Welcome to this week’s update, where we bring you the latest moves, promotions, and strategic appointments shaping the legal industry.
Partner Moves
Individual
UK & Ireland
Weil Hires Senior London Finance Partner, Expanding Funds and Capital Solutions Offering
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP announced that Fiona Cumming will join the firm as a Partner in its Finance practice. She will arrive from A&O Shearman where she is Private Capital sector Co-Lead and Co-Head of its global fund finance practice.
Kennedys targets Clyde & Co in London for aviation Partner
Kennedys has strengthened its global aviation bench in London with the hire of Partner Rob Ireland from Clyde & Co. Ireland has rejoined Kennedys after a decade as a Partner in Clydes’ aviation practice.
Fox Williams Arbitration Head Ben Giaretta joins Newmans Row as full-time arbitrator
Prominent London arbitration specialist Ben Giaretta is leaving Fox Williams to practice exclusively as an arbitrator at Newmans Row.
Weil takes London Finance Partner from Sidley
Weil, Gotshal & Manges has hired finance Partner in London from rival from Sidley Austin. James Crooks, who specialises in leveraged finance and general debt financing transactions, will join the firm’s capital solutions practice.
Latham Adds Experienced Data and Technology Transactions Partner in London
Richard Offord has joined the firm’s London office as a Partner in the Data & Technology Transactions Practice. Offord joins from Travers Smith.
Greenberg Traurig accelerates London Real Estate growth, adding Patrick Williams and Freya Dear
Greenberg Traurig, LLP has continued the strategic expansion of its Real Estate Practice with the addition of Patrick Williams and Freya Dear as shareholders in the firm’s London office. Williams joined the firm from Fried Frank on June 10, while Dear will join after the completion of her notice period at Fried Frank.
Europe
Linklaters loses German Funds Partner to McDermott
Frankfurt-based investment funds Partner Olena Tokman is joining McDermott Will & Schulte on August 1 after seven years at Linklaters, where she was promoted to Partner in 2023.
In house
Bayer appoints Litigation Head Max Thümmel as Group General Counsel
Bayer AG has appointed longtime in-house lawyer Max Thümmel as its new Group General Counsel, elevating a senior litigation specialist to oversee the legal affairs of one of the world’s largest life sciences companies.
Promotions & Appointments
Baker McKenzie completes 2026 partner promotions with 30-strong international round
Baker McKenzie has promoted 30 to Partner across its international network in its annual summer promotions round, following 17 Partner promotions across North and Latin America in January. This year’s 47 promotions form the smallest cohort for the firm in the past decade, during which it has regularly made up more than 80.
Firm and Market Activity
Office Openings & Closings
Pérez-Llorca has become the first Ibero-American law firm to establish a physical presence in Abu Dhabi. This opening strengthens the firm’s commitment to the Middle East, a key region for global investment, and forms part of an international roadmap that this year also includes the launch of operations in Peru.
Mergers & Alliances
Lindsays to merge with Dallas McMillan as Glasgow team expands
Lindsays is continuing its growth with a merger with Glasgow-based legal practice Dallas McMillan, effective from 1 September. Through the merger, Dallas McMillan’s Partners and staff will join Lindsays, with their clients benefiting from access to a broader range of legal services across the combined business.
Financial Results
Walker Morris closes in on £100m target after record year
Walker Morris has recorded its highest-ever revenue, surpassing the £90 million mark for the first time as the Leeds-headquartered firm continues its push towards its £100 million growth target. The firm generated fee income of £90.2 million in the year to 30 April 2026, up 11% from the previous year. Net profit also increased by 11%, while PEP exceeded £1.1 million.
Ashurst posts double-digit growth ahead of Perkins Coie merger
Ashurst’s revenue increased from just over £1bn to £1.15bn, marking 10 consecutive years of significant turnover growth. Average growth in its PEP over the same period has been 10 per cent each year. It rose by 15 per cent over 2025/26 to hit £1.59m from £1.39m.
Market Commentary
Hogan Lovells bumps NQ lawyer pay to £145k in run-up to Cadwalader merger
Hogan Lovells has increased salaries for its newly qualified (NQ) Associates in London ahead of its mega-merger with US law firm Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft. The firm confirmed that pay for its most junior lawyers has risen by 3.5%, from £140,000 to £145,000.
Desk shuffle begins: Hogan Lovells to move 400 people to aid Cadwalader integration
Hogan Lovells is embarking on an office reorganisation exercise in London ahead of next week’s merger with Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft, with around 400 people set to switch places to aid integration. The two firms merge officially on 1 July, with Cadwalader’s 110 staff and partners set to move out of 100 Bishopsgate and into Hogan Lovells’ London HQ at Atlantic House.
Cohen & Gresser launches new Media, Entertainment & Sports practice
The new practice draws on the firm’s multidisciplinary strengths to advise businesses, investors, and talent at the intersection of creativity, technology, and commerce.
“Distracted” firms the target of Burges Salmon’s new five-year strategy
The Bristol-founded firm has opted to double down on its national and cross-border referral workflows, eyeing displaced teams from larger City firms that might no longer put stock in those practices. Firms that historically would have competed with Burges Salmon on lower-margin mandates, its leaders claim, are no longer receiving that work because either teams have become cost-prohibited for clients or teams have left those firms entirely.
Innovation & Culture
Technology & Innovation
AI law firm wins court case in UK first
Garfield AI, the UK’s first regulated AI law firm, helped a freelancer recover £7,000 in unpaid fees after a three-hour trial at Wandsworth County Court last month. The claim featured a string of witnesses, extensive cross-examination and a reserved judgment, with the claimant not only winning her case but also defeating a counterclaim from the other side.
Law students face AI classes after training provider deal
Legal education provider BARBRI has acquired AI business Lega to train law students and lawyers in using AI tools. The purchase will bring Lega’s AI training programmes into BARBRI’s legal education and professional development business, which includes preparation for the SQE. Lega provides workshops and training sessions on the practical uses of generative AI in legal work.
Shoosmiths launches its own AI contract review tool created with Microsoft
Shoosmiths is rolling out its own proprietary generative AI contract review tool it developed with Microsoft as its AI-forward strategy pushes on. The firm created and piloted Project Apollo in collaboration with the tech giant over the past year. Built on Shoosmiths’ own dealmaking know-how, the firm said the tool is designed to mirror the way a senior associate would justify decision-making to a partner.
Firms face hike in AI cost base as Legora gears up for pricing switch
Legora has told law firms using its AI platform that it plans to switch to consumption-based pricing, with companies such as Anthropic and OpenAI having already made the move with some of their products.
Fish & Richardson launches proprietary AI patent tool to support patent workflows
Global IP firm Fish & Richardson has created a new proprietary AI patent tool to enhance patent workflows, assisting lawyers to provide robust outcomes for its clients’ IP portfolios. FishStream AI is intended to help the Boston-based firm’s patent lawyers perform tasks faster and more efficiently, integrating the firm’s enterprise grade AI with its patent and technical knowledge.