Moves:
UK & Ireland
Quinn Emanuel Bolsters London Base with MoFo Partner Hire
Although this firm rarely hires partners in London, they have added a new arbitration partner, Gemma Anderson.
Paul Weiss and Skadden Swoop on Linklaters Partner Duo
Linklaters have made many notable hires in recent months, but the loss of Nicole Kae and Noel Hughes is unlikely to go unnoticed.
Ireland’s Matheson Strengthens London Ranks with Former Kirkland Partner
After a 15-year stint with Kirkland & Ellis, Rory Mullarkey joins the firm’s London base.
McDermott Bolsters London Partnership with King & Spalding Hire
This hire comes not long after another partner joined from Kirkland & Ellis.
Skadden makes second finance hire this month
Noel Hughes has been added to bolster Skadden’s finance and M&A offering. This is the second move after Sebastian FitzGerald joined their leveraged finance team.
Paul Weiss Snags Linklaters’ Global Antitrust Head in London
This article discusses how Nicole Kar has been hired to head Linklaters’ global antitrust team. This has been described as a major and unprecedented move.
Reed Smith secures capital markets partner in London from Linklaters
To bolster their capital markets offering in London, Reed Smith has hired Mark Drury from Linklaters.
EMEA
Pérez-Llorca Builds Up Lisbon Operation With 17 Hires
The Lisbon office has received a bolster with a team of ten lawyers, six partners and one counsel.
Baker McKenzie Looks to Hengeler for Latest Germany Partner Hire
This move will be the third time Baker McKenzie have poached a partner from Hengeler Mueller in the last three years.
Is Poland the Next Growth Market for Multinational Law Firms?
Recent developments across a multitude of areas have helped drive the legal scene in Poland. This information comes directly from practicing legal partners in Warsaw.
Clyde & Co raids Dentons for Poland debut with 20-strong team
Out of this team of over 20 lawyers looking to open Clyde & Co’s Warsaw office, two of them are former Dentons lawyers and one is a current Dentons lawyer.
APAC
China’s DeHeng Law Offices Add Paul Hastings Partner in Hong Kong
This follows the trend that many Chinese Law firms have adopted of making concerted efforts to add partners from international law firms.
Pillsbury Replenishes Hong Kong Office with Newly Promoted Partner
Michelle Ng, a counsel who specialised in disputes has relocated from New York to Hong Kong.
This article is a compilation of some of the most recent lateral moves across Asia.
Former Davis Polk Partner Becomes Hong Kong Exchange’s First Woman Chief Executive
Bonnie Chan has been with the firm since 2010 and helped launch their Hong Kong office, now she is stepping up to the position of Chief Executive.
Baker McKenzie US Securities Partner Leaves Australian Practice
According to the sources within the firm, Cécile Baume is leaving to pursue other opportunities.
The Americas
Seyfarth Gets 5 White-Collar Lawyers, Including Practice Co-Chair, From Dissolving Stroock
James McGrath, the national chair of the firm’s litigation department has stated that they are “excited that this group of litigators has chosen to continue their careers at Seyfarth, where they can take advantage of our platform”.
Baker Botts Boosts Energy Transition Team with Shearman ‘Superstar’ in NY
Energy and Infrastructure partner Mona Dajani has moved to Baker Botts’ New York office from Shearman & Sterling to serve as their global co-chair of energy infrastructure and hydrogen.
Midsize Moves: Arnall Hires New Partner; Archer Appoints Partner Pair in Philadelphia
Elizabeth B. Davis has been hired as a partner in Arnall Golden Gregory’s environmental and health care groups. Also, Hodgson Russ has announced that they have acquired a team of 10 Ward Greenburg attorneys from Rochester, New York who will start on the 1st of January.
McDermott Welcomes Back Litigation Partner Following Stint with Miami-Dade County
Audrey Pumariega has been welcomed back with open arms after spending some time working on personal injury cases for the county.
The number of attorneys that are being hired and promoted this week show us that change is occuring in New York.
King & Spalding Adds McKool Smith IP Litigator in Austin
Alfonso Chan has joined King & Spalding as partner after being a principal with McKool Smith.
Dentons’ Global CEO to Stand Down Next Year
Elliot Portnoy’s has made a solid impact on the firm which in turn has caused it to grow rapidly into one the world’s largest legal practices.
Many moves are covered in this piece including the return of Epstein Ostrove to Fox Rothschild.
People in the News—Dec. 14, 2023—McNees
Charis Mincavage a well-known energy lawyer has been announced as McNees Wallace & Nurick’s newest member starting from January 1st, 2024.
In-House
For Newly Hired Pinterest GC, Path to Post ‘Has Been Anything But a Straight Shot’
Newly hired General Counsel Michele Lee has spoken about the trials and obstacles that she faced in her journey saying, “I’ve faced countless rejections and times when I’ve been told I wasn’t ready, I was too ambitious, not smart enough, too nice, or not nice enough”.
New Noom CEO Hires GC of Pennsylvania-based Meet Group
Incumbent Norman Petty has been praised by CEO Geoff Cook for his uncanny “ability to balance legal risk with the strategic needs of the business.”
On Heels of SurveyMonkey’s Sale, CLO Joins Star Data-Analytics Startup
Grafana Labs’ legal department will now be under the leadership of Lora Blum.
Promotions & Appointments:
PLW People in the News—Dec. 12, 2023—King Spry, Ogletree Deakins
Senior Counsel Brian J. Taylor has been named chair of the King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul law firm’s investigations and compliance services team. He will assume this position in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Marshall Dennehey Announces New Casualty Practice Director
Howard Dwoskin will be replaced by Matthew Schorr as Casualty Practice Director, the largest department in the firm.
Increased Promotions for Jones Day and Norton Rose Fulbright
In the case of Norton Rose Fulbright, most of these promotions hailed from London, whereas in the case of Jones Day the promotions were primarily a mix of New York and Cleveland based ones.
5 New Georgia Judges: Kemp Makes Appointments to Superior Court Benches
Five lawyers have been appointed in the Atlanta, Cherokee, Coweta, Dougherty and Macon judicial circuits.
Jones Day names 51 new partners
Global firm Jones Day has announced that there will be 51 lawyers who will be promoted to the partnership. This action will take effect on the 1st of January 2024.
Sidley promotes 29 to partner in latest US-dominated round
Although this number is a step down from last years cohort of 42 lawyers, these promotions should strengthen the firm’s commercial litigation, global finance and corporate practices.
Arthur Cox appoints Ciaran Flynn to head governance team
Former KPMG director Ciaran Flynn has been appointed as Arthur Cox’s new head of governance, risk and compliance.
Sarah Reynolds takes reins of Kane Tuohy LLP
Sarah Reynolds has succeeded Cómhnall Tuohy as the managing partner of Kane Tuohy LLP, she will assume this role at the beginning of 2024.
Mergers & Alliances:
Eying Phila. for Growth, 3 Am Law Firms Pick Their Own Paths to Make a Mark in Established Market
Barnes & Thornburg, Goodwin Procter and Clark Hill have all been making moves through the form of mergers to make their mark in already established markets.
Auto Lender Ally’s Legal Chief Trades Up for CLO Post at NC-Based Truist
Truist was created following the merger of BB&T and SunTrust. Scott Stengel will be taking on the position of legal chief.
Miami Boutique Haber Law Absorbs Smaller Firm, Expanding into Niche Condo Practice
Haber Law managing partner David Haber said there are a couple of options for growth, “You can organically grow, which is very painful,” or “you can join forces with someone else that already has that infrastructure.”
Office Openings & Closing:
Haynes and Boone’s New Austin Office Boasts Location on Lady Bird Lake, High-Tech Amenities
Opting to stay downtown in Austin, Haynes and Boone have relocated to a state-of-the-art new tech office.
Financials:
How Some Big Law Firms Can Afford Associate Salary Raises
Following the recent trends of associate salary raises this article delves into how these global firms are offering such as salary scale and analyses the trends in PEP amongst them.
Logistics Industry Bankruptcy Cases: Yellow Corporation, Western Global Airlines
This article focuses on recent logistics industry bankruptcy cases of Western Global Airlines and Yellow Corporation.
Technology & Innovation:
The Fire Behind the Smoke: Understanding the Realities of Using AI to Improve ROI
Although it is undeniable that AI can improve efficiency, some are arguing that unfocused investments can expose inaccurate and misleading information.
Legal Professionals, AI and the Future of M&A Dealmaking
A dive into the potential challenges and benefits that the use of new forms of AI could have on M&A dealmaking.
EU’s New AI Act Will Create Wave of Work for Law Firms
New AI legislation that is being agreed on will generate extensive work for Big Law in the years to come.
Navigating the Tech Landscape in 2024: What Law Firms Should Expect
Adopting a mindset of agility and proactivity are key ways law firms can position themselves for success in today’s technology driven society.
Baker McKenzie AI Expert on Why the EU’s AI Act May Have Limited Impact
Lothar Determann discusses whether EU disciplinary compliance to AI is possible.
Legal’s Tech Maturity Isn’t (Yet) Meeting the Moment
Although it is undeniable that legal teams have become more tech savvy recently, many argue that tech maturity has not yet leapfrogged to meet the moment.
Diversity & Inclusion:
As Antisemitism Increases on social media, Some Look to Bar Groups to Wade In
Eric Wietz of The Weitz Law Firm stated that “We believe we need to stand up when people in our own community, in the legal community, engage in antisemitic hate speech”.
Incoming Phila. Bar Chancellor Aims to Ramp Up Organization’s DEI Efforts
Jennifer Coatsworth stated that she is “incredibly proud” of their association, but they have “more to accomplish”.
Allen & Overy, Sullivan & Cromwell Among Firms To Make It On Standard Chartered Diversity Task Force
A new task force has been launched by the bank’s head of legal in the hopes that they will improve diversity in the industry.
Quinn Emanuel makes up 14 partners in round dominated by women
Out of the 14 partners that have been promoted by Quin Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, 70% of them are women.
Market Commentary:
‘Tough-Guy’ Mentality Of Leadership Is Changing As Young Lawyers Shift Career Expectations
This article debunks myths about the habits and practices of up-and-coming lawyers and the impacts they are set to make.
Debate Over Third-Party Presence and Recording Devices at Defense Medical Examinations
This article discusses the methods and process of which the defence can have the plaintiff examined in product liability and personal injury cases.
The Challenge of Defending Product Liability Claims Arising From Workplace Injuries
Questions have arisen about how easy it is for equipment manufacturers to escape liability in cases where employees are injured while using powerful pieces of equipment in a contrary manner. This article discusses this.
Recruiting and Retaining Talent: Advantages of a Two-Tier Partnership Structure
It seems that many are arguing that the one tier partnership model has had its time and that in the current market, competitive challenges call for a two-tier partnership structure.