Moves:
UK & Ireland
Linklaters hires CMA litigation chief in London
After eight years at the CMA as its first deputy general counsel and, prior to that, senior director of litigation, Jessica Radke will join the company in May as a senior counsel.
Baker Botts Adds Former White & Case Head of Project Finance in London
The London branch of Texas-based Baker Botts has expanded by hiring the former global head of project finance from White & Case. According to someone with knowledge of the situation, Mark Castillo-Bernaus, the former global head of project development and finance at White & Case, has joined Baker Botts.
Hogan Lovells hires two BCLP partners to strengthen London competition class action team
As it looks to take advantage of a spike in cases before the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), Hogan Lovells has brought on two lawyers from BCLP’s renowned class action practice in London.
The hiring of Edward Coulson and Andrew Leitch represents a rare sortie by Hogan Lovells into the London lateral market for antitrust dispute attorneys practicing outside of the purview of traditional competition law.
Gibson Dunn adds DLA Piper investment funds co-chair in London
In an effort to expand its investment funds business in London, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has recruited a senior investment funds partner from DLA Piper. James O’Donnell, who served as global co-chair of investment funds at DLA Piper for 11 years, has joined the company.
APAC
Japan’s Nishimura builds antitrust and trade capabilities in Brussels
Two new partners have joined the newly opened Brussels office of Nishimura & Asahi, a Japanese Big Four legal firm: antitrust specialist Kristina Winkelmann has joined from Gleiss Lutz, and international trade partner Benoit Servais (L) has joined from Van Bael & Bellis.
CMS Holborn Asia bolsters Singapore office with Financial Services Regulatory hire
Following a 2017 merger, CMS, now known as CMS Holborn Asia, has acquired a partner from Baker McKenzie to head its financial services regulation group in Singapore. CMS’s banking and finance practice will employ Ying Yi Liew as a director.
Norton Rose Fulbright appoints former APRA chief general counsel Lucinda McCann as a partner in Sydney. Lucinda brings more than 25 years’ experience of transactional and advisory work as a legal advisor to executives and boards across a range of sectors including government and regulatory, financial services and corporate.
Jones Day Hires Australian Regulatory Partner from Norton Rose Fulbright Australia
Norton Rose Fulbright has hired a partner to join Jones Day’s government regulation practice in Australia. With 30 years of experience working in all facets of environmental law, Elizabeth Wild, who joins the firm’s Sydney office, specialises in handling contaminated land and remedial law concerns.
A&O Shearman steals litigator Amy Middlebrook from Baker McKenzie
Amy Middlebrook, a litigator, left Baker McKenzie to join A&O Shearman.
She joined the firm this week and brings a wealth of experience in class action lawsuits, financial services, and complicated commercial litigation. She has addressed issues with the ACCC and ASIC.
Kirkland HK exits continue as funds partner joins DLA as of counsel
Wang Shinong, a partner in investment funds, joined DLA Piper as an of counsel, marking the third partner departure from the Hong Kong office of the U.S. law firm Kirkland & Ellis in February alone.
Deacons nabs corporate finance duo from Reed Smith
The largest law firm in Hong Kong, Deacons, has added two partners from the U.S. firm Reed Smith to its banking and finance unit. Crystal Li was a lawyer and Michael Sinn (L) was a partner.
Ex-StanChart, JPM, Citi veteran joins Hong Kong’s DCLO as partner
Kris Daswani, a lawyer with more than 25 years of experience at prominent financial companies like Standard Chartered, JPMorgan, and Citigroup, has joined Hong Kong speciality David Cameron Law Office (DCLO) as a partner.
SG: Penningtons hires shipping disputes partner from Rajah & Tann
Max Lim is a maritime and commodities disputes expert who has joined the Singapore office of London-based law firm Penningtons Manches Cooper as a partner. He comes from Rajah & Tann, a Big Four law firm.
Malaysia: Zaid Ibrahim partner joins DFDL-linked Robin Lynn & Lee
Caera Lee, a partner from local powerhouse Zaid Ibrahim & Co., has joined Malaysia’s Robin Lynn & Lee, which collaborates with regional law firm DFDL.
Tax Partner Dixon Hearder Rejoins Baker McKenzie in Australia
Dixon Hearder had previously been with Baker McKenzie for over a decade.
EMEA
King & Spalding hits Baker McKenzie for Brussels trade duo
In an effort to replenish its trade bench in Brussels after departures late last year, King & Spalding (K&S) has hired two trade lawyers from Baker McKenzie.
Eversheds Bets Big on Its Middle East ALSP—But Is the Market Overheating?
By enlisting leading data protection and artificial intelligence specialist Richard Chudzynski as a partner to introduce its Konexo ALSP in a field that is becoming more and more competitive, Eversheds Sutherland is making a calculated move in the Middle East.
BCLP Takes Paul Hasting Real Estate Partner in Paris
Jean-Louis Martin, a former head of the real estate practice and office vice-chair for Paris, departed Paul Hastings to become a partner at BCLP.
DLA Piper Grows Restructuring Practice with Garrigues Partnerv
To lead the firm’s restructuring practice in Spain, DLA Piper has brought on a new partner from Garrigues. Juan Verdugo, a 13-year equity partner at Garrigues, will become the fourth restructuring partner to join DLA Piper in Europe in the last year when he joins the firm in Madrid at the end of April.
The Americas
Simpson Thacher builds out in Boston with hires from Cooley, Ropes & Gray
With the addition of a partner each from Cooley and Ropes & Grey, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has expanded its newly opened Boston office. As Cooley’s first litigation partner in Boston, Zachary Hafer has joined the firm’s government and internal investigations practice. Yonatan Levy, formerly of Ropes & Grey, has joined the private funds practice.
Orrick Expands US Energy, Infrastructure Team With A&O Shearman Lawyers
Matt Nesburn has joined Orrick’s infrastructure and energy practice. Quinn-Cane, a lawyer at A&O Shearman, and Armbrust, an associate, joined Orrick as partners separately in January.
Cozen O’Connor Brings on Father-Daughter Duo to Boost Real Estate Practice
For almost 15 years, David Ebby, a real estate lawyer from Philadelphia, collaborated with his father, Stuart. He may now work alongside his daughter, Bailey.
Saiber LLC launched a new family law practice and added a new member
Saiber has announced Stacey A. Cozewith as a new member of the firm. Stacey, a seasoned family law lawyer with more than 20 years of experience, contributes a plethora of skills and information to the new firm. Stacey served people and families in delicate and complicated family law cases for twenty years at a reputable boutique family law company before joining Saiber.
McCarter & English Lands Former Shutts & Bowen Latin America Chair
Two Miami attorneys with a focus on private client work, including one who held many executive positions at Shutts & Bowen, are joining the New Jersey-based company.
Ex-9th Circuit Judge Paul Watford Moves from Wilson Sonsini to King & Spalding in L.A.
Paul Watford, a former judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for 11 years, has become a partner in the firm’s Business Litigation practice group. He works out of the Los Angeles branch of the firm.
Baker Botts Hires Co-Chair of Winston’s Leveraged Finance Practice
Former co-chair of Winston & Strawn’s leveraged finance practice, Sanjay Thapar, a finance lawyer, joined Baker Botts as a partner in its corporate practice in New York.
In-House
World’s largest cinema operator AMC Entertainment names interim GC
US cinema-owner AMC Entertainment has named Edwin Gladbach as interim general counsel after long-time GC Kevin Connor announced his retirement.
Online radio broadcaster SiriusXM lures ex-Airbnb CLO out of retirement as new GC
In lieu of Patrick Donnelly, who is retiring in April, SiriusXM, a US satellite radio and internet broadcaster, has appointed seasoned in-house attorney Richard Baer as general counsel.
Former A&O Shearman Hong Kong Partner Goes In-House with John Swire & Sons
In order to succeed Milton Cheng, whose second term ends later this year, Baker McKenzie is getting ready for elections. The corporation was still in shock over the sudden loss of its previous leader, Paul Rawlinson, when the Singapore-based boss, who had been in charge for six years, took over.
Manpower Combines GC, HR Roles After Longtime Legal Chief Retires
Richard Buchband’s successor, Michelle Nettles, was a chief people and diversity officer at Molson Coors Brewing until joining the Milwaukee-based corporation in 2019.
Team Moves
Addleshaw Goddard absorbs Linklaters’ Warsaw office
The 80-lawyer Warsaw office of Linklaters will no longer have an on-the-ground presence in Central and Eastern Europe as a result of Addleshaw Goddard (AG) confirming today that it will open in Poland.
Simpson Thacher taps Willkie Farr for four-partner registered funds team
Citing an increasing client focus on retail market products, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has slapped Willkie Farr & Gallagher for four registered fund partners. Bissie Bonner has relocated to New York, while Anne Choe, Justin Browder, and Neesa Patel Sood have joined the business in Washington, DC.
A&O Shearman IP teams depart for White & Case and Clifford Chance in London and Paris
Two partners and six IP attorneys have left A&O Shearman to work for Clifford Chance and White & Case in London and Paris. Along with Adrian Dykes and Karla Hughes, who both make partner on the move, partner David Stone, the former global head of intellectual property at legacy Allen & Overy, has joined White & Case in London. Meanwhile, Partner David Por, a senior associate, and an associate have relocated from A&O to Paris to work at Clifford Chance.
Korea’s Kim & Chang adds four-lawyer M&A team led by Cleary lifer
The entrance of seasoned partner Sang Jin Han and his colleagues from U.S. firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has strengthened the cross-border M&A capabilities of Kim & Chang, the largest law firm in South Korea. A group of M&A associates, including Ji-won Lim, Jae Sung Kim, and Ki Won Ahn, join Han.
As the firm restructures its leadership, Weil is losing at least five partners to three different firms.
Orrick Expands US Energy, Infrastructure Team With A&O Shearman Lawyers
Three new partners have joined Orrick’s Chambers Band 1 Energy platform: Charles “Chase” Armbrust, Jeff Quinn-Cane, and Matthew “Matt” Nesburn. Matt, who joined in Santa Monica, provides tax equity and other credit monetization advice to sponsors, funds, independent power producers, and international energy firms. He also contributes extensive knowledge of energy M&A deals and debt financing. Jeff is a Seattle-based advisor that focuses on tax-driven financings. Chase, who joins in Houston, contributes knowledge of complicated financings in the energy industry, including debt.
DWF Swipes Partner Quartet from Kennedys
By the end of 2024, DWF additionally employed a staff of nine partners in Australia.
Financials:
Law Firms Tweak Compensation to Reward ‘Future Superstars’ and Top-Performers
The most lucrative brands in Big Law continue to place a high premium on acquiring and retaining the best-performing partners. According to analysts, consultants, and business leaders, companies are also attempting to employ “every tool in the toolkit” to maintain the satisfaction of additional ‘middle-of-the-distribution’ partners.
McDermott Crosses $2B in Revenue, Sees PEP Best $4.5M
Even with equity tier growth, McDermott’s average PEP surged by nearly 22%.
Partners at law firm WFW share £44m payout as profit rises
Revenue for the year ending April 30th is increased by the UK-based operation whilst partner pay increased from £37.8M to £44m.
Cahill’s Strategy Shift Contributes to 15% Revenue Gain, 21% PEP Surge
“We made investments in congressional investigations, private credit, intellectual property, and white-collar jobs,” chair Herbert Washer stated. “And everyone made a significant contribution to the outcomes.”
Davis Wright Tremaine Surpasses $600M in Revenue Amid Leadership Transition
The Seattle-headquartered Am Law 100 saw its managing partner step down in 2024. However, that didn’t stand in the way of double-digit increases to revenue and PEP.
Brownstein Revenue Up 9%, as Policy and Lobbying Demand Help Drive Gains
The Denver-based company saw a nearly 21% boost in PEP to $1.36 million.
Before Entering Pacific Northwest, Ballard Spahr Posted Double-Digit Growth in 2024
As a firm, we had a lot going for us. We had all the parts and needed to put them together, so we had to cooperate and work together. The firm chairman, Peter Michaud, who also led a merger with Lane Powell that took effect on January 1, stated, “I gave the partners the call to action, and they answered it.”
Venable’s Revenue Grows 5% Amid Nonequity Tier Expansion
Venable’s gross revenue climbed by more over 5% to $858.2 million in fiscal year 2024, following double-digit percentage growth the year before.
Williams Mullen Grows Revenue 14% and surpasses $1M in PEP
Last year, the Richmond-based company’s revenue climbed 14% to $195.4 million, and its profits per equity partner surged by more than 16% to $1.07 million.
Canadian Associates See First Salary Hikes in Four Years
In Toronto, the largest legal market in the nation, many prestigious firms are increasing base pay to CA$135,000.
Promotions & Appointments:
London Court of International Arbitration names new president
After Paula Hodges KC served as president for six years, Maxi Scherer was named the new president of the London Court of International Arbitration.
Baker McKenzie Global Chair to Step Down as Firm Gears Up for Elections
In order to replace Milton Cheng, whose second term ends later this year, Baker McKenzie is getting ready for elections. The corporation was still in shock over the sudden loss of its previous leader, Paul Rawlinson, when the Singapore-based boss, who had been in charge for six years, took over.
Latham Elevates 19 Counsel to Partner
Following the announcement of its 2025 associate-partner promotions late last year, Latham has promoted 19 of its lawyers to partner status, effective March 1, 2025. According to data from Law.com Compass, the firm’s partnership now stands at just over 900, and the figure will be added to the number of lawyers promoted last year.
Lavelle Partners appoints Georgina Lanigan and Dermot McClean as partners
Georgina Lanigan and Dermot McClean have joined Lavelle Partners LLP as partners.
Mr. McClean is a partner in the firm’s litigation and dispute resolution team, while Ms. Lanigan leads the asset and debt recovery team.
Diversity & Inclusion:
ABA challenges Trump administration’s diversity policies, foreign aid cuts and judicial attacks
President Trump’s “equal merit” executive order, which requires government agencies to push the private sector to stop “illegal” diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, has drawn criticism from the American Bar Association (ABA).
Law Society urges UK government to scrap plans to axe funding for solicitor apprenticeships
Because of the potential effects on social mobility and the profession’s ability to compete globally, the Law Society of England and Wales has urged the government to abandon proposals to cut off public financing for attorney apprenticeships.
Companies Walking on Eggshells Amid Fury Over DEI
Paul Chesser of the National Legal and Policy Center stated, “There is no reason to believe that companies are genuinely eliminating DEI—they are just going to hide it better.”
Office Openings & Closing:
Cleary to shut Beijing arm, joining US law firm exodus from mainland China
According to data, the number of Am Law 100 firms in mainland China has decreased by 25% in the past two years, making Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton the most recent leading US firm to close its Beijing office.
Reed Smith Migrates to Expanded Downtown LA Office
The business, which had remained at its previous site since merging with Crosby Heafey in 2002, required additional space to accommodate its expanding roster of 63 attorneys and 47 employees.
Linklaters Confirms ‘Transfer’ of 80-Lawyer Warsaw Office to Addleshaw Goddard
Although Linklaters left four CEE locations in 2008, it has kept its office in Poland and is currently relocating to Addleshaw Goddard.
Subject to Luxembourg Bar clearance, the business intends to operate its Luxembourg office in early 2025. Tax specialist Jean-Dominique Morelli will join the firm from Maples & Calder, where he is a partner, while funds specialist Joanna Pecenik Vergès d’Espagne and private capital/M&A lawyer Marc Tkatcheff will join from A&O Shearman, where they are now Counsel.
Mergers & Alliances:
Ward Hadaway in merger talks to fuel £75m growth
Ward Hadaway said on Monday that it is considering a merger with commercial law firm The Endeavour Partnership, which would potentially strengthen the current “very close” relationship.
Technology & Innovation:
Legal AI start-up Luminance, backed by Slaughter and May, raises $75m
According to TechCrunch, Luminance has raised $75 million in a Series C fundraising round, making it one of the biggest capital raises by a pure-play legal AI startup in the UK and Europe. Established in 2015 by academics Adam Guthrie (chief technological architect) and Dr. Graham Sills (director of AI) from Cambridge, the start-up reported raising over $115 million in the last 12 months.
OpenAI Fights Copyright Infringement Allegations By Indian Media Giants
Amid a number of similar cases pending in the U.S. and Canada, a group of India’s biggest media outlets have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI. According to the court website, the complaint has been filed before the Delhi High Court, and a hearing is set for March 18.
Condé Nast and Guardian among group accusing Canadian AI start-up of ‘wholesale, verbatim copying’
There is little indication that the conflict between AI start-ups and more established media outlets will end anytime soon. Last week, a dozen prominent news and magazine publishers, including Condé Nast, Forbes, The Atlantic, the LA Times, and the Guardian, filed a lawsuit against AI start-up Cohere in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, claiming copyright and trademark infringement.
There was a lot of apprehension and fear when DeepSeek made its debut on the global scene, particularly because it originated in China. However, legal experts claim that the Gen AI startup’s threat goes beyond geopolitical conflicts.
Anu Bradford Unpacks Threats to the EU’s Digital Regulation Agenda
Other countries may begin to have “second thoughts” if the EU is perceived as losing faith in its own regulatory agenda, she added, adding that such a policy change by Brussels authorities would be particularly foolish given the present atmosphere across the Atlantic.
Linklaters tests AI with legal exams to assess reliability
In order to “test the ability of large language models to answer legal questions,” the company developed the LinksAI English law benchmark. With human adjudicators keeping an eye out for mistakes and manufactured references, the tests evaluate AI systems on overall correctness, citation usage, and clarity.
How Davis Wright Tremaine Is Working with Stanford on Legal AI
The goal of a recent collaboration with the university’s legal informatics department, CodeX, is to develop new legal AI prototypes.
StructureFlow Acquires Diagramming Solution Blue J Diagramming
By acquiring Blue J Diagramming, StructureFlow intends to increase the range of tax visualization services it provides.
Market Commentary:
‘More Transactions that Would Never Have Left Boardroom’: UK Partners Back CMA’s Change of Direction
Competition partners anticipate a rise in M&A activity as a result of the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) new strategy. Sarah Cardell, the chief executive of the CMA, stated last week that the regulator will try to make initial merger decisions more quickly and have more senior discussions with businesses in response to pressure from the U.K. government to prioritise “pro-growth and pro-investment interventions.”
London’s Top Corporate Lawyers: The Dealmakers Behind the Big Numbers
According to a new dataset created by MergerLinks, ten partners from London offices have been named top corporate lawyers. The table offers a new perspective on the notable dealmakers in 2024, based on the overall value of transactions reported the previous year and only considering those in which the corresponding solicitors led teams in which their firm served as the major legal counsel.
Freshfields, Davis Polk and a Trio of Spanish Firms Steer Landmark HBX Group in Spanish IPO
Freshfields, Davis Polk, Pérez-Llorca, Garrigues, and Uría Menéndez provided advice on the Spanish IPO of HBX Group, a travel technology company that links business-to-business and business-to-consumer travel distributors and suppliers. According to the participating law firms, the €748 million IPO is the biggest public offering in Europe thus far this year. Additionally, it is the first British company to go public in Spain since Brexit.
US Law Firms Quietly Secure UK ABS Licenses as Arizona Weighs KPMG Bid
Top U.S. headquartered firms are not sitting on the sidelines whilst they eagerly await Arizona’s decision on whether to license KPMG legal US as an alternative business structure (ABS). Instead, they’re taking advantage of the fact that regulators in England have been awarding ABS licenses since 2012.
Saudi Arabia’s Arbitration Power Play: SCCA Challenges Regional Giants
With Saudi Arabia’s $1.8 trillion construction boom driving demand for dispute resolution, the Saudi Centre for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) is growing quickly with the goal of competing with regional arbitration centres in Cairo and Dubai.
Garrigues and Uría Menéndez Lawyers Top Spain’s M&A Charts in 2024
According to statistics gathered by TTR statistics and MergerLinks, Uría Menéndez and Garrigues partners were named Spain’s top M&A attorneys in 2024.
Hong Kong Has 110 Active IPO Applications. Which Firms Have the Largest Market Share?
The Shenzhen-based electric car battery company Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL), which is allegedly seeking to raise $5 billion through a Hong Kong debut—the largest IPO in the city in five years—is leading the group of hopeful issuers by value.