Financials:
A dollar a second? Hourly rates rocket at top global firms
Average hourly rates for law firm partners increased by 5.1% in 2024, marking the second-highest annual rise since CounselLink began publishing the report in 2013. This figure is only slightly below the 5.4% increase seen in 2023, which was described as a significant post-pandemic surge.
US lobbying firms see early revenue boost in Trump’s second term
Leading firms in Washington, D.C., are seeing a surge in lobbying revenue as corporations, industry associations, and other groups work to influence policy during President Donald Trump’s second term and under a Republican-led Congress.
Citing ‘Balance in Pillar Practices’, Brown Rudnick Sees Revenue Climb 5%, PEP Rise to $1.78M
CEO Vince Guglielmotti stated that solid results across all five of the firm’s core practice areas contributed to its ongoing growth.
LSB shaves budget demand but lawyers still face 11% rise
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has scaled back its proposed budget increase for 2025–26, but it will still rise by 11%, adding £3.05 to each regulated lawyer’s practising fee.
Morris, Manning & Martin Kept Revenue Flat Amid 2024 Attorney Losses
Profits per equity partner increased as the firm lost 8.8% of its head count.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Supreme Court signals support for Maryland parents who object to LGBTQ books in public schools
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority indicated support for the religious rights of Maryland parents seeking to opt their children out of elementary school lessons that include storybooks featuring LGBTQ characters.
Irish law will protect trans people in wake of UK ruling
The Ladies’ Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) is facing calls to reconsider its policy permitting transgender players aged 12 and over to participate in matches, following a recent UK ruling concerning the legal definition of a woman.
50th Anniversary of the Black Women Lawyers Association of LA
The 50th anniversary featured a panel discussion with past presidents spanning the 50 years of BWL.
Office Openings & Closing:
Baker Donelson opens in New Jersey with 26-lawyer team from Epstein Becker
The group of lawyers practising across healthcare transactions, litigation and real estate has joined to open the firm’s first offices in the region, in Princeton and Iselin in New Jersey.
Addleshaw Goddard relocates Edinburgh office to St Andrew Square
Addleshaw Goddard is to relocate its Edinburgh operations to a new office at 24 St Andrew Square.
Mergers & Alliances:
Drogheda firms merge to form McKeever Tallan LLP
Historic Drogheda law firms McKeever Taylor and Tallan Solicitors have joined forces to form McKeever Tallan LLP.
Both firms, each with a legacy spanning more than a century, state that the merger will enhance their capacity to provide expert legal services across a wide array of practice areas.
Japan’s Oh-Ebashi forms Indonesia alliance, to set up Jakarta desk
Japanese law firm Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners has formed a business affiliation with Indonesia’s MAPS Law Firm and plans to launch a Jakarta desk in the near future, the firms have jointly announced.
Manchester and Yorkshire firms announce acquisitions
HNK, a specialist in data and cyber-crime, is set to rebrand as Express while continuing operations from its Liverpool office. Meanwhile, Yorkshire-based Ison Harrison has acquired personal injury firm Armstrong Luty Solicitors, located in Skipton.
Grant Thornton expands reach with new global partnerships
Grant Thornton Advisors has expanded its platform by incorporating Grant Thornton UAE, Grant Thornton Luxembourg, and Grant Thornton Cayman. The newly added firms will become part of the wider Grant Thornton International network, which spans more than 150 markets worldwide.
New practice area and location for top PI firm leads latest M&A
Top personal injury firm Express Solicitors has expanded out of Manchester with an acquisition that also takes it into the data breach market.
It has acquired Liverpool-based HNK Solicitors, which handles civil liberties, data breach, cyber-crime and criminal injury claims.
‘Exciting new chapter’ as two Scottish legal firms merge
Thorntons said it has significantly strengthened its market presence and share following the completion of its strategic merger with Macnabs.
Moves:
EMEA
K&L Gates Hires White & Case Energy and Resources Partner in Australia
Prior to joining K&L Gates, Matthew was a partner in the Project Development Finance practice in Southeast Asia and also served as the Head of the Philippines Country Group at an international law firm.
Swaab has hired a new partner in its construction practice, as well as added an associate to its commercial, corporate, IP and technology team. Partner Mark Glynn joins the firm from Minter Ellison.
Stefan Winquist joins Danish law firm Horten
After a brief chapter as CEO of Xperate Europe, former Bech Bruun chief information officer Stefan Winquist is joining Horten Law Firm as CIO.
UK & Ireland
Louise O’Donnell appointed as new chair of Labour Court
Ms O’Donnell is a qualified barrister and an experienced senior IR practitioner. She has previously sat as a deputy chair in the Labour Court and has extensive knowledge and experience in dealing with industrial relations, employment law, third party processes and has a wealth of experience in the resolution of significant industrial relations disputes.
Paul Hastings adds investment funds partner to London office
US-based law firm Paul Hastings has added investment funds lawyer Catherine Gokah to its London office and made her a partner.
Gokah joins the firm from Kirkland & Ellis, where she was a London-based partner.
Jamie Apted joins Aberdein Considine
Experienced commercial and banking lawyer Jamie Apted has joined Aberdein Considine as a partner. He previously worked at the Financial Ombudsman Service and in private practice.
Travers Smith targets property disputes with senior hire from CMS
Travers Smith has hired Robert Payne from CMS, promoting him to partner to lead its property litigation team.
Lodders appoints Steve Halkett as partner
Lodders has appointed corporate law expert Steve Halkett as an equity partner to support its strategic growth initiatives within the corporate and M&A sectors. Halkett joins the firm following an accomplished 18-year career at Wright Hassall.
The Americas
Mayer Brown continues to strengthen its Export Controls & Sanctions practice with the addition of Thea Kendler, former Assistant Secretary for Export Administration at the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and Aiysha S. Hussain, who served as her Senior Policy Advisor.
CFTC Veteran and General Counsel Rob Schwartz Joins Morgan Lewis
Morgan Lewis is pleased to welcome Robert A. Schwartz, who has spent more than a decade with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), including as general counsel. Rob joins the firm as a partner in the investment management practice, resident in Washington, DC.
Cozen O’Connor today announced one of the nation’s leading corporate attorneys, Samuel E. Feigin, has joined Cozen O’Connor to serve as the firm’s Strategic Growth Partner and lead its newly formed Israel practice. Feigin comes to the firm from Crowell & Moring, where he chaired the Corporate and Israel practices.
King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, welcomed attorney Michael P. Zaccaro
Prior to joining KingSpry, Attorney Zaccaro served in the Special Education Department of the Office of General Counsel for the New York City Department of Education.
Veteran Trial Attorney Peter Spillis Joins Freedland Harwin Valori Gander
Freedland Harwin Valori Gander, PLLC, a leading South Florida personal injury and medical malpractice law firm, announced that Peter K. Spillis has joined the firm as a partner. Spillis most recently served as managing partner at Fort Lauderdale-based Kelley|Uustal.
Baker Botts Adds Depth to Market-Leading Environmental Team
Chris Thiele has joined Baker Botts L.L.P. as a partner in the firm’s Litigation practice within the Environmental, Safety and Incident Response (ESIR) Section. He moves to the firm from an independent midstream energy infrastructure development company, where he served as Senior Vice President and legal counsel.
Corporate Partner Michael Marek Joins Kirkland & Ellis
Kirkland & Ellis announced today that Michael Marek has joined the Firm as a partner in the Corporate Practice Group. He joins Kirkland from Vinson & Elkins LLP, where he was a partner.
APAC
Tongshang HK nabs second A&O Shearman lawyer in two months
Eric Chow & Co, the Hong Kong association firm of Commerce & Finance Law Offices (Tongshang), has strengthened its corporate capabilities with the addition of corporate finance partner Kung-Wei Liu from A&O Shearman.
JSA onboards SAM insurance partner in Gurgaon
JSA Advocates & Solicitors has made a fourth partner hire in 2025, with the addition of insurance Shivangi Sharma Talwar in Gurgaon. Talwar joins from Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, where she had been partner since 2022.
Hong Kong boutique GPS hires disputes veteran as partner from Conyers
Hong Kong boutique law firm GPS Legal has appointed Mark Yeadon as a partner in its disputes practice. Yeadon joins from offshore law firm Conyers Dill & Pearman, where he was head of litigation for Hong Kong.
HK: K&L Gates welcomes cap markets partner from Robertsons
U.S. law firm K&L Gates expanded its capital markets practice in Hong Kong with the hire of Janney Chong as a partner from local outfit Robertsons.
PRC’s DeHeng adds real estate partner in Hong Kong
PRC law firm DeHeng Law Offices has bolstered its Hong Kong-based real estate practice with the addition of Maria Leung as a partner from local outfit Cheung & Yip.
In-House
Czech billionaire Karel Komárek enlists Clifford Chance partner
Swiss investment firm KKCG has named David Koláček as its group chief legal officer, a newly created role within the company.
Koláček joins from Clifford Chance where he was a partner and co-head of its corporate practice in Prague.
Welcoming General Counsel Jim Zappa
The McKnight Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Jim Zappa as its new General Counsel, a position within the Office of the President. In this role, Zappa will serve as a strategic legal advisor to the Foundation, offering guidance on governance, risk, and compliance across the organization. Zappa joins from Faegre Drinker.
Jamie Brown joins Associate Capital as General Counsel from Paul Hastings.
CAM expands private client practice in Singapore with senior in-house hire
Indian law firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas has enhanced its Singapore offerings by appointing Varun Kalsi as a director in its private client practice. Kalsi joins from Lighthouse Canton.
Team Moves
Sidley hits Cadwalader for 14-lawyer real estate finance team
Sidley Austin has hired a 14-lawyer real estate finance team from Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft as it continues to expand its New York office.
Friedman Law Group Joins CM Law’s Chicago Office
CM Law PLLC, the largest, national, woman-owned and managed, full-service law firm in the country, is pleased to welcome the six members of the Friedman Law Group to its Chicago office.
Promotions & Appointments:
A&O Shearman promotes 33 new partners
London: Tina Barazandeh-Nejad, Evgenia Erakhtina, Temilope Esho, James Green, Xin Ni Lim, Aoife Mac Dermott, Thomas McGuffie, Emma Perrin, Fatima Al-Shawaf
New York: James Bryson, John Hibbard
Paris: Paul Fortin, Benjamin Lacourt, Jules Lecoeur, Tzvetomira Pacheva
Dubai: Mike Campbell, Richard Chamberlain
Luxembourg: Vittoria Faraone, Pol Theisen
Hamburg: Hauke Sattler, Sebastian Remberg
Amsterdam: Kayleigh Sanders, Pieter Tieskens
Jakarta: Ferhat Afkar
Perth: Jackson Allen, Jacke Donald
Sydney: Simone Lowes
Washington D.C: Matthew Brown
Bratislava: Tomas Bury
Dallas: Billy Marsh
Düsseldorf: Michael Fink
Rome: Alessandra Pala
Frankfurt: Charlotte Wllemer
Freshfields makes up 25 in latest partner promotions round
London: Ramya Arnold, Joshua Kelly, Emily Knight, James Raeside, Jessica Steele, Meredith Bayley, Michael Black, Kate Hatcher, Jon Scurr
Brussels: Aaron Green, Janet Lang
Amsterdam: Alvaro Pliego Selie
Singapore: Rohit Bhat
Frankfurt: Katharna Shingler, Carsten Haak, Daniel von Bülow, Sebastian Röger
New York: Nicholas A. Caselli, Jeff Jay, Sarah Katz
Hamburg: Judth Romer
Abu Dhabi: Charlotte Stevens
Dusseldorf: Stefanie Spancken-Monz
Madrid: Cristina Esteve
Paris: Elodie Favre-Thellmann
Stephenson Harwood elevates 12 to partner in firm’s second largest promotions round
Kuljeet Bahia, Stewart Scott, Ross Davidson, Jordan Ellis, Peter Gillis, Toufic Safie, Alexa Whitehead, Paul Katsouris, Shirley Li, Emma Nowell, Mateusz Bek, Adam Polonsky
Ashurst unveils 20-strong promotions round
The new partners cover 10 practice groups, with notable investments in dispute resolution (four promotions), corporate transactions and projects and energy transition (three each), reflecting priority growth areas set out in Ashurst’s 2027 growth strategy. There were also two promotions apiece in the competition and tax practices and one in the firm’s NewLaw arm, with the rest spread across restructuring, global loans, global markets and digital economy transactions.
Technology & Innovation:
Eve Launches Gen AI Reasoning Mode Tool for Litigation Document Analysis
Eve, an AI platform for plaintiffs’ law firms, is today introducing an AI Reasoning Mode that it says can perform complex legal analysis through sophisticated step-by-step reasoning capabilities, on a par with a senior-level lawyer.
UAE set to use AI to write Laws
UAE set to use AI to write laws in world first Gulf state expects move will speed up lawmaking by 70% but experts warn of ‘reliability’ issues with the technology.
Dentons and Top German Legal Publisher Partner with CMS-linked Noxtua in Boost for European AI
“Dentons has always been driven by the vision of being the law firm of the future, so innovation is in our DNA. As part of our wider strategy to embrace the power of artificial intelligence to transform our industry, we are excited by the opportunity for Dentons Europe to contribute our legal and innovation expertise to the development of Noxtua to address the specific needs of the European market.”
200 French media publications sue Meta, alleging unlawful business practices
A group of 67 French media companies representing 200 publications has filed a lawsuit against Facebook parent company Meta, accusing the tech giant of unlawful business practices in the digital advertising sector.
Market Commentary:
Millar McCall Wylie launches new CSR strategy
Northern Ireland firm Millar McCall Wylie has launched a new corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy, centred around having a sustained, positive impact on society.
Law Firms Are Tapping Former Legal Chiefs for a New Kind of Role GC in Residence
Once a rarity, general counsel-in-residence programs are gaining traction at Big Law firms, including Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and Mayer Brown. Firms draw on the ex-legal chiefs to drum up business, and to provide insight that can only come from a battle-tested in-house legal leader.
DWF puts over 100 jobs at risk in cost-cutting drive
DWF has placed 108 staff at risk of redundancy as it looks to slim down parts of its business services divisions.
LRSA report reveals 829 complaints made against lawyers in six-month period
The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) has published its first complaints report for 2025 which shows it received 829 complaints in a six month period, with 839 complaints closed.