Welcome to this week’s update, where we bring you the latest moves, promotions, and strategic appointments shaping the legal industry.
Partner Moves
UK & Ireland
Paul Weiss expands London footprint with Simpson Thacher private equity partner hire
Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison has hired private equity and M&A lawyer Paul Foote from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in London to strengthen its transactions capabilities.
Cahill ends London finance search with long-awaited partner hires
Cahill has hired White & Case’s EMEA bank lending team head Jeremy Duffy and real estate finance partner Lisa Seifman.
Multiple exits from Shoosmiths Regional real estate team
Shoosmiths’ regional real estate team has seen multiple departures across Manchester and Nottingham. Recent exits include Manchester partner Kirsty Black, who joined Addleshaw Goddard last week.
Sullivan & Cromwell continues City buildout with Weil duo
Sullivan & Cromwell’s London buildout continues, with the firm hiring a finance duo, Chris McLaughlin and Alastair McVeigh, from Weil Gotshal & Manges.
Dechert hires private equity partner from Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC in London
Dechert has hired private equity and infrastructure lawyer Jarlath Pratt from Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC to strengthen the firm’s global private capital coverage.
McDermott adds senior antitrust partner in London
McDermott Will & Schulte announced the appointment of Kristina Nordlander as a senior partner in London.
Shoosmiths strengthens Banking & Finance team with double partner hire
Shoosmiths has added two partners to its Banking and Finance team: John Dawson, who joins from CMS, and Graham Knight, who arrives from A&O Shearman.
Europe
Blathnaid Evans Starting New Position at Philip Lee LLP
Former founding member of KELLA, Blathnaid Evans joins Philip Lee LLP Dublin as an employment partner.
Gowling WLG welcomes Dr. Annette Rickert to strengthen international tax practice
Dr. Annette Rickert joins as a tax partner at Gowling WLG in Frankfurt. Rickert joins from PwC.
Middle East
Quinn Emanuel Hires Leading Cross Border Disputes Partner in UAE
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has hired Ghalib Mahmoud as a cross-border disputes partner in its Dubai and Abu Dhabi offices.
AG strengthens Abu Dhabi presence with Construction, Transport and Energy partners
Addleshaw Goddard has expanded its Abu Dhabi office with the relocations of senior partners Andrew Carter and Matthew Williams, alongside the appointment of Richard Davies as Construction & Engineering partner, strengthening its presence in the UAE capital.
Baker Botts has appointed Alhassane Barry as partner and global head of mining and metals (non-US) in its global projects department in the UAE, based in Dubai.
Ashurst boosts Middle East offering with first real estate partner hire
Ashurst has appointed former BCLP real estate head Chris Beaumont McQuillan as a partner in its Abu Dhabi office to support the continued expansion of its Middle East real estate practice.
Baker McKenzie boosts Middle East banking & finance team with strategic partner addition from
Baker McKenzie announced that former partner at Stephenson Harwood, Philip Clarke will join the Dubai office as a financial regulatory partner in its Banking & Finance Practice Group, expanding its financial regulatory capabilities across the Middle East and globally.
HFW continues to strengthen fast-growing Middle East offering with Saudi Partner hire
Global, sector-focused law firm HFW has continued to strengthen its fast-growing Middle East offering with the hire of Partner Jonathan Burns, joining from ZH Partners.
Promotions & Appointments
Gemma Parker & Sian Langer Promoted To Partner At Clyde & Co
Global law firm Clyde & Co has promoted Sian Langer and Gemma Parker to Partner, reinforcing its market-leading catastrophic injury and large loss capabilities in the south of England.
Arnold & Porter Announce New Leadership for Antitrust/Competition Practice
Michael B. Bernstein and Niels Christian Ersbøll have been named Global Co-Chairs and Partner Scott Lent has been named U.S. Chair for Arnold & Porter’s Antitrust/Competition.
Firm and Market Activity
Office Openings & Closings
US-Israeli firm Pearl Cohen arrives in Germany
Pearl Cohen has launched a Munich office by integrating patent attorney firm Tautz & Schuhmacher, bringing in European patent attorneys Raphael Tautz and Matthias Schuhmacher as partners and US patent attorney Michael McCandlish as of counsel, marking the firm’s second European base after London.
Mergers & Alliances
King & Spalding joins forces with local Saudi firm
King & Spalding is integrating Al Fahad & Partners into its Riyadh office, adding four partners and 17 lawyers, rebranding as King & Spalding Al Fahad, and significantly expanding its Saudi presence.
Market Commentary
The Lawyer’s Hot 100 2026 is released
The list reflects a legal market responding to pressure and a fast pace of change, featuring litigators instructed on some of the most complex and high-stakes cases to come before the courts in recent memory, alongside advisers navigating landmark mergers, restructurings and financings, often against the backdrop of fragile markets and heightened scrutiny.
Innovation & Culture
Technology & Innovation
HSBC signs landmark deal with legal tech firm Harvey
HSBC has agreed a deal with tech company Harvey to deploy its AI platform across the bank’s entire in-house legal function.
BCLP creates new innovation role to lead AI drive
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner has created a new global partner role overseeing legal innovation, knowledge and practice strategy as it accelerates its AI initiative.
The firm’s corporate finance partner Nicholas Myatt has been appointed to the role.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Judicial Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2026-2030 launched
The judiciary of England and Wales has launched its 2026–2030 Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to increase representation across all courts and tribunals.