Moves:
UK & Ireland
King & Spalding secures Dickson Minto private equity partner in London amid Europe growth push
King & Spalding added a private equity partner in London from highly rated corporate law boutique Dickson Minto as part of a wider European transactional growth push. Paul Barron joined K&S’s corporate, finance and investment practice group after almost 20 years at Dickson Minto. He advises on a range of corporate finance matters, with a focus on private equity and M&A transactions.
EMEA
Charles Russell Speechlys adds disputes partner in Switzerland from local boutique
Top 35 UK law firm Charles Russell Speechlys added disputes partner Simon Hofstetter in Zurich from local law firm MBH Attorneys at Law. Hofstetter is a Swiss qualified lawyer and brings more than 15 years’ experience in domestic and international commercial litigation, asset recovery and bankruptcy proceedings as well as Swiss corporate law.
DLA Piper Expands Dubai IP Bench with Partner
Global law firm DLA Piper appointed Saba Al Sultani as a Partner in its Intellectual Property and Technology group, based in Dubai. The hire comes amid an expanding digital universe in the Middle East and North Africa.
Clyde & Co Hires Away Al Tamimi Lawyer for Middle East Advocacy Unit Launch
Clyde & Co hired a partner, Patrick Dillon-Malone, in Dubai to lead a new advocacy unit in the Middle East and Africa. The hire underscores Clydes’ Middle East push and its focus on expanding its advocacy portfolio.
White & Case Launches Madrid Litigation Practice with Ex-Linklaters Partner
White & Case established a new commercial litigation practice in Madrid, hiring a former longtime Linklaters partner for the launch. Litigator Francisco Málaga joins the firm having left Linklaters in July after a 13-year term.
APAC
Withers Hires Corporate Partner in Tokyo; Launches Tokyo-Based M&A Team
International law firm Withers continues to build on its range of legal offerings in Tokyo with the appointment of corporate partner Kazumitsu Goto. The ability to offer corporate advice out of Tokyo will allow Withers to provide more investment-related advice and also cater to a wider spectrum of clients across Asia, Europe and the U.S., firm business division CEO Jeremy Wakeham said.
Allen & Overy adds Hogan Lovells partner in Perth to co-lead global mining practice
Allen & Overy hired a partner from transatlantic rival Hogan Lovells in Perth to co-lead its mining practice. Matthew Johnson is set to join the UK Magic Circle firm after six years at Hogan Lovells, where he is currently global head of mining and a partner in the firm’s corporate practice
Linklaters and Slaughters add Hong Kong partners from US and Magic Circle rivals
Slaughter and May and Linklaters hired a partner apiece in Hong Kong from US firm Debevoise & Plimpton and UK Magic Circle rival Allen & Overy respectively. Ralph Sellar will join Slaughters as a disputes partner 1 November. Meanwhile, Linklaters added Richard Woodworth to its restructuring and insolvency practice in Hong Kong from Magic Circle rival Allen & Overy.
Jones Day Hires IP Partner from Clayton Utz in Melbourne
Jones Day hired an intellectual property partner from Australian corporate firm Clayton Utz to join its Melbourne office. Richard Hoad, a lawyer at Clayton Utz for 21 years, became partner in 2012, gaining expertise in the full breadth of IP work. The Melbourne office underlined the importance of its IP practice earlier this year when it made IP lawyer Lisa Taliadoros its partner-in-charge.
Morgan Lewis Adds Singapore Disputes Partner from Local Set
Continuing to expand its global litigation and arbitration capabilities, Pardeep Khosa joins Morgan, Lewis & Bockius as a partner and Morgan Lewis Stamford as a director, resident in the Singapore office. Pardeep has a broad practice covering commercial litigation and international arbitration, and corporate crime and investigations. The hire follows the addition of a tax litigator, as international firms build their presence in the island country.
Pinsent Masons Hires Sydney Corporate Partner from PwC
Multinational law firm Pinsent Masons hired corporate energy and technology partner Joni Henry in Sydney, Australia. Joni is a highly experienced corporate and commercial lawyer advising public and private complex M&A, joint ventures, high net worth advisory work and corporate governance with particular focus on the energy, technology, science, and industry sectors. The hire comes after the firm revamped its Asia Pacific management last year.
Nagashima Ohno Hires First Singapore-Qualified Disputes Partner for Southeast Asia
Japanese Big Four firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu hired its first Singapore-qualified contentious practice partner as it seeks to boost its dispute resolution capability in Southeast Asia.
Dentons Continues Australian Expansion With Hiring of Compliance Partner
Christopher Niesche International firm Dentons hired compliance partner Toby Blyth from Australian firm Colin Biggers & Paisley as it builds out its regulatory and compliance practice. Blyth, who is based in Sydney, specializes in compliance, with a particular focus on the insurance sector.
Reed Smith Hires Third Partner in Greater China in Two Months, Adding Beijing Lawyer From PwC
Reed Smith brought on its third new partner for Asia in less than two months. Corporate lawyer and tech specialist Barbara Li joined Reed Smith in Beijing. She was previously a PwC partner and former head of corporate at the now defunct Rui Bai Law Firm.
The Americas
Willkie rehires high-profile US bankruptcy judge Shelley Chapman in New York
Willkie Farr & Gallagher rehired US bankruptcy judge Shelley Chapman to lead its new alternative dispute resolution (ADR) practice in New York. Chapman rejoins the firm as senior counsel after a 12-year hiatus serving as bankruptcy judge for the Southern District of New York.
Mayer Brown Boosts Brussels Competition Team with Partner Hire
Mayer Brown announced that Dr. Andrea Pomana joined the Firm as a partner in its Antitrust & Competition practice in Brussels. She joins from Advant Beiten, in Frankfurt, where she was a partner.
Clifford Chance Adds Fried Frank Partner In New York
Clifford Chance bolstered its U.S. offering with the addition of another partner in New York. Joining from U.S. headquartered Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, derivatives, and structured finance partner Darren Littlejohn will strengthen the firm’s U.S. structured finance team.
In-house
Ex-Allen & Overy Managing Partner Joins UK Government Investment Vehicle
Former Allen & Overy managing partner Andrew Ballheimer joined the U.K. Government’s investment vehicle as a non-executive director. Andrew Ballheimer will help advise on the U.K. Government’s investment portfolio, which includes interests in companies including NatWest, The Post Office and Channel 4.
Legal Tech Company Taps London Lawyer as First GC
Legal tech company SirionLabs has tapped London-based attorney Evangelos Apostolou to lead the company’s legal department as its first-ever general counsel.
Promotions & Appointments:
Partner promotions: Kirkland makes up 26 in London
Kirkland & Ellis promoted 193 lawyers to partner worldwide, with London the third most popular jurisdiction after two of the firm’s largest US offices. Non-US promotions took place in London, Munich, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai. London accounted for 26 promotions in total, coming behind Chicago and New York.
White & Case elevates 10 to partner in the City
White & Case promoted 46 lawyers to partner globally, with 10 London lawyers making the grade. The double-digit partner cohort in London is larger than last year’s, when eight were added. Overall, the total number of promotions is smaller than 2021, when White & Case elevated 59 lawyers in total.
Frasers Group appoints new head of legal
British retail giant Frasers Group – which owns several famous names including House of Fraser, Jack Wills and Sports Direct – has hired a new head of legal. Emma Reid has been promoted to the role, after spending four years as the company’s senior legal counsel.
SoftBank Investment Advisers promotes ex-Linklaters lawyer to GC
SoftBank Investment Advisers (SBIA) appointed a new general counsel to replace Spencer Collins, who left to join Arm this year. Amanda Sanchez-Barry has been promoted to general counsel at SBIA, having been a partner within the company since 2018.
City quartet make the cut in Covington promotions
Four lawyers have been promoted to partner in Covington & Burling’s London office, while 10 more have made the cut across the US.
DLA Piper Replaces Bob Bishop as Global Corporate Co-chair
DLA Piper appointed Germany-based partner Dr Benjamin Parameswaran as new Global Co-Chair for the Corporate practice succeeding London-based partner Bob Bishop, who is stepping away from this position on 31 October 2022 after eight highly successful years in this role.
Office Openings & Closing:
Hogan Lovells to close Perth office
Hogan Lovells is to close down its Perth office following a review of its Australia operations. The office was opened in 2015 alongside a Sydney base when the transatlantic firm launched in Australia with the hire of two partners from Linklaters’ Australia ally Allens. News of the move follows the hire earlier today by Allen & Overy of Hogan Lovells’ global head of mining Matthew Johnson, who was based in Perth
Ashurst launches UK risk advisory business
Anglo Australian law firm Ashurst added two new partners as it plans to expand its global consulting business by opening a risk advisory unit in the UK.
Goodwin launches in Singapore, promotes 58 to partner
Top 20 US law firm Goodwin Procter opened doors in Singapore and promoted 58 lawyers to partner in its largest round to date. The new office is Goodwin’s second location in Asia after Hong Kong and is intended to serve clients raising, deploying and lending capital in the region and globally, the firm said.
Freshfields Picks Bratislava For Latest Support Office
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is launching another support office to its global network-this time in Bratislava. The new base in the Slovakian capital will house finance and controlling staff and will exist alongside with and coordinate with the firm’s flagship operational hub in Manchester, according to a person at the firm.
Financials:
Australian Firm Pioneers Employee Share Scheme to Give Associates Stake in Business
Australian firm pioneers Employee Share Scheme to give associates stake in business. Johnson Winter & Slattery is incentivizing lawyers with a share plan as it aims to raise its profile.
Ince Director To Pay Nearly £500K For Firm’s Gibraltar Business
UK-listed law firm Ince continues to clean house amid financial and operational upheaval by selling its Gibraltar business. The firm has disposed of its Gibraltar business as it restructures several offices globally. Earlier in October, Ince said in an update to the London Stock Exchange that it had agreed to sell its Gibraltar business to the base’s directors for £490,000.
Technology & Innovation:
Inhouse Legal Tech Use In Japan: Gradual Change – Artificial Lawyer
Despite being one of the largest economies and home to numerous global corporations, legal innovation in Japan remains limited. Although we have seen some great points of light, such as the NLP-driven doc analysis startup Legal Force, a survey by Epiq Global presents a picture of gradual change and limited tech adoption.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Gender balance at Australia’s top court tips in favour of women for first time
The High Court of Australia – the nation’s apex court – announced the appointment of a new woman judge, tipping the gender balance of the bench in favour of women for the first time.
Linklaters Latest to Credit Diversity Work in Billable Hours Globally
Linklaters LLP said week that it will implement a new policy next month to recognize attorneys’ diversity, equity and inclusion efforts by giving them billable hour credit and performance bonuses.
In Stay-Go Calculus, Women and Lawyers of Colour Value Culture
More than two-thirds of women and lawyers of colour said a better work-life balance is very or extremely important for them in deciding whether to switch jobs. Remote work opportunities are the trending topic, but lawyers’ perceptions of culture—factors such as work/life balance, collaboration, increased compensation, and quality of work—still register high on the list of what matters when deciding whether to switch jobs, particularly for women and people of colour.