Moves:
UK & Ireland
Signature launches white collar crime and investigations practice with new partner team hire
Signature Litigation announced the appointments of Mark Beardsworth and Duncan Grieve who join as partners from Goodwin Proctor and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, to spearhead the launch and growth of its global white collar crime practice.
Forsters welcomes commercial real estate partner
Forsters has appointed Noel Ainsworth as partner in its commercial real estate team. Ainsworth joins from Shoosmiths in London.
Goodwin Strengthens its European Private Equity Platform with Debt Finance Partner Tom Roberts
Debt finance expert Tom Roberts is joining the firm’s Private Equity practice as a partner in London. Roberts joins from Kirkland & Ellis.
The Americas
Jacqueline Romero has joined BakerHostetler’s Philadelphia office as a Partner in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. She previously served as a United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Katten Taps Michael Didiuk as Investment Management Partner
Michael Didiuk has joined Katten Muchin Rosenman as a partner in its financial markets and funds department in New York. He joins from Schulte Roth + Zabel.
Vivien Krieger Joins Akerman LLP to Bolster New York Land Use and Zoning Practice
Akerman LLP has announced the addition of Vivien Krieger as a partner in its New York real estate practice, focusing on land use and zoning matters. Prior to joining Akerman, Krieger co-chaired the Zoning, Land Use & Development Practice at Cozen O’Connor.
Paul Hastings Further Strengthens Premier ECVC Practice in Northern California
Hastings LLP has announced the addition of partner James Huie in San Francisco. He from Wilson Sonsini.
Gross McGinley, LLP Strengthens Its Stroudsburg Team with Key Addition: George W. Westervelt, Jr.
Gross McGinley LLP has announced that George W. Westervelt, Jr., highly respected Monroe County attorney, has joined the firm. He will join current partner Victoria A. Strunk at the firm’s Stroudsburg office.
Stradley Ronon Welcomes Back Veteran Insurance Partner From Duane Morris
Regulatory insurance partner Steven Davis has joined Stradley Ronon in Philadelphia. He joins from being the team lead of the insurance and reinsurance industry group at Duane Morris.
Brownstein Adds Impressive Group of Five Partners
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck has announced that five partners from Crowell & Moring have joined the firm. Jim Flood and Aaron Cummings join as shareholders and are based out of the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. Evan Chuck joins as a shareholder and will split his time between the firm’s Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., offices. Anne Elise Herold Li and Paul Keller join as shareholders and will be based out of New York.
Weil Accelerates Entertainment, Sports and Media Expansion with Arrival of David Markman in L.A.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP announced that prominent entertainment, sports and media lawyer David Markman has joined the Firm as a partner in its Technology & IP Transactions practice, based in the Los Angeles office.
Baker McKenzie hires two former US Department of Justice lawyers in DC
Rod Rosenstein, who joins from King & Spalding, will lead the firm’s national security practice, while former assistant director and senior trial attorney Tim Finley joins the firm as a partner in its antitrust practice.
Seyfarth Extends Institutional Investors Offerings with Addition of Matthew Cohen in Atlanta
Seyfarth Shaw LLP has added Matthew Cohen as a partner in the Corporate department. Cohen, who joins Seyfarth from DLA Piper, will be based in the Atlanta office.
Brian M. Satz and Team from New Jersey-based Satz Law Group Join Stevens & Lee
Stevens & Lee announced today that Brian M. Satz has joined the firm as a Shareholder in the Bergen County, NJ, office. He is joined by two associates, Ariel Kirshenbaum and Nathania E. Lim from Satz Law Group.
EMEA
Linklaters hires two Partners in Paris
François Kopf has joined Linklaters as a partner in Paris and as Global Chair of Restructuring and Insolvency. Additionally, Mathieu Della Vittoria has joined as a partner in the Restructuring and Insolvency practice. They both join from Darrois Villey Mailot Brochier.
Simmons strengthens its Real Estate practice in Paris
Simmons Paris is expanding its Real Estate department and launching its Environmental department with the arrival partners, Michaël Lévy and Laure Nguyen. Both join from Hogan Lovells.
Milbank hires private equity M&A rising star in Germany
Milbank has hired an up-and-coming M&A and private equity partner Jan Haller from German law firm Hengeler Mueller.
Litigation partner moves back to Bird & Bird
Bird & Bird has strengthened its patent practice in Hamburg with the return of Anna Wolters – Hohne, an experienced litigation partner, who joins from A&O Shearman.
Orrick Adds European Competition Advisor in Paris
Chimène Faurant joins Orrick’s Antitrust & Competition practice in Paris as a partner.
She joins from De Pardieu Brocas Maffei.
APAC
CMS boosts APAC offering with Sydney hire
CMS has hired former Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) partner Ilan Freiman as a partner in its energy, projects and construction (EPC) practice. He will be based in its Sydney arm while also maintaining a “substantial presence” in Hong Kong.
Ex-Kirkland, Sidley partners join Alvarez & Marsal-linked firm
Broadfield has hired disputes resolution and restructuring Partners from Sidley Austin and Kirkland & Ellis. Gordon Davidson joins from Sidley Austin and Fergus Saurin joins from Kirkland & Ellis.
In-House
Derek Smith, who previously served as General Counsel at Sonar, has been hired by Ancestry as Chief Legal Officer in Utah.
CUBE has hired a new General Counsel
Lisa ING joins CUBE as GC, having previously served at Audley Travel as General Counsel.
Diversity Lab Welcomes New CEO Angela Kelley July 2025
Diversity Lab has announced Angela Kelley as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Promotions & Appointments:
McGuireWoods Names New Office Managing Partners in Four Cities
McGuireWoods has appointed new office managing partners in Atlanta, Houston, Baltimore, and San Francisco effective July 1, 2025. Ryan Buchanan will succeed Chris Greene as managing partner of the Atlanta office. Tyler VanHoutan will take over from Yasser Madriz as managing partner of the Houston office. Melissa Martinez will become managing partner of the Baltimore office, succeeding Elena Marcuss. Todd Dressel will serve as managing partner of the San Francisco office, taking over from Dave Powell.
K&L Gates Announces German Leadership Transition
Global law firm K&L Gates has announced a leadership change in Germany: Dr. Martina Ortner has joined the firm’s global Management Committee and, together with Dr. Thilo Winkeler, assumes the role of Co-Managing Partner of the firm’s German offices in Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich.
Withers promotes 16 partners in global round as US dominates
The Promoted are:
Luca Denora and Jordan Garman, New York; Wonchi Ju and Michael Steffany, New Haven; Jessica Kaplan, San Francisco; Leslie Evans, San Diego; Kevin Jackson, Craig Weinstein, Susanna Kim and Erika Scheideman; Los Angeles.
Kohei Kobayashi and Chantal Matin-Lewis, Japan; Gary Leung and Alex Ye, Hong Kong
Joshua Swift and Emma Cooper-Hedges in London.
Osbornes Law appoints three partners
London law firm Osbornes Law has promoted Jonathan Jonas, Patricia McCaffrey and Amber Krishnan-Bird to partner.
Jude Copeland to chair NI Law Society group on data protection and AI
Jude Copeland, a lawyer at Cleaver Fulton Rankin, will play a key role in assisting Northern Ireland solicitors navigate the evolving landscape of cybersecurity and data protection, with a special focus on AI. His work will aim to provide guidance as legal professionals adapt to these increasingly complex areas.
Mergers & Alliances:
PPO Indacochea: Two Leading Firms Unite to Redefine the Legal Standard in Bolivia
PPO Abogados and Indacochea & Asociados, historic leaders in Bolivian business law, have joined forces to form PPO Indacochea—the first major full-service law firm in the country.
PPO Indacochea positions itself as the strategic legal partner for companies committed to transforming Bolivia through investment, innovation, and sustainable, responsible development.
Moray & Agnew absorbs Greenwoods Law in Cairns
Moray & Agnew in Queensland has announced its acquisition of commercial law firm Greenwoods Law in Cairns, effective 1 July 2025.
Office Openings & Closing:
Powell Gilbert launches in Düsseldorf to grow its UPC practice
Specialist IP firm Powell Gilbert is set to launch a new office in Düsseldorf, to be headed by prominent German patent litigator and former Vossius partner Andreas Kramer. He will be joined by two fellow Vossius alumni: Hannes Obex, who comes on board as of counsel, and associate Andreas Ditler.
Macfarlanes Takes on Additional Office Space on Fetter Lane
Macfarlanes has signed a lease for an extra 11,000 square feet of office space located just around the corner from its headquarters at 20 Cursitor Street, near Chancery Lane in London.
Financials:
Bird & Bird reports 6% revenue increase against flat PEP
Bird & Bird achieved a 6% revenue increase to €672.6m for the year ending 30 April 2025, marking its 33rd consecutive year of growth. However, this was a slowdown from the 10% growth seen in FY24. Net profit rose 3%, while profit per equity partner (PEP) declined slightly by 0.7% to €831k, after an 8% increase the previous year. These results reflect a solid start to the firm’s five-year strategy to reach €1bn in revenue by 2029.
HFW revenue climbs 8% to £270m against 3% dip in PEP
HFW posted record results in the third year of its sector-focused strategy, with revenue rising 8% to £270.8m for the year ending 31 March 2025, and total profit increasing by 2% to £77.2m. Despite this growth, profit per equity partner (PEP) declined from £855k in FY24 to £828k. However, revenue per lawyer (RPL) saw a strong 12% increase, reaching £465k.
Since the launch of its current strategy at the start of FY23, HFW’s revenue has grown by 36%, profit by 42%, and PEP by 24%, while RPL is up 12%.
Technology & Innovation:
A&O Shearman and Harvey to roll out agentic AI agents targeting complex legal workflows
A&O Shearman and Harvey are launching AI agents for complex legal tasks, integrating A&O Shearman’s expertise into systems for antitrust, cybersecurity, fund formation, and loan review. These agents perform multi-step reasoning, conducting research and delivering actionable, transparent legal outputs. Available to corporations, law firms, and financial services on a subscription or usage basis, A&O Shearman will share in the software revenue.
‘Blistering’ EU report calls for copyright reform to combat large-scale AI data training
A new study commissioned by the European Parliament has warned that EU copyright law is ill-equipped to deal with AI models that rely on large-scale data training and called for targeted reforms to strengthen legal protections for copyright holders. The report, published by the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI), argues that generative AI systems operate at a “scale and opacity” that existing copyright frameworks were “never designed to address”.
AI boom fuelling surge in intangible asset investment, says WIPO
A new report from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) reveals a sharp increase in investment in intangible assets, driven primarily by funding for software and databases amid the ongoing AI boom.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Navigating DEI Compliance: How Employers Can Take Action
In a shifting legal and cultural landscape, employers must align their DEI efforts with compliance standards while fostering inclusive workplaces. This article outlines practical steps—like policy reviews and targeted training—to help organisations navigate DEI responsibly and effectively.
Under pressure, U.S. companies back off DEI pay metrics
Compensation consulting firm Farient Advisors found the share of S&P 500 companies who said they used diversity, equity and inclusion measures in their executive compensation plans fell to 22%, according to proxy statements filed this year. The figure was 52% last year and hit a peak of 57% in 2023.Brian Bueno, Farient’s Sustainability Practice Leader, said the decline reflected the pressure companies have faced from conservative activists who say the practices encourage discrimination. He expects more companies will follow as executives worry about their exposure to government pressure if they are seen as embracing diversity measures.
Market Commentary:
Eversheds Among Top Firms Globally for M&A Deals in First Half of 2025
According to the latest report by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), the firm ranked ninth globally for the number of announced and completed deals, reaffirming its position as a leading advisor in the M&A sector.
Law Society strikes deal with Italian National Bar in ‘post-Brexit breakthrough’
The Law Society of England and Wales has signed an agreement with the Italian National Bar aimed at supporting UK lawyers practising in Italy. Announced on the 9th of July, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was described by Law Society president Richard Atkinson as a “post-Brexit breakthrough.”
Court of Appeal endorses revised litigation funding agreements in ‘emphatic boost for funders’
The UK litigation funding sector has received a significant boost after the Court of Appeal upheld the validity of revised litigation funding agreements (LFAs) designed to comply with the Supreme Court’s 2023 PACCAR ruling, which had previously rendered traditional LFAs unenforceable.
How Outside Counsel Can Bridge the Corporate Legal-Comms Divide in High-Stakes Litigation
Effective messaging is essential for maintaining control of the narrative during high-stakes legal disputes, both inside and outside the courtroom. Yet more than 80% of the in-house counsel we surveyed for Greentarget’s 2025 litigation communications survey say their companies act too conservatively during high-profile litigation.
Top Biglaw Firm Increases Office Attendance Demands For Attorneys
It’s a scorching summer, and Biglaw firms seem to have found their own way to help attorneys “cool off”—by rolling out mandatory office attendance policies. The latest firm to extend this frosty invitation? Covington & Burling. With $1.75 billion in gross revenue in 2024 and a No. 31 spot on the Am Law 100, the firm is now requiring lawyers to be in the office four days a week, including those based in London.