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
Brabners makes twin Partner hire from Forsters, gunnercooke to debut in London
As part of its plans to open a new office in London, Brabners announced double Partner hire of Corporate Partner Stuart Hatcher (Forsters) and Disputes Partner Russell Strong (gunnercooke).
Akin adds Leveraged Finance Partner Adrian Chiodo to London Finance Practice
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has hired leveraged finance partner Adrian Chiodo in London from Covington & Burling, where he led the firm’s leveraged finance practice in Europe.
Lisa Quelch joins Hogan Lovells
Hogan Lovells announced that Lisa Quelch has joined as a Partner in its Infrastructure, Energy, Resources, and Projects (IERP) practice area in London. She has joined from Latham & Watkins.
Simpson Thacher funds lawyer heads to Paul Hastings
Paul Hastings has boosted its London ranks with funds lawyer, David Richardson, from Simpson Thacher, as the US law firm ramps up its city rebuild.
Europe
Bird & Bird hires Partner duo in Warsaw
Michał Kulesza (IT and Commercial) and Krzysztof Zięba (Contracts and Consumers) will make the move from local firms Rymarz Zdort Maruta (RZM) and Kochański & Partners.
Freshfields faces yet another European departure in Paris
Former Office Managing Partner of Freshfields, Hervé Pisani, is set join White & Case’s M&A practice in Paris.
Private Funds Partner moves to Jeantet
Nicolas Capelli, who specialises in Private Funds, has left Morgan, Lewis & Bockius to join Parisian firm Jeantet.
Morgan Lewis hires Moderna Head of Legal Regulatory as Munich Partner
Morgan Lewis continues to strengthen its global life sciences capabilities with the arrival of Dr. Alexander Meier. Joining the firm in Munich after he was most recently vice president and head of legal regulatory strategy and global regulatory policy at Moderna in Switzerland.
Dr. Dietmar Schulz joins SZA as a partner in the Restructuring and Insolvency Practice
Dr. Dietmar Schulz has joined Schilling Zutt and Anschütz as a Partner in the Restructuring and Insolvency practice, effective 1 February 2026. Schulz joins from DLA Piper.
Middle East
Zaid Al-Farisi has been appointed Senior Partner in Banking and Restructuring at Eversheds Sutherland in Riyadh.
Team
Ropes & Gray expands in Paris with Private funds and Tax team from Linklaters
Ropes & Gray taken two Parisian Partners from Linklaters. The incoming duo are Edouard Chappellier (Funds and Tax) and Jonathan Abensour (Tax), who are also joined by a team of eight associates.
Promotions & Appointments
Mishcon unveils new leadership team
Mishcon de Reya has appointed a new firmwide chief and two executive Partners. New Managing Partner, Daniel Naftalin, will be supported by an executive team of Joanna Walsh (White Collar Crime and Disputes Partner) and Daniel Levy (Property Litigation and Construction Partner).
Paul Dali joins Ropes & Gray as a PE Partner, leaving EQT Group (global investment firm and R&G client). Paul will focus on PE and M&A.
Clyde & Co has promoted Sian Langer and Gemma Parker to Partner
Sian specialises in large and complex loss at the Southampton Office. Gemma specialises in liability arguments at the Southampton Office.
Zaid Mansour Joins Orrick’s Düsseldorf Office
Former Counsel at Clifford Chance, Zaid Mansour, joins Orrick as a Partner in their Düsseldorf office.
Firm and Market Activity
Office Openings & Closings
Brabners to launch London office
Liverpool-founded law firm Brabners has announced plans to expand into the capital, marking its fifth office in the UK.
Oppenhoff will open an office in Munich in May 2026
Oppenhoff will open an office in Munich in May 2026. The starting team includes a large team led by the experienced corporate partner Dr. Alexander von Bergwelt from Dentons.
Stephenson Harwood acquires boutique to re-enter Madrid
Stephenson Harwood has announced that it is opening a new office in Madrid after acquiring a local three-partner boutique.
Mergers & Alliances
Taylor Wessing and Winston partners give green light to merger
Partners at Taylor Wessing and Winston & Strawn have approved the firms’ proposed transatlantic merger, clearing the final internal hurdle for the creation of Winston Taylor.
Financial Results
London expansion and record revenues drive next phase of growth at Brabners
Brabners has reported its eighth consecutive year of growth, with turnover surpassing £60m as the firm grows to almost 600 colleagues.
Innovation & Culture
Technology & Innovation
Thomson Reuters launches CoCounsel Legal in the UK
Thomson Reuters has launched CoCounsel Legal; its agentic AI solution built for legal professionals onto the UK market.
Wexler eyes Series A funding round to get “boots on the ground” in the US
Wexler is preparing for a Series A funding round towards the end of the first half of this year to help it expand its commercial team on the other side of the Atlantic.
Legora “takes fight to the US” with new CFO
Legora has hired former Vanta executive David Eckstein as CFO to drive its U.S. expansion amid rapid global scaling. The move comes as the legal tech firm accelerates growth following strong performance and major recent funding.