks Up Morgan Stanley Global M&A Chair

Robert Kindler, global chair of mergers and acquisitions at Morgan Stanley, is leaving the bank to join Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison as a partner who will chair its M&A practice, the law firm said Tuesday.

Reed Smith Expands Life Sciences Practice With Manatt Partner-Counsel Duo

Reed Smith has added Brian Bewley and Kaitlyn Dunn to its roster amid rising regulatory scrutiny in the health care and life sciences space.

Freshfields Strengthens New York Finance Group

The Perkins Coie addition, David Sewell marks the firm’s fourth finance practice hire in two days amid a busy week.

Morgan Lewis Hires 5-Lawyer Labour-Management Relations Team

The team is led by partner Adam Abrahms, a member of the board of directors and the co-chair of the labor management relations practice at Epstein Becker. Abrahms is joined by of counsel Elizabeth Bright and associates Maria Arroyo, Neresa De Biasi and Juan Larios, all of whom are based in Century City.

Simpson Hires Partners From Latham, Paul Weiss to Lead Private Credit Practice

Tracey Zaccone was head of the hybrid capital practice and co-head of the special situations practice at Paul Weiss. David Teh had been at Latham for almost two decades.

Squire Patton Boggs Adds Corporate Finance Lawyer in Atlanta From Reed Smith

Andrea Dinamarco, who was previously a corporate counsel at Tesla, said her clients are moving with her.

Dentons Hires Litigation Partner, Two Associates in Nicaragua

The additions complement an already robust team across six countries in Central America, where Dentons has one of the most comprehensive offerings in a scattered legal market. Litigation partner Elvis Martínez joins in Managua from Munguía Vidaurre Law, a small firm where he was managing partner. He brings with him tax associate María José Mendoza and corporate associate Ana Belén Tiffer.

Fasken Nabs Venture Tech and Emerging Growth Partner in Montreal From Dentons Canada

The former co-head of Dentons Canada’s technology, media and telecommunications group Scott Rozansky, has joined the Montreal office of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin.

Jones Day Hires Government Regulation Counsel in Mexico City as Near-Shoring Activity Continues

Roberto Torres will help fill a void after the April departure of Jones Day’s government regulation team leader in Mexico, as the country fields a growing number of inquiries related to near-shoring.

In-House

Fast-Rising GC Exiting Unisys for Another Legal Chief Post

Claudius Sokenu joined the information services company Unisys in April 2022. Six months later, he got a big promotion. Now, he’s leaving to be legal chief at another company that is yet to be disclosed.

Chemical Giant Taps Senior Kimberly-Clark Lawyer as GC

Alexandra Colin is taking the legal reins of Univar Solutions as it moves to complete its $8.1 billion sale to private equity company Apollo.

Fast-Growing Fanatics Hires New Legal Chief After Reaching $31B Valuation

Gregg Winiarski is taking the legal reins of a retail business that has built a massive U.S. sports-merchandise presence and now is taking those ambitions overseas.

Rite Aid Taps 7-Time General Counsel to Help Execute Turnaround

Thomas Sabatino aims to help the pharmacy chain regain its footing after antitrust concerns scotched plans to sell the entire business to Walgreens.

FTSE 100 Giant Names Former Hogan Lovells Lawyer as General Counsel

FTSE 100 industrial technology company Smiths Group has appointed a former Hogan Lovells lawyer as its new general counsel. James Down replaces Mel Rowlands in the top legal role at the GC at the engineering company.

Promotions & Appointments:

Baker McKenzie Selects First Woman Partner to Lead Texas Offices

Michelle Hartmann, a Baker McKenzie litigator in Dallas, takes over on July 1 as the managing partner of the global firm’s Texas offices.

Herbert Smith Freehills Names Tokyo Partner as New Asia Head

Graeme Preston succeeds May Tai, who will continue to practice at the firm as a consultant focusing on her personal arbitral practice and other projects from September this year.

Holland & Knight Managing Partner Steven Sonberg To Step Down After 16 Years At Helm

Sonberg will be replaced by a trio of current partners. Robert Grammig, co-leader of the firm’s corporate, M&A and securities practice group, will serve as Holland & Knight’s chair and CEO. Meanwhile, David Whitestone, executive partner at the firm’s D.C. office, will serve as managing partner and Tiffani Lee, the firmwide diversity partner since 2008, will serve as deputy managing partner.

Dilworth Paxson Elects First Female Co-Managing Partner

Trusts and estates partner Kristen Behrens will join litigation partner Patrick Northen, who has been in the role for the past five years.

Arnold & Porter Fills C-Suite Slot With Veteran Firm Marketer, Consultant

Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer hired Jeff Berardi, who has law firm and advisory firm experience in marketing, as its chief business development and marketing officer.

Brazil’s Mattos Filho Elects M&A Partner to Lead the Firm for 3 Years

Pedro Whitaker de Souza Dias, who joined the firm as an associate in 1999, will take on the managing partner role in April 2024.

White & Case Taps Miami-Based Partner to Lead Latin America Practice

The practice encompasses more than 300 lawyers, including dozens based in Mexico City and São Paulo. Christian Hansen, an asset finance partner who has spent his 30-year-plus career with White & Case at the firm’s offices in New York, Mexico City and Miami, will take over the role from Miami-based project finance partner Carlos Viana.

Mergers & Alliances:

Two Midsize Toronto Business Law Firms Combine in Latest Merger in Canada

The combination of Loopstra Nixon and Macdonald Sager creates a new entrant among the city’s 100-plus lawyer law firms and is the latest in a string of mergers involving regional and midsized firms across the country over the last year.

How A&O Shearman’s Global Office Network Would Look

Operating across almost 50 locations is no small feat for any organisation, let alone two merging entities. For Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling, a combination is set create one of the world’s most geographically comprehensive commercial law firms, with about 3,900 lawyers.

Office Openings & Closing:

Clifford Chance Hires from Latham for Houston Office Launch

The launch includes the addition of seven new partners to the firm and will be its third US operation. The launch involves the arrival of Houston-based Latham & Watkins partners Jonathan Castelan and Trevor Lavelle, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, as well as five other partner hires that have not yet been announced.

Clifford Chance’s Houston Debut Marks the Latest UK Entry into Texas

“We are trying to play our own game,” said Clifford Chance’s Sharis Pozen. “We are looking at where the talent is and where our clients are pointing us.”

Faegre Drinker Opens Its First Florida Office, Targeting Litigation Work

“This launch is a strategic move for Faegre Drinker,” Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath chair Gina Kastel said in a press release. “We already have strong relationships in the area, and now can better serve clients with needs in the rapidly expanding Southeast region.”

Brazil’s Gaia Silva Gaede Advogados Launches Office in Madrid

The new office, which is launching as a growing number of Brazilian law firms follow clients to Europe, will be run by a Brazilian lawyer who has collaborated for years with firms associated with Spain’s ECIJA.

Financials:

Stephenson Harwood Offers Hope for UK Results Season With Strong Financials

The firm attributed its strong performance to its balance in practice areas, with dispute resolution bouncing back after a quieter couple of years.

Partner Pay Spread Condensed Across Big Law, as Head Count Rose and Profits Shrunk

Still, several Am Law 50 firms widened their spread of equity partner pay, including DLA Piper, Goodwin and McDermott.

Alston & Bird Deposes King & Spalding as Largest Atlanta Firm for Second Year

King & Spalding, which has seen its lawyer count in New York and D.C. mushroom, is “doing a very good job of keeping their rates up and keeping their attorneys very busy,” said a law firm recruiter.

As Kirkland Doubles Down in Salt Lake, Partner Billing Rates Soar in Region

Kirkland is now the third-largest law firm in Salt Lake, based on attorney head count last year.

The Law Firm Disrupted: Interest Rates are Hurting Law Firm Valuations

Hunton Andrews Kurth CFO Madhav Srinivasan calculated his annual figures for Am Law 100 valuations, finding that these firms as a whole dropped in value for the second straight year.

Technology & Innovation:

Artificial Intelligence: ‘It Ain’t Necessarily So’

Since human intelligence is finite in this world by its nature, and retired Judge Joseph W. Bellacosa is counting on humanity to once again defeat tech artificial intelligence, just as the Enlightenment turned out to be not so enlightened.

Lawyers’ Trust in Generative AI May Be Overstated

Attorneys are embracing generative AI faster than they have other tech innovations. However, for some, a perception of the technology being reliable doesn’t necessarily translate into “trust.”

Tracking Generative AI: How Evolving AI Models Are Impacting Legal

A running compilation of how the legal landscape continues to be shaped by generative AI tools, from GPT technologies to art generation tools and beyond.

A New Dawn of Legal Technology

Lawyers have, quite simply, failed to step up and make the business case for investment in legal tech. With the next inflexion point in legal technology evolution, including artificial intelligence and smart contracts, fast arriving, is the legal function finally ready to embrace legal tech and unlock tangible business value?

Risks That Generative AI Poses to Trade Secret Protections

Concerns over possible AI-related data leaks raise the spectre of damaging public disclosure of valuable business secrets, while the mere disclosure of a business secret to a generative AI program may, absent proper protections, undermine or even cancel out efforts to safeguard that information legally as a trade secret.

The Human Connection: Why ChatGPT Can Never Replace Lawyers

If you’re not willing to put your life in the hands of a ChatGPT pilot or a ChatGPT surgeon, why would you be willing to put your life in the hands of a ChatGPT lawyer? I think ChatGPT can and will be useful to the legal industry. However, do I think it’ll replace the lawyers and attorneys in the legal industry? No, I do not.

Diversity & Inclusion:

Fisher & Phillips and Ogletree Are Leading Atlanta Law Firms in Diversity Ranking

Clients want to see law firms “walking the walk and not just talking the talk” on diversity efforts, said Liz Washko, managing director of Ogletree Deakins.

Market Commentary:

Australia-UK Trade Agreement Paves Way for Lawyers to Work in Both Countries

A separate free-trade agreement between New Zealand and the U.K. is expected to lead to a similar outcome between those two nations.

Cooley Delays Some First-Year Associates by Another Year, Reassigns Others as Corporate Slump Continues

The announcement comes just two months after the firm announced in April it would delay its entire incoming class to January 2024.

Where did the Am Law Second Hundred Grow its Headcount?

Firms in the Am Law Second Hundred increased attorney headcount by 2.6% in 2022, but diving deeper and looking at where they added headcount sheds some light on this cohort’s growth strategy.

Eckert Seamans Cuts Staff by 2%

The reductions are concentrated in the firm’s Pittsburgh and Philadelphia office, according to a spokesperson.

Barley Snyder Announces Launch of Liquor Practice

“Liquor law is a very specific, specialized area [of law] in Pennsylvania that very few lawyers know how to do,” said partner Derek Dissinger.

World Environment Day: The Challenges Facing Law Firms

Climate change is moving up the agenda of legal regulators worldwide and into the world of legal ethics, writes Iain Miller of Kingsley Napley.

Travers Announces Partner Promotions, Down By Half From Bumper 2022

Fellow U.K. top 50 firm Shoosmiths also announced its partner promotions, which were up from the last year.

Moves:

UK & Ireland

Reed Smith Bolsters London Private Equity Team with Willkie Farr Partner

The hire follows Reed Smith’s addition of two private equity partners in Munich earlier this month. Francois Feuillat has joined the firm’s global corporate group.

EMEA

Portugal’s Telles Hires New EU and Competition Co-Head from Rival

Margarida Rosado da Fonseca has joined the law firm in Lisbon as a partner and co-head of the area after leading the same practice at CS’ Associados for more than three years as a counsel. The new Telles partner also led the EU and competition practice at DLA Piper in Lisbon from 2017 to 2019.

Paul Hastings Loses Paris Bankruptcy Team to Freshfields

The five-lawyer team is led by the same partner who joined Paul Hastings in 2020 to establish the firm’s insolvency practice in the French capital.

APAC

M&A Partner Neil Pathak Resigns from Australia’s Gilbert + Tobin

Highly regarded mergers and acquisitions partner Neil Pathak at Australian firm Gilbert +Tobin has resigned from the partnership. Neil Pathak is expected to join Ashurst.

Mishcon Steals Hong Kong Head and US Private Client Partner from Withers

With Wei Zhang’s departure, Withers divorce and family lawyer Jocelyn Tsao will be taking the reins as Hong Kong managing director.

Morgan Lewis Hires Stephenson Harwood’s Asia Private Equity Head in Singapore

George Cyriac joins the U.S. firm from Stephenson Harwood, where he was the head of the firm’s Indonesia practice and led its private equity practice in Asia.

Linklaters Hires Norton Rose Fulbright Singapore Disputes Partner

Andrew Battisson has spent the last five years working at Norton Rose Fulbright both in the Sydney and Singapore offices.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kewei Establishes TMT Practice With Partner Hire in Shanghai

Herbert Smith Freehills’ joint operation firm in China, Shanghai-based Kewei Law Firm, has added technology, media and telecommunications expertise with the hire of corporate partner Justina Zhang. This is the firm’s first partner hire since September 2021.

Akin Adds New Hong Kong Partner

Tarun Warriar joins the U.S. law firm from alternative investment firm Värde Partners, where he was a Hong Kong-based managing director.

Anjie’s Founding Partner Michael Gu Joins Hylands As Senior Partner In Shanghai

The senior partner hire comes less than four months after Hylands made its international debut with the establishment of an overseas office in San Francisco.

Mayer Brown Appoints New Asia Leader as Other Southeast Asian Firms Also Bulk Up

In Hong Kong, Mayer Brown has appointed Hong Kong partner Hannah Ha as chair of the firm’s Asia board, succeeding Hong Kong-based partner and head of its Asian employment and benefits group Duncan Abate, who has held the role since 2016.

Ashurst Hires Digital and Risk Advisory Partners in Australia

Anthony Lloyd joins from DLA Piper to become a partner in its digital economy practice in Sydney, while financial crime expert Steven Blackburn joins from casino operator Crown resorts to become a risk advisory partner in Melbourne.

The Americas

Linklaters Partner Jumps to McDermott As the US Firm Leans Into Structured Finance

Jonathan Ching said he decided to leave Linklaters after observing changes in the market that require more access to specialists in other practices than Linklaters could offer, as well as a larger presence in the United States.

Dentons Building Real Estate Bench Strength With New Partner in Montreal

Marie-Andrée Thibault is one of a number of Dentons’ hires across Canada and will lead the real estate group in the French-speaking city.

Covington Hires White House Environmental Director to Help Clients Achieve Decarbonization

Jayni Hein will serve as the co-chair of Covington’s newly launched carbon management and climate mitigation initiative, based out of San Francisco.

Gibson Dunn Hires O’Melveny Restructuring Co-Chair in New York

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher announced the hiring of partner Joseph Zujkowski, a bankruptcy lawyer joining the firm in New York after a decade at O’Melveny & Myers, where he most recently co-chaired that firm’s bankruptcy and restructuring practice.

Baker Botts Adds Houston PE Firm Exec as a Corporate Partner

Clay Brett, who had been general counsel at Millennial Energy Partners for the last two years after four years as a partner in the firm, said it was time to return to private practice.

Senior FDA Official Joins Morgan Lewis, as Biotech Client Demand Remains High

Maarika Kimbrell is joining Morgan Lewis as major federal legislation and ongoing regulatory changes have helped to drive client demand within the health care space.

Paul Hastings Hires Latham Entertainment Leader

Ken Deutsch brings a top-tier practice, which combined with the firm’s existing entertainment team, will “create a dynamic force across the entertainment and media landscape,” according to Bryan Lourd, co-chairman of Creative Artists Agency.

Amid Steady Demand in Antitrust, Sidley Austin Picks Up Weil Partner in DC

As heightened antitrust enforcement in the U.S. fuels client demand, Sidley Austin has brought on Carrie Mahan as a partner in the firm’s antitrust and consumer protection practice in Washington, D.C.

Alston Partner Duo Move to Bradley Arant, Attracted to ‘Core’ Construction Practice

New Bradley partner Deborah Cazan, who moved with John Spangler, said the firm’s large economic development team will benefit her practice “and that’s something we didn’t have at our prior firm.”

Linklaters Adds Litigation Partner

Linklaters has hired Robin Nunn as a partner in its litigation, arbitration and investigations group. She joins from Morgan Lewis, where she was co-leader of that firm’s banking industry initiative. She will be based in the firm’s New York and Washington, D.C. offices.

Weil Picks Up Simpson Thacher Energy and Infrastructure Partner in Houston

Chris Bennett’s arrival in Houston comes as Weil focuses on expanding its energy team.

Paul Hastings Hires Entertainment Litigator From Wilson Sonsini

Susan Leader, an entertainment litigator for the agency that represents Lizzo and Ellie Goulding, among others, has joined Paul Hastings.

In-House

AI Group Promoting Women, Fighting Gender Bias Names Legal Chief

Global nonprofit think tank Women in AI has added a new member to its management team, naming Silvia Carretta as chief legal officer.

Cano Health Hires Retired Weil Gotshal Star Amid Recovery Efforts

Frederick Green had been head of the transactions practice at Weil Gotshal before retiring last year, ending his 44-year career with the firm.

Prada Appoints New Chief Legal Officer

Francesca Secondari joined the luxury fashion house from an Italian law firm. She succeeds Cristina De Dona, who’d joined the company from The Hershey Co. in December 2021.

Promotions & Appointments:

Mayer Brown Appoints New Asia Head, Southeast Asian Firms Add to Bench

In Hong Kong, Mayer Brown has appointed Hong Kong partner Hannah Ha as chair of the firm’s Asia board, succeeding Hong Kong-based partner and head of its Asian employment and benefits group Duncan Abate, who has held the role since 2016.

Deloitte Legal Names Ex-A&O Peerpoint CEO as Next Global Leader

Richard Punt, formerly CEO of Allen & Overy’s flexible lawyering business Peerpoint, has been appointed as the global head of the Big Four accounting firm’s legal offering—effective Thursday.

Mergers & Alliances:

Atlantic Canadian Firm McInnes Cooper Grows Again With Cape Breton-Area Merger

Managing partner Kevin Kiley said the firm will continue its strategic growth plan with mergers and hiring new talent.

Office Openings & Closing:

Fieldfisher Moves into Austria with Vienna Launch

The firm has called Vienna a ‘strong commercial centre in Europe’ and an ‘important international arbitration hub’. The new office set to open in Vienna on June 1, according to a statement from the firm. For the launch, the firm has brought in a team led by Thomas Ruhm, who joins as office managing partner.

Anderson Mori & Tomotsune Opens Second Office In Vietnam

This marks the firm’s second international office establishment in less than a year. Japan’s Big Four law firm Anderson Mori & Tomotsune has opened an office in Hanoi, the firm’s second in Vietnam.

Dallas Trial Lawyer Dick Sayles Leaves Bradley Arant to Launch New Firm

Richard “Dick” Sayles, who joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings in 2019 to help launch its Dallas office, has left for a solo practice where he will continue to try lawsuits.

Beijing’s Han Kun Launches Its First-Ever International Office—in Singapore

Beijing-based Han Kun Law Offices has become the latest law firm to break into the Singapore market, launching a new office in the city-state, according to the firm’s official invitation to its opening ceremony on June 15.

Financials:

Strapped Legal Departments Finding Savings by Shifting Litigation to Smaller Law Firms

“Clients are starting to understand that there are a lot of good attorneys out there that can provide lower-matter-value services at better prices,” said Ken Callander, principal at Value Strategies.

Technology & Innovation:

Legal Tech vs. the Billable Hour: Experts Weigh In

Few things symbolize the legal industry’s commitment to maintaining the status quo as much as the endurance of the billable hour.

Cyberattacks Are Accelerating With AI’s Help

“If you’re a bad guy and you’re not using ChatGPT or other LLMs to go and find vulnerabilities, you’re probably not doing your job as a bad guy,” said Scott Giordano, general counsel of Spirion.

Generative AI May Be the Future, But APIs Impact Profitability Today

One of the tools that law firms can use right now to impact firm profitability and protect against being unequipped when even more consequential evolutions of generative AI emerge in the future are plug-and-play APIs to get access to structured, normalized data in real time from external data sources.

Diversity & Inclusion:

Diversity Improving at Law Firms, but Forces Are Working Against Those Efforts

Diversity advancements face roadblocks amid anti-DEI laws and the possible end of affirmative action. Law firm diversity professionals are looking to defend and continue those gains.

Market Commentary:

In Battle for Billable Hours, Not Coming in Will Cost Some Associates Their Jobs

“Frankly, I do not give assignments to associates and junior partners who are not in the office at least 3 days a week,” wrote one Am Law 100 practice leader.

Why Is Big Law Growing When Demand Is Dropping?

Many firms are “relying on some natural attrition, and it’s not coming along as fast as they’d like,” Wells Fargo’s Owen Burman said.

General Counsel Are Becoming More Attractive Candidates for Board Seats

General counsel have been banging on the boardroom door for years, but the coveted seat at the table has long remained elusive. The tide may finally be turning as companies are forced to get creative about their board selections in the face of more regulatory scrutiny and disruptive technology.

Wiggin and Dana Launches Cannabis Practice Group

Led by corporate practice partner Jack H. Sousa, a member of the firm’s wiggin(x) team, the group will provide full-service corporate, transactional and regulatory support to clients in the cannabis industry. The team will include at least six attorneys, according to a press release.

Freshfields Pips Linklaters in Latest FTSE 100 Adviser Rankings

The rankings for 2023 Q2, compiled by Adviser Rankings, remain steady despite economic headwinds and industry change causing uncertainty.

Just How Much Will US-China Geopolitics Threaten Law Firms in Asia?

China’s former zero-COVID policy is still having lingering effects on its economy, the country’s housing boom is over, its shrinking population is becoming a serious problem, and its prosperous residents have spent the last two years offshoring their wealth to countries like Singapore and the U.K. But it is the decoupling of the world’s two largest economies that poses the biggest threat to law firms in Greater China, lawyers say.

Near-Shoring Push Promises Growth for Law Firms in Mexico

Global firms Baker McKenzie and Hogan Lovells are fielding tons of inquiries, although there’s plenty of inbound work to go around as manufacturing shifts from Asia back to North America.

Moves:

UK & Ireland

Paul Weiss London Partner Duo Walks to Sidley

The firm’s London deputy head is among the leavers in a very rare loss for the firm’s U.K. base. Ramy J. Wahbeh, Paul Weiss’ deputy London head, and Kaisa Kuusk are leaving the firm to join U.S. rival Sidley, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

5-Strong Shearman Team Defects to Ashurst

The global energy and infrastructure team hire comes just two days after Shearman and A&O announced their merger. Joining Ashurst are London-based project finance partners Sanja Udovicic and Julia Derrick, Seoul-based partner Anna Chung, and Singapore office head Jean-Louis Neves Mandelli and Singapore lawyer Scott Baggett, who is elevated from counsel to partner.

Van Bael & Bellis Launches London International Trade Practice, Hires Ashurst, Crowell Veterans

The firm said the new additions come at a time when clients are facing “growing regulatory scrutiny” from both the EU and the U.K. Michelle Linderman is set to join the new team from Crowell & Moring, where she has spent six years as a partner in the firm’s international trade group.

Quinn Emanuel Launches London IP Litigation Group

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan is launching a contentious IP practice in London, the firm announced on Monday. The practice will be led by David Lancaster, who is set to join the firm from Pinsent Masons in August.

EMEA

Simmons & Simmons Hires Kennedys Partner in Madrid

Simmons & Simmons said it is further developing its insurance capabilities in Spain to help meet the demands of an expanding market. Olivia Delagrange has joined the U.K. firm’s office in Madrid as an insurance partner after nearly a dozen years at Kennedy’s, according to her LinkedIn profile.

APAC

HFW Takes SK Ecoplant GC as Partner for Singapore Practice

Joining from sustainable construction engineering firm, SK Ecoplant, where she was general counsel, Helen Lee will be relocating from Seoul to Singapore.

Han Kun Hires A&O Shanghai Joint Operation Practice Partner

A former Kirkland & Ellis partner, Jing Li joins Han Kun from Allen & Overy’s Shanghai Free Trade Zone joint operation firm, where she was a partner.

Anjie’s Founding Partner Michael Gu Joins Hylands As Senior Partner In Shanghai

The senior partner hire comes less than four months after Hylands made its international debut with the establishment of an overseas office in San Francisco.

Ashurst JV Adds M&A Partner From Korea’s Oldest Law Firm

The appointment of M&A partner Lawrence Jhe coincides with the firm’s hire of five Shearman & Sterling energy and infrastructure lawyers.

Stephenson Harwood Adds Corporate Partner in Hong Kong From Top Chinese Law Firm

Justin Ma is admitted as a solicitor in both Hong Kong and Australia and focuses on the mainland China market.

Beijing-based Commerce & Finance Adds Ex-Norton Rose Corporate Finance Partner in Hong Kong

Terence Lau, previously a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright and Hogan Lovells, has joined the Hong Kong office of Chinese firm Commerce & Finance Law Offices.

Clayton Utz Takes the 3-Lawyer Litigation Team From DLA Piper

Partner Matt Spain joins the Australian firm after three years at DLA Piper. Australian law firm Clayton Utz has hired a partner-led litigation team from DLA Piper, bolstering its litigation and dispute resolution practice in Melbourne.

Freshfields Adds White & Case M&A Partner in Singapore

With the new hire, Freshfields now has seven partners in Singapore. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has hired White & Case partner Jon Bowden in Singapore as the firm continues to build out its office in the city-state.

Stephenson Harwood Takes Hill Dickinson’s Asia Regulatory Head in Singapore

The arrival of M&A and international sanctions partner Jonathan Goacher has boosted Stephenson Harwood’s partner headcount in Singapore to 23.

Linklaters Lands Corporate Partner from Nishimura & Asahi in Tokyo

Linklaters has hired corporate lawyer Yoshiyuki Asaoka from Japan’s largest law firm Nishimura & Asahi as a partner for its Tokyo office. This marks the U.K. firm’s first lateral partner hire in Japan since its appointment of former Ashurst Japan’s corporate partner Tracy Whiriskey in April last year.

The Americas

Foley & Lardner Poaches Hughes Hubbard & Reed’s LatAm Leaders in Miami

Ruben Diaz and Federico Goudie are joining the firm Monday after spending years working together at Hughes Hubbard on mostly Latin American transactional work. The pair say they jumped ship because of the ability to scale at Foley.

Paul Weiss Adds Former Wachtell Executive Compensation Partner in New York

Andrea Wahlquist Brown has decades of experience at both Wachtell and Simpson Thacher.

Milbank Trial Lawyer Jumps to Jenner & Block in LA

Alex Romain is the second litigation partner to join Jenner in California in 2023.

Wiley Builds Telecom Team Amid Growing Activity From AI and Privacy Laws

Several D.C. law firms have been adding talent to their telecom practices, seeing work from AI advancements, new data privacy laws and other recent legislation. Wiley has brought on Crystal Tully as special counsel, bringing years of experience on Capitol Hill.

Gibson Dunn Adds Kirkland M&A Partner as Oil and Gas Co-Chair in Houston

Kirkland & Ellis oil and gas M&A partner Rahul Vashi moved to Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Houston, where he is excited to help the office grow.

Trio of Cahill Finance Partners Jump to Paul Hastings

Paul Hastings, continuing a string of lateral hiring in its finance practice, has added three partners from Cahill Gordon & Reindel in New York, including Marc Lashbrook, Josh Zelig and David Barash.

Latham M&A and Finance Partners Jump to Davis Polk

David Penna’s arrival establishes Davis Polk’s infrastructure finance practice, the firm said, adding Thomas Malone’s arrival in the M&A department will “further solidify our leadership position in the market.”

In-House

ASOS Appoints Next General Counsel

The internal appointment at the online clothing retailer is a former Slaughter and May lawyer. In an internal appointment, Emma Whyte takes over from former general counsel and company secretary Anna Suchopar.

AI Startup Valued at $1.5 Billion Hires First General Counsel

“It’s an honour to have the opportunity to roll up my sleeves and work alongside the fantastic team here, moving creativity forward through our powerful AI research,” newly hired Runway GC Cathleen Hartge said on LinkedIn.

Energy GC Stepping Down After Negotiating $19B Purchase

17-year Oneok attorney Stephen Allen departs for GuideStone, a faith-based financial services company.

Promotions & Appointments:

Corporate Litigation Practice Leader Named Potter Anderson’s Next Chair

Peter J. Walsh Jr., who has been at Potter Anderson for the entirety of his more than 35-year career to date, frequently appears in Court of Chancery litigation and has argued before the Supreme Court of Delaware and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mergers & Alliances:

A&O Shearman Needs 75% Partnership Approval to Get Merger Done

The firms’ leaders insist they are confident of getting the required partner support at a vote to take place this summer.

Office Openings & Closing:

Han Kun Launches First-Ever International Office – in Singapore

The Singapore outfit will be the firm’s third new office in 18 months. Beijing-based Han Kun Law Offices has become the latest law firm to break into the Singapore market, launching a new office in the city-state, according to the firm’s official invitation to its opening ceremony on June 15.

Firms Settling Into New Spaces Amid Flurry of Manhattan Leasing Activity by Legal Industry

According to a report this month from Cushman & Wakefield on leasing activity by law firms across the United States, the top 10 list for new leases or renewals based on square footage included five firms either re-signing or moving into new spaces in New York City over the past year.

Am Law 200 Law Firm Opens in Atlanta, Luring Veteran Lawyers From Georgia Firms

Bradley Arant is launching an office with 20 lawyers, including lawyers who were already leaders at their prior firms, said managing partner Jon Skeeters.

Financials:

Where Are Partner Billing Rates Surging the Most in Big Law?

The median hourly rate for partners in M&A shot up the highest, while partners in Chicago, D.C. and LA saw some of the largest increases. While partner billing rates rose last year all over, they skyrocketed in certain practice areas in Big Law and several U.S. cities, according to a new analysis. Going forward, billing rates are expected to continue another steep increase this year.

Law Firm Partner Hourly Rates Rose Last Year at Biggest Clip in at Least a Decade

“Touching partner compensation is the third rail of law firm politics. You don’t touch it. It can cause a lot of consequences you’re not ready for,” said Ken Callander, principal at Value Strategies.

A&O and Shearman to Adopt Modified Lockstep Model as Part of Merger

The proposed merger would entail both firms agreeing to a compensation model that is different to what they have operated with in the past.

Technology & Innovation:

ChatGPT Faces a Timeout as Legal Turns Its Attention to More Mature, Legal-Specific AI Tools

ChatGPT rarely finds itself in most severe conversations about the use of generative AI in legal, and the focus is instead on the advanced LLMs themselves, such as GPT-4, and how they can best be harnessed to address the needs and concerns of the legal industry.

How AI and Machine Learning Will Transform Your Legal Department

With 80% of executives believing that automation can be applied to any business decision, AI and ML tools are currently the most popular area where business IT departments will invest in 2023.

Does My Company Need an Acceptable AI Use Policy?

With any new technology, the use of AI tools comes with its own set of challenges, including ethical considerations and potential risks. Such issues make it essential for companies to establish an acceptable use policy for the usage of AI tools.

Will the AI Boom Rewrite the Job Description for General Counsel?

“The general counsel does not need to be an expert technologist no more than Bill Gates was actually writing code at the high end of his executive career at Microsoft,” said Jason Winmill, managing partner of the legal department consulting firm Argopoint.

Diversity & Inclusion:

Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel Believes ‘It’s Just Good Business’ to Have Diverse Staff

Diversity in our teams promotes diversity of thought and ideas and allows us to effectively understand and communicate through all spectrums of the legal field. Whether it be with juries or clients it is a strength that few firms can match.

Morgan & Morgan Launches $2 Million Summer Associates Program

For the first time, the firm selected 60 students for its summer associates program, which allows all participants to get exposure to the various levels of plaintiffs’ work from intake to trial, with a “large percentage” of them likely to land a job offer.

Market Commentary:

Why A&O’s Rivals View Its Merger With Shearman as a ‘Huge Threat’

Some insiders at Freshfields, Clifford Chance and Linklaters are inclined to play down the impact of A&O’s proposed merger with Shearman—but others concede it could lead to refreshed approaches to the U.S. market.

As Korean Corporates Exit China, Korean Law Firms Pivot, Focusing On Chinese Investments into Korea

Until a few years ago, Korean companies were pouring into China, giving the China practices of Korean law firms plenty of work. But as demand for that work has declined in the wake of geopolitical and economic pressures, those same firms have found a new revenue stream for their China practices: advising Chinese companies as they invest in South Korea.

The Allen & Overy-Shearman Merger and the End of the Magic Circle Era

In Asia, the merger will give Shearman a needed boost in Southeast Asia, where A&O is a recognized leader. And A&O will suddenly have a lot more bargaining power and pitch appeal with Asian clients looking at American matters, as Shearman is still considered Wall Street royalty.

Are Second Hundred Firms the New 100?

Am Law 100 partners are defecting to the Second Hundred firms for better business development opportunities, and their clients are on board.

Skadden To Mandate 4 Days In Office

The policy, which extends to all attorneys, will go into effect in early September. Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom confirmed Thursday that the firm was returning to four days a week in the office, beginning in early September. A statement issued by the firm indicates that attorneys will be expected to work from the office from Monday to Thursday each week.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Cuts 47 Staff Globally, Citing Excess Capacity in Secretarial and Administrative Roles

The global law firm announced the layoffs Thursday morning, stating affected employees had been notified and provided with “competitive” severance benefits and outplacement assistance.

More First-Year Deferrals Likely as Firms Grapple With Dormant Corporate Practices, Large Incoming Class Sizes

Some firms are considering deferring start dates to January, coinciding with an expected uptick in demand.

Moves:

UK & Ireland

Van Bael & Bellis Launches London International Trade Practice, Hires Ashurst, Crowell Veterans

Brussels-headquartered Van Bael & Bellis has hired senior lawyers from Ashurst and Crowell & Moring to launch a London-based international trade group.  Michelle Linderman is set to join the new team from Crowell & Moring, where she has spent six years as a partner in the firm’s international trade group. Prior to that, Linderman spent 20 years at Ince, having been a partner there since 2007, according to her LinkedIn profile. She will lead Van Bael’s U.K. trade team.

EMEA

Winston & Strawn adds 11-strong transactional team in Paris from local boutique

Winston & Strawn has added an 11-strong transactional team in Paris from local boutique Hoche Avocats. Group including four partners to bolster M&A, labour and finance offering.

Pérez-Llorca Adds Tax Law Team in Madrid

Pérez-Llorca has taken on a more than half-dozen-strong team of tax lawyers in Madrid from the Spanish law firm GTA Villamagna Abogados. The three lawyers leading the move were all partners at GTA Villamagna: Felipe Alonso Fernández, co-managing partner will join Pérez-Llorca as of counsel; Javier Povo will join as a partner; and Antonio Ruiz, an economist, will join as a senior tax counsel.

APAC

Linklaters Lands Corporate Partner from Nishimura & Asahi in Tokyo 

Linklaters has hired corporate lawyer Yoshiyuki Asaoka from Japan’s largest law firm Nishimura & Asahi as a partner for its Tokyo office.

Singapore Inks Mutual Agreements With France and Bahrain for Bilateral Judicial Cooperation

This marks the first time Bahrain has sought assistance from Singapore for establishing an international commercial court to be modelled on the Singapore International Commercial Court. The Supreme Court of Singapore and the Supreme Judicial Council of Bahrain have officially launched a project to collaborate on the establishment of the Bahrain International Commercial Court (BICC).

Han Kun Hires Corporate Partner from Tian Yuan in Beijing 

Han Kun Law Offices has hired capital markets and M&A lawyer Ray Shi from rival Chinese practice Tian Yuan Law Firm, where he was most recently a Beijing-based partner.

The Americas

Holland & Knight absorbs 28-lawyer boutique in Colombia

Group including seven partners join in Bogotá from Cuberos Cortés Gutiérrez just weeks after US firm hired 17-lawyer team in Mexico from Sánchez DeVanny.

Alston & Bird Bolsters Real Estate Group with Two New Partners in Los Angeles

Joining from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, partners Jim Kousoulas and James Litwinovich help guide real estate clients through a variety of complex loan transactions and litigation management strategies, with extensive experience working with a variety of lenders.

Baker McKenzie Adds Tax Partner in Rare Venezuela Hire

Tax expert, Serviliano Abache Carvajal has been hired. The global firm is among a handful of international law firms to maintain an office in the South American country, which was once one of the 20 richest countries in the world. The firm demonstrates its belief that market conditions are improving, which will lead to more work in the country.

Allen & Overy Loses IP Trio to Crowell & Moring

A veteran three-person intellectual property team from Allen & Overy has joined Crowell & Moring in New York, as the firm looks to expand its intellectual property and AI litigation capabilities. Led by IP litigator Paul Keller, the team includes counsel Michelle Wang and James Reed. The group, which will join Crowell’s intellectual property department, focuses on disruptive technologies, including autonomous driving, artificial intelligence, eHealth, among other things.

Crowell & Moring Taps Hogan Lovells Partner as Tax Co-Chair

Washington, D.C.-headquartered Crowell & Moring has added corporate tax attorney Christine Lane from Hogan Lovells as co-chair of the tax group, as Crowell looks to build up its ability to handle the U.S. federal tax aspects of complex business transactions, including joint ventures and domestic and cross-border mergers.

Promotions & Appointments:

Linklaters Appoints Next Portugal Managing Partner

Linklaters has appointed a new managing partner in Portugal. Marcos Sousa Monteiro takes the reins having been a member of the firm for twenty years. He was elected partner in 2015 and took over the corporate and M&A practice in Lisbon the following year.

Mergers & Alliances:

Shearman & Sterling to Merge with Allen & Overy

Shearman & Sterling and Allen & Overy plan to merge combining a revenue of $3.4 billion and roughly 3900 lawyers.

Office Openings & Closing:

Baker Botts secures Ashurst energy projects team for Singapore debut

US law firm Baker Botts has added a team of energy projects and transactional lawyers from Ashurst to open an office in Singapore. The new office will be led by Richard Guit, who has joined from Ashurst’s local office for the launch alongside fellow partners Daniel Reinbott and Michael Harrison and special counsel Jessica Ham and Giles Ashman. Rounding out the Singapore team is global projects partner Lewis Jones, who has relocated from Baker Botts’ London office, and an associate.

With More than 400 Clients in San Francisco, Mintz Prioritizes Office Growth

Mintz continues SF office expansion with laterals from Pillsbury and Jones Day. Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo managing partner Bob Bodian didn’t mince words when asked why he thought it was a good idea to expand in San Francisco.

Financials:

Macfarlanes Ups NQ Pay

Macfarlanes is increasing its pay for newly qualified lawyers by 7% and is now offering a base salary of £115,000, plus individual and firmwide bonuses.

HWF Plans to Double Size in Australia Over Next 3 to 4 Years

Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) is planning to double its size in Australia by 2026 by hiring partners to expand its corporate and commercial capabilities and grow its commercial litigation and international arbitration practices, according to the firm’s Australia managing partner, Gavin Vallely. The U.K.-headquartered firm, which has almost 100 lawyers, including 26 partners, across its Sydney, Melbourne and Perth offices, has increased its Australian revenue by between 15% and 20% annually over the past three years.

After Revenue and Profits Tumble, Kramer Levin Poised to ‘Capture Our Market Share’ in 2023

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel saw a 6.1% drop in revenue, to $421.44 million, while its average profits per equity partner fell nearly 15% to $2.38 million last year.

Still, firm co-managing partner Howard Spilko noted it was still the firm’s second-highest revenue-generating year ever. And, reflecting the cautious optimism among firms with robust restructuring and litigation practices, he said the firm is poised for a strong year in 2023.

Stoel Rives Sees Revenue, Head Count Fall, but Profits Inch Up Due to Higher-Value Work

Stoel Rives saw revenue fall 2.5% to $263.36 million last year as its lawyer head count dipped 8.7%, linked to a wave of departures in Salt Lake City. Managing partner Melissa Jones said the firm weathered the departures well, pointing to the modest revenue decrease and noted that Stoel Rives remains an attractive option for partners, especially in evolving legal markets.

Technology & Innovation:

Simmons Highlights What Annoys In-House Teams Most About Outside Counsel

More than a quarter of in-house legal teams feel that law firms have inadequate technology to meet their demands, while one in five say they’re unhappy with firms’ slow response times.

Fear or FOMO: Big Law Split on How to Boost Office Attendance

Not so long ago, when the talent market was tight and signing bonuses were flowing into laterals’ bank accounts, the law firm conundrum of how to get lawyers back into the office was viewed as a temporary one. The historic leverage lawyers possessed in deciding how and where they worked would not last, according to law firm leaders, consultants and recruiters, many of whom felt that firms would simply demand attendance when the power dynamics shifted back in favour of law firms.

Diversity & Inclusion:

Anxiety the Focus as More UK Law Firms Spotlight Mental Health

Travers Smith, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Macfarlanes and Osborne Clarke have joined the host of firms adopting a series of actions this week to honour Mental Health Awareness Week 2023.

Slaughters Rolls Out Podcasts, Yoga and More for Mental Health Awareness Week

Slaughter and May and Herbert Smith Freehills are among the firms rolling out a series of actions this month to help lawyers confront issues around well-being during Mental Health Awareness Week for 2023.

Clyde & Co Launches 26 Weeks Leave for New Parents

Clyde & Co has rolled out a new parental leave policy which will enable staff to take six months of fully paid leave, a policy which the firm has described as “gender-blind”. The offering is available to both mums and dads, regardless of whether they are the primary child carer or not, as well as those adopting, according to a firm statement.

Market Commentary:

Law Firms Are Increasingly Debt Free—Why?

The U.K.’s largest 50 law firms reduced their combined debt by more than £100 million in the 12 months to April 2022, fresh research shows.

Gen-Z Less Interested in Big Law and Traditional Law Firm Paths

Lawyers and aspiring lawyers in the generation showed significantly more desire to work in-house, while the interest to go into government stayed consistent, according to a new survey.

Ranked: UK Law Firms by Carbon Emissions

Partners are fond of saying that the ‘E’ of ‘ESG’ is something their firm takes very seriously. Clients, they say, expect serious commitments from firms on their individual climate efforts. However, by analysing the limited liability partnership financial accounts for the 2021-22 financial year, business advisory company Evelyn Partners has calculated the amount of emissions in kWh per member of each of the top 50 U.K. law firms.

Financial Irregularities, Undisclosed Business Ties and More: Lateral ‘Red Flags’ Grew During Pandemic

In 2019, 21% of the lateral candidates investigated by due diligence provider Decipher garnered warning signs. In the last three years, that figure has been between 29% and 34%.

Moves:

UK & Ireland

BCLP Continues Rebuilding With 3 Partnership Additions Amid Busy Hiring Market

The firm has strengthened its London white-collar and regulatory practice with the addition of David Rundle, a former criminal barrister who spent almost a decade at U.S. firm Wilmer Hale, where he was counsel.

HFW Flies In Aviation Heavyweight from Clyde & Co Asia

Peter Coles is currently based in Hong Kong and will be relocating back to London to rejoin HFW.

Ashurst Names Next London Managing Partner

Global loans partner Helen Burton, whose term as Ashurst’s London managing partner started on May 1, succeeds previous London leader Logan Mair, who was first appointed to the role alongside EMEA contentious financial services head Lynn Dunne back in 2021.

Cooley Taps Covington Veteran for London Life Sciences Hire

Cooley has strengthened its life sciences practice with the addition of a veteran partner from U.S. rival firm Covington & Burling. Corporate partner Simon Amies, who brings over 25 years experience, joins after more than twenty years at Covington, having first made partner at the firm in 2006, according to his LinkedIn profile.

EMEA

Veteran McDermott Germany Duo Walk to Reed Smith

Reed Smith has added two lawyers to its Munich office from McDermott Will & Emery, including the latter’s former head of private equity in Germany, as well as the founder of McDermott’s Germany branch. Partner Nikolaus von Jacobs joins as a partner in the firm’s Munich office, along with veteran ex-partner Christian von Sydow, who joins as senior counsel.

APAC

Ince Hong Kong Charts Own Path with Partner Hire

Priscilla Wong, most recently a counsel at Loeb & Loeb Hong Kong, has joined Ince’s Hong Kong partnership as a dispute resolution partner in its Hong Kong bench, suggesting the Asia arm of the ailing U.K.-headquartered firm may forge its own path.

Amber Group Legal Head Benjamin Bai Returns to Private Practice for King & Wood Mallesons

One of Greater China’s best-known IP lawyers, Bai joined Amber a year ago from Ant Group, where he was head of the company’s intellectual property legal team, and previously worked at Allen & Overy and Jones Day.

Shearman Hong Kong Loses Two Investigations Lawyers to Steptoe

With McKiernan’s joining, Steptoe will now count three partners in Hong Kong, one of whom is dually based. Steptoe & Johnson has added two investigations lawyers from Shearman & Sterling’s Hong Kong practice. The firm has added Brian Burke and Cáitrín McKiernan as partners to its investigations and white-collar crime practice.

Sullivan & Cromwell Lands Restructuring Partner in Hong Kong From Kirkland & Ellis

Kirkland’s restructuring partner Jacqueline Tang will become Sullivan’s fourth partner in Hong Kong.

HFW Expands Australian Employment Practice with Perth Partner Hire

Holman Fenwick Willan is expanding its Australian employment practice with the hire of partner Simon Billing to its Perth office. Billing has over 30 years of employee relations experience both as a legal practitioner in private practice and employee relations consultant.

The Americas

Paul Hastings Adds Willkie Partner as Firm Seeks M&A Practice Growth

The law firm continues to be active in the lateral market, even in practice areas that aren’t firing on all cylinders right now. Its latest lateral partner hire is M&A lawyer Jon Kubek.

Senior DOJ Official Joins Mayer Brown Amid Big Law Demand for Data Security Lawyers

Adam Hickey, who was a deputy assistant attorney general with the DOJ’s National Security Division, noted that the government “has really strengthened its position on data security and data privacy.”

On the Move: Tracking the Ins and Outs of California Lawyers

New hires, promotions and awards from across the California legal market.

Perkins Coie Lands Renewable Energy Practice Leads From K&L Gates

As the market for renewable energy continues to grow, Perkins Coie has hired two K&L Gates partners who were the firm’s renewable energy practice leads: Portland-based Elizabeth Crouse and San Francisco-based Buck Endemann, the firm said Friday. The duo officially started on May 10.

Longtime King & Spalding Crisis Management Lawyer Moves to McGuireWoods

Adam Sowatzka, who spent the past decade with King & Spalding, joins several others who made the switch between the two firms in recent years.

Trio of Stroock Lawyers Moves to McDermott

Three lawyers from Stroock & Stroock & Lavan’s private client group are heading to McDermott Will & Emery, including the chair of the practice, McDermott said Thursday. The group includes New York-based Anita Rosenbloom, who led Stroock’s private client services group, as well as partner Jay Scharf (Miami) and counsel John Kiely (New York). Rosenbloom said the group is also bringing two fiduciary accountants and an administrator from its team at Stroock.

McCarter & English Lands Startup Pair From Ellenoff Grossman & Schole

Self-proclaimed “startup whisperer” James Smedley and fellow intellectual property attorney Alex Korona have joined New Jersey-based McCarter & English’s Philadelphia and Newark, New Jersey, offices as partners in the firm’s IP practice.

Kirkland Lures Another Capital Markets Partner From Latham

Latham partner Shagufa Hossain joined Kirkland’s D.C. office, following Rachel Sheridan. Kirkland’s capital markets talent grab is the latest in a series of partner moves between the two highest-grossing law firms.

Greenspoon Marder Picks Up Pillsbury Partner Focused on International Transactions

“Whether it’s venture capital or private equity, sophisticated investors want to be in South Florida and it goes throughout industries,” said incoming Greenspoon Marder partner Jon Lyman. “There’s a lot of interesting work going on.”

Mergers & Alliances:

Stroock Plans to Merge With Nixon Peabody

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan and Nixon Peabody are discussing a merger between the firms, targeting this summer for announcing the combination publicly, sources with independent knowledge of the talks say.

Office Openings & Closing:

Dechert to Cut Global Workforce by 5%

The firm, which has offices in the U.K., Asia, the Middle East and Europe, is letting go of 55 attorneys and 43 business professionals, including a “redundancy” process that has begun in London.

Everlaw Lays Off 10% of Global Workforce to Prepare for Economic Uncertainty

This is the latest company to join the ranks of other e-discovery and legal tech companies who have announced layoffs in recent months.

Morgan & Morgan Growing Southeast Georgia Operations, Adding More Space in Savannah

Partner Jody Wade said he expected the Savannah office “to grow exponentially in lawyers and staff” with the move.

US Plaintiffs Firm Berger Montague Opens Toronto Office

“Massive opportunities” prompted Berger Montague’s foray into the Canadian market, the firm said. In the latest instance of a U.S. law firm looking to the Canadian market for growth, plaintiffs class action and commercial litigation firm Berger Montague has opened an office in Toronto.

Financials:

Revenue, Profits Drop at Finnegan in 2022, but Firm Invested in Growth

Among its investments, the intellectual property specialty firm opened an office in Munich. Between its offices in Munich and London, the firm said it now has more than 25 IP professionals in Europe, where the Unified Patent Court is set to open this summer, providing work for IP lawyers.

Brown Rudnick Sees PEP Surge 29% in Banner 2022, With ‘Well-Positioned’ Practice Mix

The firm saw success with a mix of litigation, white-collar and restructuring work. “With the economy headed the way it’s headed, we are well-positioned,” said chairman Vince Guglielmotti.

‘Not For the Faint of Heart’: Quinn Emanuel Charts Growth in Boston as More Big Law Firms Circle the Market

Just as financial services and IP litigation has helped Quinn grow to more than 40 attorneys in Boston, several other Am Law 200 are circling the market, interested in life sciences, private equity and transactional work.

These Two Firms Ended the UK Pay War—but at What Cost?

The two firms finally decided to match rivals on salaries last week but have they lost out after a year of being behind?

Technology & Innovation:

Corporate Bans of AI Tools Come With Their Own Risks

“You can ban it on company equipment but you can’t ban it on other devices that employees might be using. It would be like banning email, or Google search, or a reticence to using the Google enterprise suite of products,” said Nithya Das, former chief legal officer of Olo.

Ireland’s Shifting Fines Against Meta Reflect Growing Pains for EU Data Privacy Regulation

“Data regulation in Europe is not so complicated, but it’s not so easy, either,” said Marc Mossé, senior counsel at the French firm August Debouzy and a former attorney at Microsoft.

‘It Can Be Trained on Case Law’: How a Lawyer Is Using Generative AI Inspired by ChatGPT

Attorney Matt Q. Wetherington uses the technology to field incoming prospective client calls, for document creation and summarization tasks. He also thinks GPT could revolutionize depositions.

Legal Tech and Operations Firms Join Forces to Target France’s In-House Market

The Anglo-French partnership comes amid increasing demand from in-house teams for legal technology.

The CLO’s Role as the Board’s AI ‘Traffic Cop’

The increasing political, legal, scientific and media focus on the risks of artificial intelligence (“AI”) provides a new opportunity for the chief legal officer to support the role of corporate governance. Indeed, a series of recent developments focusing on the risks of AI have also added a sense of urgency to clarifying the board’s oversight obligations.

How Will ChatGPT Effect Criminal Lawyering?

One supposes that criminal lawyers are often dentist-like in their professional undertakings— trying to “extract” truth from clients, witnesses and even prosecutors. Are we, however, immune from substitution by designated hitters who can hit the ball out of the park digitally?

Diversity & Inclusion:

Law Firms in Australia Will Have to Report Gender Pay Gaps

Advocates hope the move will narrow the pay differential between men and women.

Addleshaws Introduces Raft of Offerings to Ease Partner Retirement Process

The firm’s head of responsible business said that the topic of partner retirement was “shrouded in some mystery and behind door conversations, and we wanted to change that”.

Market Commentary:

Baker McKenzie and Withers Eye Big Mandates From Global PE Firms’ Newly Established Real Estate Teams in Japan

Attracted by high yield spreads with Japan’s low interest rates, many global private equity funds are building out their teams to incorporate real estate into their strategy.

‘We Could Be Next’: As Law Firms Swing the Axe, Associates are Getting Anxious

‘What if this quietness means that I’m actually just dead weight that the firm needs to get rid of. That kind of thinking works its way into your bones.’ ‘Aligning staffing with levels of demand’. That was the reason Dechert gave last week for its decision to reduce its global workforce by 5%. The figures tally up: earlier this year, the firm posted a 15% profit dip, so it’s time to get the house in order.

Large Lateral Moves Are Raising the Competitive Ante for Law Firms

Precarious law firm partnerships have been disrupted by pandemic-era working conditions, industry consultants, recruiters and firm leaders have observed. New alliances have been formed across offices at the expense of the ties that used to bind lawyers with regular office attendance.

Gen-Z Less Interested in Big Law and Traditional Law Firm Paths

Lawyers and aspiring lawyers in the generation showed significantly more desire to work in-house, while the interest to go into government stayed consistent, according to a new survey.

Anti-ESG Sentiment Is on the Rise, But Law Firms Aren’t Flinching

Republican lawmakers like Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis have targeted the concept as they lean into culture war issues, but clients’ demands for advice haven’t ceased.

Moves:

UK & Ireland

Freshfields Appoints Next London Disputes Head

The move comes after former head, Mark Sansom, was appointed London managing partner. Effective May 1, litigation partner Andrew Austin steps up to the role. The change in leadership follows the appointment of former London dispute resolution head, Mark Sansom, to London managing partner last week, according to a person at the firm.

Mayer Brown Swoops on King & Spalding for London Partner Hire

Richard Nelson has joined Mayer Brown as a partner in its global energy group. He leaves King & Spalding after nearly eight years as a partner in the firm’s Singapore office.

Freshfields’ New London Head Takes Charge and Outlines Priorities

Transatlantic cooperation, ESG expertise and UK growth are among Mark Sansom’s key areas of focus in his new role.

Ashurst grows London funds practice with new partner hire

Global law firm Ashurst announces the appointment of Whitney Lutgen as partner in its investment funds practice based in London, as the firm continues the growth of its international funds practice in response to increasing client demand.

EMEA

Paul Hastings Adds Clifford Chance Partner in Germany

Frederik Mühl, a private equity and infrastructure M&A partner, had been with Clifford Chance for 25 years.

Morgan Lewis Without Germany Arbitration Expertise as Trio Exits

It represents a slight reversal of fortunes for the firm which expanded significantly in Germany last month by taking Shearman & Sterling’s entire Munich office.

APAC

Allen & Overy Makes Double Partner Hire From Baker McKenzie Singapore

Allen & Overy has boosted its corporate practice in Asia with the hire of equity capital markets lawyer Kenny Kwan and public mergers and acquisitions lawyer Caryn Ng as partners in Singapore.

Harneys Appoints its First Hong Kong Office Head

Harneys has appointed Paul Sephton, its corporate, banking and finance partner, as the firm’s first Hong Kong managing partner.

As Ropes & Gray Winds Down Asia Restructuring Practice, Freshfields Hires Firm’s Former Hong Kong Head

Freshfields currently does not have any restructuring, distressed assets or special situation partners based in Greater China. Anderson’s joining with a team of lawyers will launch that focused regional offering for the firm.

Senior Samsung Counsel Returns to Yoon & Yang as Seoul Partner

Big Six South Korean firm Yoon & Yang has hired U.S.-qualified M&A lawyer Irene Kim in Seoul from Korean memory chip and smartphone maker Samsung Electronics, where she was most recently the principal legal counsel.

Singapore Litigation Boutique Setia Law Adds Public Prosecutor to Bench

Victoria Ting was most recently a public lawyer within the financial and technology crime division of the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), where she prosecuted and tried cases related to fraud, bribery, money laundering and sanctions.

HFW Hires Construction Partner for Melbourne Office from Jones Day

Ken Hickman returns for his second stint at HFW. HFW is expanding its Australian construction and commercial litigation practice with the hire of partner Ken Hickman in Melbourne, who joins from Jones Day.

Ashurst Hires Two Corporate Partners for its Sydney Office

Ashurst has hired two corporate transaction partners to join its Sydney office, one from Bracewell’s London office and the other from an Australian firm. Jo En Low, a private equity/M&A lawyer who advises financial investors and major international corporates in the renewable energy sector, joins from Bracewell.

DLA Piper and Australia’s Thomson Geer Hire Hong Kong Partners

DLA Piper has hired former Akin Gump Hong Kong partner Naomi Moore as its regional head of restructuring, while Australian firm Thomson Geer has hired a general counsel from the city-state.

The Americas

White & Case, Committing to Grow Litigation Practice, Adds Willkie Partner

Brienne Letourneau is the fourth lateral partner to join White & Case’s commercial litigation practice this year.

Stevens & Lee have hired two new joiners in Valley Forge

Stevens & Lee announced that Derick S. Kauffman and Mark E. Rosenstein have joined the corporate, finance and capital markets department and will be based in the firm’s Valley Forge office.

Baker & Hostetler Hires 8-Lawyer Corporate Team in LA

Will Chuchawat, the co-chair of private equity and M&A at Proskauer, and JR Lanis, the vice chair of securities at Polsinelli, joined the firm along with five other lawyers from their former firms, plus Kirkland.

Alston & Bird Hires 2 Kirkland Partners in Silicon Valley

Simon Root and Jonathan Manor joined the firm’s private equity team after about a decade each at Kirkland.

K&L Gates Expands Public Policy and Law Practice With 3 Additions in DC

K&L Gates continues to grow its public policy and law practice with the addition of Jamie Jackson as a partner, Thomas Fulton as a government affairs advisor, and Leonard Bickwit as counsel in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, the firm announced Thursday.

Polsinelli, Seyfarth Shaw Announce Partner News

Polsinelli announced the hiring of real estate finance attorneys Joshua F. Reif and Aleksandra Strang to its Atlanta office. Reif and Strang have joined the firm’s real estate finance practice group as shareholders, continuing the firm’s growth there, the firm said a release.

Blank Rome Adds 7-Lawyer International Trade Group From McDermott in DC

The firm is building out its international trade capabilities, as the current geopolitical and economic environment continues to put tension on global government and corporate operations.

SDNY General Crimes Unit Co-Chief Joins Kramer Levin; Brown Rudnick Adds IP Partner

Jordan Estes has joined Kramer Levin as a partner in the firm’s white collar defense and government investigations practice. Brown Rudnick has added Merri Moken as a partner in the firm’s intellectual property litigation practice.

Paul Hastings Hires Morrison & Foerster’s Silicon Valley Litigation Leader

Rudy Kim, an IP litigator for the likes of Tencent and Uber, has joined Paul Hastings in Palo Alto.

Morgan Lewis Lands 10 Stroock Consumer Finance Lawyers on Both Coasts

Five lawyers, including three partners, have already arrived at Morgan Lewis. The new arrivals will be based in New York, Washington, D.C., Miami, Los Angeles and Century City.

Employment Chairs Lead Mass Departure From Lewis Brisbois To Newly Launched Firm

Barber Ranen now has over 110 lawyers focusing on commercial and employment litigation in 12 geographic markets throughout the U.S. Firmwide managing partner John Barber expects that number to grow to between 125 and 140 by the middle of the month.

Peru’s Estudio Muñiz Loses Head of IP and Life Sciences Practice to Local Boutique

Marta Fernández Pepper will lead the IP and life sciences practice at Diez Canseco Abogados, leaving behind a firm she has worked at for nearly three decades.

Longtime Borden Ladner Partner With Big Bank Expertise Joins Gowling WLG in Montreal

Mathieu Lévesque was at Borden Ladner Gervais for nearly 20 years and was the regional leader of the firm’s banking litigation group.

Cory Sherman Joins Cassels as Co-lead of Its Commercial Leasing Team

Sherman makes the move to Big Law after 25 years in a boutique firm he co-founded. Cassels also added a partner in Calgary but lost one in Vancouver.

In-House

Wake Forest Goes Outside to Replace GC Who’s Retiring After 40 Years With School

Brian White comes to Wake Forest from the University of Kansas, where he was GC. Earlier in his career, he was with the University of Iowa.

After Rough Stretch, Fintech With Big Ambitions Hires Legal Chief

Pagaya Technologies is charging ahead with expansion, despite seeing its market cap shrink from $20 billion to less than $1 billion. Eric Watson has joined Pagaya Technologies as chief legal officer.

Insurtech Unicorn Next Taps Fast-Rising Attorney as GC

Rachel Jrade-Rice is taking the legal reins of a tech-driven insurer that reached a $4 billion valuation just six years after its founding.

Deputy GC at Sleep Apnea Device Maker Gets Dream Job

Medical device maker ResMed Corp. has promoted from within to replace global general counsel David Pendarvis, who retires June 30 after 21 years as legal chief. Michael Rider, currently senior vice president and deputy general counsel, will also take on Pendarvis’ role as secretary of the San Diego-based company perhaps best known for its sleep apnea machines.

MADD Names Nonprofit Veteran as Legal Chief Amid Executive-Hiring Spree

Saerin Cho has taken the legal reins of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, which launched in 1980 to fight impaired driving and underage drinking and to assist victims of impaired-driving accidents.

Telemedicine Unicorn Scoops Up Fintech Veteran to Lead Legal Team

Beth Stevens has taken the legal reins of Sword Health. It’s the latest in a string of legal leadership roles for Stevens at fast-growing startups in highly regulated industries.

Girl Scouts Replaces GC Who Became Federal Judge

Diana Beinart, a former White House lawyer who most recently was GC of New York City Department of Finance, will take the reins of the 550-employee nonprofit.

Promotions & Appointments:

Dentons Cohen & Grigsby Announces First Female CEO

Christie Tillapaugh replaces outgoing CEO Christopher Carson on Oct. 1.

Sweep of New Practice Leaders at Clifford Chance, Linklaters and Eversheds

Clifford Chance, Linklaters and Eversheds Sutherland have announced a number of practice management changes. Clifford Chance has appointed New York-based Zarrar Sehgal as the new head of the firm’s global asset finance group.

Watson Farley and Bird & Bird Continue Industry Trend of Increased Partner Promotions

Watson Farley’s promotions follow the recent announcements of offices in Seoul and Tokyo. Watson Farley has promoted 11 of its lawyers to partner, bringing the total number of partners at the firm to 195. Three promotions are in London, two in Rome, with one partner each in Madrid, Tokyo, New York, Seoul, Singapore, and Dusseldorf.

Office Openings & Closing:

Texas Catching the Eye of More Big U.K. Firms

Ashurst and Clyde & Co. are among the large U.K.-founded firms that recently launched small offices in Texas.

Trowers & Hamlins Latest Firm to Seize on India’s Market Liberalisation

Trowers & Hamlins has announced the launch of a new India desk in the latest example of international law firms seizing on new opportunities as India eases entry to foreign law firms.

Canadian Law Firm Bennett Jones Plants Flag in Montreal Market

The Western Canadian firm says it sees new opportunities as well as synergies for its lawyers and clients in Montreal.

Spain’s ECIJA Rolls Out Advisory Offering in Mexico and Elsewhere in Latin America

The business seeks to offer a more comprehensive service to legal clients in need of financial, accounting and other guidance.

Taylor Wessing Takes On More Space in London HQ

A number of firms have been mulling office changes in recent months amid a wider trend back to workplaces.

Financials:

Thompson Coburn Rides Litigation, Corporate Work to 8.5% Revenue Growth

COO Allen Capdeboscq said the firm’s client and practice mix bodes well for the firm to have consistent growth: “Our largest clients account for only 3% of our revenue. We’re not relying on one particular group.”

Riding the Energy Sector Wave, Bracewell Improves Revenue, Profits

Revenue improved by 4.8% in 2022, following a small decline the prior year, due to the volume of work in transactional, litigation and regulatory practices.

Dickinson Wright Rides Litigation, Corporate Work to 11.6% Revenue Growth in Record Year

A strong showing in litigation and a bump in corporate work, a rarity in 2022, saw the Detroit-based firm cross the $300 million mark in revenue for the first time.

Big Law Surprisingly ‘Strong’ so Far in 2023, but More Cuts Could Be on the Way

“Revenue growth was strongest among the largest firms, reverse of the results experienced in 2022 when the Am Law 51-100 outpaced the Am Law 1-50,” according to Wells Fargo analysts.

Withers Calls On Junior Partners to Stump Up as LLP Accounts Show Cash Fall

The firm’s recently-filed accounts show its overdraft balance is higher than its cash level.

Riding the Energy Sector Wave, Bracewell Improves Revenue, Profits

The London and Dubai offices each posted their highest revenue ever, the firm said.

Technology & Innovation:

Navigating the Risks and Opportunities of ChatGPT

The Implications of Data Breaches and Generative AI Platforms for the Legal Industry. The pros and cons that law firms should consider before incorporating generative AI.

AI and Cybersecurity: Possible New Risks and Legal Implications

In this article, we explore the intersection of AI and cybersecurity, including the main risks and best practices for organizations that develop or deploy AI tools, while also considering the future of AI regulation.

Access to International Legal Tech a Key Factor in Liberalization of India’s Legal Market

Indian attorneys are eying e-billing, practice management and matter management solutions from international vendors as they cope with the demands of the country’s population, and a newly opened legal market.

How to Stay on Top of Cybersecurity Disclosures as SEC Ramps Up Enforcement

It is critical companies take stock of their cyber hygiene policies and incident response protocols, and not only manage cybersecurity risks and prevent attacks, but also respond to them with proper disclosures.

Taking Different Paths: How US, EU Approach Generative AI Privacy, Security Concerns

From regulations to investigations and enforcement actions, generative AI-powered tools have received growing attention in recent months. During “The Age of AI: A Proskauer Webinar Series-Privacy and Data Security” webinar, panelists discussed some of the different approaches taken by the EU, U.S. and U.K. to regulate this technology.

New LLM Shield Tool Blocks ChatGPT from Accessing Sensitive Legal Information

The latest offering from serial tech entrepreneur Wayne Chang, LLM Shield aims to stop sensitive data leakage through tools like ChatGPT: “There’s no reason why, in order to use … AI and get the power that it brings, we have to give up our secrets, right?,” Chang says.

Diversity & Inclusion:

GCs Can Play a Key Role Helping ‘Neurodivergent’ Employees Thrive

“Neurodiversity is an asset to any workplace, due to the unique styles of thinking and problem-solving,” said Ashlee Grant, a Baker & Hostetler partner.

Women Lawyers Want Better Work-Life Balance, Proper Support From Firms

A survey of nearly 200 women lawyers, mostly associates, cites “thoroughly depressing” reasons for why they leave their Am Law 200 firm, such as a lack of support in providing maternity leave or childcare and the stress of meeting billable-hour targets.

Disability Claims May Trip Up Bosses With Hard-Line Back-to-Office Policies

“The pandemic was, and to a certain extent still is, a lengthy mind- and body-altering experience that workers made serious adaptations to deal with. Any expectation of a quick and easy return to the ‘old normal’ ignores that reality,” said C. Tyson Gorman, a Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs partner.

Market Commentary:

Will Artificial Intelligence Finally Kill the Billable Hour?

There are two very different compensation structures in the legal industry, and as innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) prove their productivity-enhancing capabilities it’s important to acknowledge that only one is incentivized to embrace it.

A&O and Linklaters Ended the Pay War—But At What Cost?

The two firms finally decided to match rivals on salaries last week but have they lost out after a year of being behind?

Moves:

UK & Ireland

White & Case Hires Kirkland London Antitrust Partner

Michael Engel was partner for just over two years at Kirkland. Prior to that, he was part of Sullivan & Cromwell’s European competition team for over a decade, and also spent a two-year stint at the legal arm of Goldman Sachs’ investment banking division, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Greenberg Traurig Boosts Finance with Paul Hastings Partner

Greenberg Traurig has added to its London finance practice with the hire of partner Sierra M. Taylor.

EMEA

Clyde & Co Hires Morgan Lewis Dubai Partner

Rebecca Kelly rejoins the firm after a nine-year stretch at Morgan Lewis & Bockius, where she was Dubai office managing partner and head of litigation, leading its Middle East regulatory and disputes team.

Cuatrecasas Adds Partner-Led Dentons Trio in Barcelona

Leading the move, Diego Pol was a partner at Dentons for more than four years, where he led the Spanish Compliance team within the firm’s corporate and M&A practice and co-chaired the European compliance group. Prior to his time at Dentons, Pol worked as a senior associate at Baker & McKenzie.

DWF Splits with Global Infrastructure Co-Head in Dubai, But Adds 2 Other Partners

DWF has parted ways with its Dubai-based global co-head of infrastructure, construction and energy—who leaves for HFW—but adds two other Dubai-based partners.

APAC

Simmons & Simmons Hires Latham Energy Partner David Blumental in Hong Kong

The appointment bolsters Simmons’ cross-border capability and will help it further develop its energy, natural resources and infrastructure practice in the Asia Pacific and Greater China, the firm said.

Squire Patton Boggs Adds K&L Gates Energy Partner In Singapore

Lian Yok Tan, who is qualified in four different jurisdictions, including the U.K. and Singapore, has 30 years of experience.

Han Kun Hires Two From Sidley in Beijing

Beijing-based Han Kun Law Offices has added two new partners, Lan Tao and Gloria Wang, from Sidley Austin’s Beijing office.

Two Years After Ending China Alliance, McDermott Appoints New China Head, Hires Baker McKenzie Team

Peter Lu has joined the firm in London from Baker McKenzie, where he has spent over four years. Lu joins McDermott with a team of lawyers including Tina Hartwright, who has been promoted to counsel at McDermott, Ennio Keyte and Alonso de Reyes Lanfranco, all of whom are corporate lawyers.

Clyde & Co Nabs Australian Finance Partner and Seven-Lawyer Team

Global law firm Clyde & Co has hired a partner-led team from a local firm to join its financial services regulatory team. Liam Hennessy joins the firm in Brisbane along with seven lawyers from local firm Gadens.

Australian Firm Takes Insolvency Partner From Norton Rose Fulbright

Sydney-based Jonathon Turner joins the firm’s restructuring and insolvency team with a focus on growing contentious matters, complex litigation and restructuring.

The Americas

McCarter Adds to Miami Office With Hinshaw & Culbertson Partner

Ira Gonzalez is joining Newark-based McCarter after over three years at Hinshaw. While he helps build out the Miami office, he’ll be a partner in the firm’s products liability, mass torts and consumer class actions practice.

Winston & Strawn Builds Crypto, International Strength with Greenberg Traurig Tech Partner

Will Turner spent most of his career in Chicago until the pandemic hit and he relocated to Florida.

‘An Obvious Choice’: Reid Rejoins Eversheds Sutherland as Partner

“I wanted to get back to being more of a subject matter specialist in the privacy, cybersecurity and technology areas,” Rachel Reid said of her move from in-house work back to law firm work.

Hogan Lovells Nabs Top Jones Day Environmental Partner in Mexico

Mauricio Llamas is bringing three associates with him to Hogan Lovells, where he will head the firm’s environmental law practice in Latin America’s second-biggest economy.

Paul Hastings Lands Veteran Kirkland Funds Partner, With Others Expected to Join Him

Paul Hastings has hired John Budetti, a 17-year veteran of Kirkland & Ellis’ investment funds group, as the new global chair of its investment funds and private capital practice, the firm said, with five current and former Kirkland attorneys expected to join him.

SEC Private Funds Attorney Joins Morgan Lewis Amid Big Law Demand for Regulatory Lawyers

Christine Schleppegrell is one of several former SEC veterans who have joined Morgan Lewis since the start of 2022.

Shearman Loses Energy Co-Head To Mayer Brown in Houston

Gabriel Salinas’ exit comes shortly after Omar Samji, another leader of Shearman & Sterling’s energy innovation team, moved to Weil, Gotshal & Manges in Houston.

Holland & Knight Snags 17 Lawyers From Mexico’s Sánchez DeVanny

The raid brings seven partners, including some former practice and office heads, plus two senior counsel and eight associates as the U.S.-based firm wagers big on near-shoring for manufacturing.

Leaning Into Diversified Practices, McDermott Lands Holland & Knight Real Estate and Private Wealth Partner

McDermott Will & Emery has brought on Holland & Knight real estate and private wealth partner Elena Otero in Miami, as the firm continues building up practices that remain flexible with economic conditions.

Covington Names New SF Leader as Regulatory Work Ramps Up

Covington’s regulatory and investigations roots are giving it a boost in the Northern California legal market, according to San Francisco office managing partner Gretchen Hoff Varner.

Sullivan & Cromwell, Recruiting From BlackRock, Becomes Latest Law Firm to Add Talent in Financial Reg Practices

The Wall Street firm is at least the third Am Law 25 law firm to hire a financial regulatory partner in D.C. in the last week, with the addition of Dalia Blass as a partner.

A&O New York Team Defects to Paul Hastings

The structured finance team, including several associates, is joining rapidly growing Paul Hastings. The team is led by A&O partner Nick Robinson, who leaves the firm after four years as a partner in A&O’s structured finance practice.

Barley Snyder Adds Immigration Attorney, Andrew J. Mahon to its Growing Roster

Mahon brings over a decade of experience in the areas of immigration and employment law. In his immigration practice, he represents families and businesses seeking immigration benefits in addition to defending individuals placed in removal proceedings.

Milbank Lands 27-Year Paul Weiss Finance and Restructuring Vet

Lawrence Wee’s practice, which focuses on out-of-court restructuring, sits at the strategic center of several key practice areas, according to Milbank leaders.

Kleinbard Brings on New Executive Director, Four New Attorneys

The additions qualify as “pretty dramatic growth” for the 35-lawyer firm, according to managing partner Michael Frattone.

In-House

Sabre Replaces Freshly Hired CLO It Had Wooed With Millions

The travel company appointed Ann Bruder as chief legal officer, succeeding Chadwick Ho, a former Disney attorney who’d started in September.

Swiss Luxury Goods Giant Names Kraft Heinz Veteran as Top Lawyer

Thomas Loest’s climb up the legal department ladder included stops at Georgia-Pacific, Nike and Kimberly-Clark.

Twilio Welcomed Impossible Foods’ Legal Chief With $13M New-Hire Stock Grant

Dana Wagner, chief legal officer of San Francisco-based Twilio, also received a massive stock grant as part of his normal 2022 compensation. The two awards left his pay just shy of that of Apple GC Kate Adams.

Deutsche Bank Hires From Pharma Giant For Next General Counsel

Deutsche Bank has hired its next general counsel, appointing Friederike Rotsch to the role.

Freshly Public Travel-Tech Company Hires Apple Lawyer as First GC

Meredith Waters is taking the legal reins of Mondee, which aims to capitalize as the travel industry becomes increasingly technology-driven.

Lyft Lays Off Chunk of Legal Team, Names Former GC as President

Kristin Sverchek, who’s been with Lyft since 2012 and was general counsel until 2021, will help the company’s new CEO execute his strategy of slashing costs to make the service more affordable for riders and profitable for drivers.

DoorDash Attorney’s Promotion to GC Earned Her $15M Stock Grant

Tia Sherringham took the legal reins in January 2022 after the food-delivery company promoted her boss to chief business officer.

Promotions & Appointments:

DLA Piper Elevates 72 Lawyers to Global Partnership

Allen & Overy announced it had promoted 36 lawyers. Last week, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer promoted 30 to partner, while last month Linklaters elevated 41.

Clifford Chance Promotes 32 in Latest Partner Promotions Round

Twelve of the 32 promotions are women, giving an overall tally of 38%, a slight decrease on last year’s 41%.

Simmons & Simmons announces partner promotions for 2023

International law firm Simmons & Simmons today announces its cohort of partner promotions for 2023. This year’s round comprises 13 lawyers from five countries across the UK, Europe and Asia. The promotions will take effect on 1 May 2023.

Mergers & Alliances:

Carmody Inks Deal With DDN in Guilford for Boost in Litigation Talent

Managing Partner Rick Street said representatives from both firms had been talking about a merger for the past two years, and following a COVID lull, the discussions heated up again late last year.

Embattled UK Firm Ince Group’s Administrators Find Buyer

The listed law firm went into administration earlier this month. The Ince Group has announced that its administrators have sold the firm to another U.K. law firm—Axiom DWFM.

Fox Rothschild Adds ‘Niche’ Charlotte-Based Boutique via Merger

Dempsey Law, with two attorneys as well as support staff, focused on family law, particularly domestic and international adoption efforts as well as work involving assisted reproductive technology and surrogacy.

DAC Beachcroft in Talks with Private Equity Investor Over Partial Sale

A deal would represent the first major private equity investment in a large commercial UK law firm.

Office Openings & Closing:

Disputes Firm Three Crowns to Open in Madrid

Last year, the firm entered the Singaporean market, making the upcoming Madrid office its fifth globally.

China’s DeHeng Breaks Into South Korea With Seoul Office Launch

DeHeng’s Seoul office, its ninth international outfit, will be headed by Korean-speaking partner Cuiying Zhu, who specializes in cross-border investment and finance, as well as dispute resolution.

Spain’s ECIJA Opens Office in Uruguay

Cecilia Amieva, an ECIJA partner who previously worked out of the firm’s Buenos Aires office, will be the managing partner in Montevideo.

Shin & Kim Expands in Southeast Asia with an Office Launch In Singapore

Shin & Kim’s new Singapore outfit marks the Big Six South Korean law firm’s fifth overseas office.

Seeing ‘Explosive’ Growth in Class Actions, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Opens in Seattle

King County, Washington has been a magnet for a wave of claims. “We’re seeing a lot of attorneys from outside the jurisdiction testing new legal theories,” said one of the new partners at BCLP.

Nelson Mullins Plants Flag in Chicago Via Another Group Pickup

The firm is adding seven partners from Benesch, with four in the Windy City and three bolstering its existing Cleveland presence.

McNees Hires Group of Real Estate Attorneys, Opens Second Maryland Office

The arrival of seven real estate and construction attorneys from Towson-based boutique Sagal Filbert Quasney & Betten is neither an acquisition or a merger, according to McNees. One attorney from the Sagal firm is not making the move.

Financials:

Shearman’s Financial Issues Mount, Sources Say, But New Leader Sees Path Forward

Senior partner Adam Hakki noted that while 2023 will be a transition year, many of the firm’s practices are thriving and partners are being paid “consistent with our long-standing profit distribution practices.”

Alphabet Legal Chief’s Pay Surged 66% in 2022

Kent Walker earned nearly $10 million more than he did in 2021, but it was only half of what he made in 2020.

Netflix CLO Saw Pay Surge in 2022, Despite Growth Challenges

David Hyman and the company’s other top executives saw compensation rise in 2022, even as Netflix shares tumbled.

‘Take Advantage of the Leverage’: How Legal Departments Can Rein in Rate Hikes

“The data we have shows that some of the largest purchasers of legal services in the world are paying way over average,” said Nathan Cemenska of Wolters Kluwer ELM Solutions.

ABA Employment Outcomes Show Modest—but Slower—Growth

The actual number of full-time, long-term Bar Passage Required or J.D. Advantage jobs increased by 888 (+3%) year-over-year as compared to last year, when the ABA reported an 11.2% year-over-year increase.

Keystone Posts 8% Growth Despite Shadow Over Listed Firm Model

CEO James Knight has distanced his firm from the recent fallout around the collapse of fellow-listed firm the Ince Group.

Technology & Innovation:

The Growing Role of Legal Tech in M&As and Fundraising

Legal’s role in shaping and maintaining an organized and thorough process enables the organization to successfully and efficiently manage the due diligence process and tees up the strongest negotiating position possible.

Companies Flummoxed by Regulatory Chaos Around Cybersecurity

“There’s a lot of unpredictability right now. There’s a lot of head-scratching about what’s going to come next—what sectors are going to get hit with the next emergency directive, for example,” said Megan Leef Brown, a partner with Wiley Rein.

Tokyo-Based Contract Review Startup Launches in US, Unveils GPT-4 Powered Contract Editing Tool

LegalOn Technologies took advantage of its U.S. release to announce new capabilities around its collaboration, search and editing features.

Navigating the Future of In House Practice: Embracing Technology and Process Advancements

Recent research shows that while many legal departments are utilizing established legal technologies like e-billing and matter management systems for useful purposes, there are opportunities to enhance technology value even more. Especially in areas like process automation and advanced reporting.

Legal Sector Must Learn to ‘Fail Quickly’ on Technology, Partners Say

‘As a sector, we’re bad at failure because it’s opposed to what we’re trained to do for clients,’ said one London conference panelist.

Artificially Intelligent, Legally Confusing: The Rights in AI-Generated Works

If neither the AI system nor its operator hold rights over the material, are these works simply public domain? Not necessarily.

As AI Advances, Is Prompt Engineering the Next Crucial Legal Skill?

Generative AI has taken the legal world by storm, and that means legal professionals are going to have to learn to communicate with machines. One key skill for doing so has emerged: prompt engineering.

‘Innovation Discipline’: How Firms Navigate Growing Generative AI-Legal Tech Options

Firms have been paying close attention to how legal tech vendors are incorporating generative AI into their tools. While few are opposed to such updates, these implementations come with a new set of questions.

Legal Insurer’s ChatGPT Warning Is Impacting Law Firms’ Generative AI Projects—But Not All

A blanket warning over not using ChatGPT altogether, as issued by one insurance provider, might not necessarily fit with client demands or law firms’ own view of the technology.

How GCs Can Leverage AI to Negotiate Contracts

“AI won’t replace contract professionals. Contract professionals who use AI will replace those who don’t,” said Otto Hanson, CEO of TermScout.

Key Legal and Operational Risks for Enterprise AI

The ability of machines to learn and improve without explicit instructions has the potential to revolutionize many industries, but businesses that use AI must be aware of the legal and operational risks that come with it.

Regulatory Technology, Vendor: Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

“Legal innovation should capitalize on highly enriched, modeled data sets by producing advanced functionality and workflow solutions that anticipate what a client needs to stay out of litigation,” says Nicole Stone; Director, New Product Development Content Strategy at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

Diversity & Inclusion:

New Task Force Aims to Increase Latinx Representation in Legal Profession

“A lot of positions of high responsibility in government are fed by law school professors and deans, who are appointed to these roles, but there are not many, if any, Latinos and Latinas to pick from,” Seattle University Law Dean Anthony Varona said. “This is a very big problem not just for law but for democracy itself.”

Allen & Overy Expands IP Litigation for Clients in the US With Female-Led Team

“We think we are the only firm that can offer top-tier IP litigation capabilities in every major country in the world,” said A&O’s U.S. head of IP, Elizabeth Holland, who is one of several female partners leading the firm’s growth for tech and life sciences clients.

Market Commentary:

Watson Farley and Bird & Bird Continue Industry Trend of Increased Partner Promotions

Watson Farley’s promotions follow the recent announcements of offices in Seoul and Tokyo.

How to Define Environmental, Social and Governance Is ‘the Million-Dollar Question’

“Now is the time for companies to closely review their existing disclosures on file and make sure the activities they have chosen to disclose are commensurate with the disclosure,” says Skadden partner Anita Bandy.

Is a Merger in Baker Botts’ Future?

Having talked in the past to DLA Piper and Shearman & Sterling, Baker Botts may view a combination as a way to strengthen its market position.

More Companies Opt for Fractional GCs Over Full-Time Legal Chiefs

“Law firms really want the big stuff—the deals and litigation. What a lot of corporations struggle with is not those things,” said Noel Elfant, founder of General Counsel Practice.

Young Lawyers Are Willing to Sacrifice Their Comp for These Benefits

Many young lawyers said they would exchange some of their pay for lower billable hours, a recent survey found. Now more law firms are creating additional paths to partnership with lower hours requirements.

Longtime Paul Hastings CFO Departs Following Wave of Exits

Kathleen Deuschle had been at the firm since 2009. She’s the fifth member of the firm’s C-suite to depart since February 2022.

Will U.S. Firms Start to Open Locations in India?

For all the talk of pre-liberalization of the market there, firms are cautious now.

Some GCs Fear Remote Work Could Render In-House Teams ‘Obsolete’

In-house leaders tell Law.com International that remote working could see them lose their place at the leadership table that they fought so hard for in the first place.

Where Are All the Financial Regs Lawyers? Big Law Has a Need for More

Demand currently outweighs supply for a small pool of financial regulation lawyers, as banks need to make sense of an environment that’s evolving rapidly following the demise of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.

Xerox Legal Chief Pulls Plug After Five Years in Role

The office equipment giant says Louie Pastor is stepping down to pursue other opportunities. It’s not clear where he’s headed.

India’s Hands-Off AI Approach Could Spur More Litigation, and Innovation

India is not a necessarily litigious society—but with an open legal market and the decision to keep AI unregulated, that could soon change.

Estee Lauder Vice Chair and Former General Counsel to Retire

Sara Moss has been with the cosmetics giant for two decades, most of that time as legal chief. She was promoted to vice chair in 2019.

Pandemic Woes: Professionals Struggling as Lines Between Home and Office Become Blurred

By investing in the space where you spend most of your time, you are investing in yourself as a productive business person who also values intimacy and recognizes the importance of true balance across all aspects of life.