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
Willkie Private Equity Partner David Jansen Joins Weil Germany
Willkie Farr & Gallagher Partner David Jansen will join Weil, Gotshal & Manges’ Frankfurt office as a Partner in the Private Equity Practice. With a focus on financial regulatory matters, Jansen has expertise in asset management and advising sponsors on complex secondary transactions. He also advises on M&A transactions in the financial sector involving the purchase and sale of regulated entities, in coordination with regulators including BaFin and the ECB.
Haynes Boone expands global capabilities with addition of new Chair of International Disputes
Louise Woods joins as Chair of International Disputes from Vinson & Elkins, where she practiced for 13 years and served as European Co-Head of International Disputes. Woods advises clients on complex international commercial disputes, with a particular focus on international arbitration in the energy sector.
RDJ strengthens Real Estate practice with appointment of Paula Deasy as Partner
Paula Deasy joins as Partner in Real Estate from William Fry and will work in the Cork office. Her appointment further strengthens RDJ’s market-leading Real Estate practice and reflects continued client demand for specialist advice across the full spectrum of commercial property, development and real estate finance matters.
Stephenson Harwood strengthens London Private Wealth practice
Nicola Simmons joins as Partner in London in the Private Wealth from Mishcon de Reya. Nicola is a Tax and Private Wealth lawyer with more than ten years of experience advising entrepreneurs, family offices, trustees, and corporates on both personal and corporate tax matters.
Keystone hires new Employment Partner in London
Employment Partner Matt Freeman has joined Keystone in London. Matt previously worked as a Solicitor at AXA has over 20 years’ experience advising financial institutions and multinational organisations across the UK and EMEA. He advises on complex, high-stakes employment matters, including senior executive exits, employment tribunal litigation, regulatory issues and business-critical restructurings, working closely with C-suite stakeholders on sensitive and strategic matters.
Keystone continues strengthening London office with new Tax Partner
Linda Adelson joins as Partner in London from Forvis Mazar to strengthen Keystone’s Indirect Tax Practice. She has over 30 years’ experience advising on all areas of VAT and indirect tax, and has particular expertise in financial services, insurance, fintech, e-money, real estate, and complex cross-border matters.
Matheson appoints Gerry Thornton as Head of Tax
Matheson confirms appointment of Partner, Gerry Thornton, as Head of Tax in Dublin. He will lead Matheson’s market-leading tax practice, the largest of any Irish law firm. He succeeds Shane Hogan, who was recently appointed as Managing Partner of the firm.
Brodies LLP appoints new Real Estate Partner
Andy Tyler joins the firm in Edinburgh from Davidson Chalmers Stewart as Partner in Real Estate. He brings extensive experience advising developers, investors, funders and occupiers, with particular expertise across the living sector, life sciences and healthcare. His appointment further strengthens the team’s expertise as they respond to growing demand for specialist advice across a range of asset classes and sectors.
Trowers and Hamlins welcomes Paul Batchelor as a new Partner in Corporate team
Paul Batchelor joins from Knights as Partner to further strengthen their Birmingham office. Paul brings more than 20 years’ experience advising clients on a broad range of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, joint ventures, restructurings and strategic business growth projects.
Sidley Austin expands Private Equity Practice
James Sherlock has joined the Firm’s M&A and Private Equity Practice as a Partner in London. He joins from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where he was a member of their Private Equity Group. Sherlock advises financial sponsors on a wide range of transactions, including private acquisitions and disposals, carve-outs, co-investments, consortium deals, joint ventures, group restructurings and other general corporate matters.
Ashurst Perkins Coie bolsters energy transition footprint in London with Partner hire
Global law firm Ashurst Perkins Coie announces the appointment of Henry Stewart as partner in the Projects, Energy, Environment and Resources practice, based in London, as the firm builds out its European energy offering. This comes only a few days after Energy transactions partner Quentin Robinson parts with the firm, and heads to Simmons and Simmons.
Greenberg Traurig secures Ashurst Perkins Coie’s Construction Chief in London
Greenberg Traurig has hired Ben Patton as Partner from Ashurst Perkins Coie to lead its London construction practice, the latest in a string of real estate hires in the City by the US firm. Ben Patton has joined Greenberg as a Shareholder after nearly 20 years at Ashurst Perkins Coie and legacy firm Ashurst, where he was co-head of the London construction group.
Hill Dickenson hire Richard Bush to lead dedicated Sports Practice
Richard Bush opens new dedicated Sports practice at Hill Dickinson. He joins as Hill Dickinson’s new Head of Sport from Bird & Bird, where he spent over a decade (with five years as Partner). Richard is based in London.
Corrigan & Corrigan welcome John Sheehy as Partner
John Sheehy joins as Partner in Dublin at Corrigan and Corrigan from DAC Beachcroft Dublin. He has experience in litigation and dispute resolution, as well as particular expertise in the areas of defence personal injury, professional negligence and all insurance-related litigation.
WilmerHale Hires Cooley Arbitration Head and Clifford Chance Disputes Partner
Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale and Dorr have hired two Partners from Cooley and Clifford Chance as the firm expands in arbitration and establishes a commercial disputes practice in London. Charlie Lightfoot joins the firm from Cooley where he was Head of International Arbitration. He was previously Jenner & Block London Managing Partner. Jeremy Kosky joins from Clifford Chance, arriving as Head of the London Disputes Practice.
Huw Jenkin leaves Travers Smith to join Enyo Law LLP
Travers Smith Litigation Partner Huw Jenkin has left the firm to join Enyo Law LLP in London, The Lawyer has learned. Jenkin, who has been a Partner at Travers for 14 years, is set to become the litigation boutique’s 22nd partner.
Skadden Adds Infrastructure Investments Partner Sam Blake in London
Skadden is pleased to announce Sam Blake has joined the firm as a Partner in the financial sponsor practice in its London office. Blake is an experienced private equity lawyer who has advised on complex transactions across the U.K. and Europe. He joins from Antin Infrastructure Partners where he worked for 8 years.
Douglas Roberts joins as Corporate Partner at Gillespie MacAndrew
Douglas Roberts joins as Partner for Gillespie MacAndrew after 3 years at TLT and will work in the Edinburgh office.
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader loses senior London Tax Partner to Proskauer
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader corporate tax partner Adam Blakemore has joined Proskauer in London. Blakemore spent more than 20 years at Cadwalader before moving over to Hogan Lovells Cadwalader when the firms completed their merger in July.
Rachel Kerr joins Squire Patton Boggs as Partner
Rachel Kerr joins as Partner in Birmingham. She moves from Gowling WLG.
She has over 15 years’ experience working across numerous real estate sectors and assets for a range of both investment and development clients. She specialises in industrial and logistics, offices, retail, data centres and the living sector, including hotels.
Fieldfisher adds Jennifer Clarke to Litigation Team
European law firm Fieldfisher has announced the appointment of Jennifer Clarke as a Partner in its Irish Litigation Practice in Dublin, effective 1 October 2026. Clarke joins from Byrne Wallace Shields LLP and brings commercial litigation experience, with particular expertise in financial services disputes involving banks, non-bank lenders, wealth managers, insurance brokers and insurers.
Keidan Harrison hires former Ogier Global Investigations Head
London-based international disputes boutique Keidan Harrison has expanded its partnership with the appointment of Rachel Cropper-Mawer as Partner, further strengthening the firm’s offering. Cropper-Mawer brings more than 20 years’ experience to the firm.
HSF Kramer adds Sidley Team Head in second London lateral this week
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has made its second lateral hire in London this week, adding Sidley Austin’s head of U.K. Life Sciences. Marie Manley will retain the same leadership title at HSF Kramer, joining only three days after private equity partner Alex McCarney, who had previously been at Eversheds Sutherland.
Europe
Christian Hal appointed Managing Partner of Thommessen
Christian Hals has been appointed Managing Partner of Advokatfirmaet Thommessen in Oslo. He succeeds Sverre Tyrhaug, who is stepping down after 13 years in the role to become CEO of ABG Sundal Collier. Christian Hals joined Thommessen as an Associate in 2009. He became a Partner in 2018 and has built a strong practice in M&A, with particular expertise in infrastructure and energy.
Eversheds Sutherland hires new Zurich Partner
Dr. iur. Michael Faske joins Eversheds Sutherland as Partner in Zurich from Deloitte. He will be supporting clients on complex matters across investigations, financial crime, and compliance.
Jones Day adds Corporate Partners Luigi Verga and Giulio Politi in Milan
Luigi Verga joins from Freshfields as Corporate Partner and his practice is focused on Private Equity and Private and Public M&A. Giulio Politi also joins in Milan from Freshfields, where he was Senior Associate. His practice focuses on Private Equity and Cross-border M&A, advising multinational corporations and financial sponsors on strategic M&A, joint ventures, and corporate reorganization matters. His experience encompasses several sectors, including infrastructure and aerospace & defense.
Dentons’ Spain Exodus: Eight Partners Depart in Turbulent Few Months for the Madrid Team
Dentons Spain has lost eight of its 12 partners since April, the same month Madrid began to rebuild with a lateral hire, an internal promotion, and brought in an Interim Managing Oartner to steady the business. Federico Sutti, who also serves as Dentons Italy’s Managing Partner and chair of the firm’s Europe Board, now oversees the Madrid office, which has six partners, according to Dentons’ website. If all goes according to his plan, Sutti—the fourth leader in seven years—will be replaced in 2027.
DLA Piper announces the appointment of Carmen Redmann as a Partner in its Global Finance practice
Global law firm DLA Piper announces the appointment of Carmen Redmann as a Partner in its Global Finance Practice in Vienna. Redmann joins from Taylor Wessing.
Vischer hires new Partner in Dispute Resolution Team
Vischer hires Jean-René Oettli as Partner in their Geneva Dispute Resolution team and Co-Head of the White-Collar Crime practice. He joins from Lens & Staehlin and Borel & Barbey.
DLA Piper hires new Partner in Frankfurt Office
Gerd Hegele joins as Partner alongside Frederik Mühl who joins as Senior Counsel in the Frankfurt Private Equity and Infrastructure Practice.
A&O Shearman hires DLA Piper Partner
A&O Shearman is further expanding its Global Patent Practice with the hire of Constanze Krenz in the Munich office which will be in effect from November. She will be in charge of the Patent Litigation Team. Previously she headed DLA Piper’s German Patent Practice. Her move to the transatlantic competitor is a blow for DLA Piper’s ambitions in the UPC territory.
Loyens & Loeff hires new Partner in the Corporate/M&A practice
Lieke van der Velden joins as Corporate M&A Partner in Amsterdam for Loyens & Loeff.
Weil hire new Litigation Partner in Munich
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP have hired Dr. Philipp Steinrück as Partner in the Litigation Department in Munich after seven years at Latham and Watkins.
Middle East
Linklaters hire new Corporate Partner in Riyadh
Mohammed Almarzouki will join Linklaters as Partner from Clyde & Co as Corporate Partner in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ashurst Perkins Coie expands Investment Funds offering with Abu Dhabi Partner hire
Ashurst Perkins Coie announces the appointment of seasoned funds expert James Burdett as Partner in the Investment Funds practice, based in Abu Dhabi, further strengthening the firm’s private capital offering across the Middle East.
Team
A&O Shearman hires market-leading Secondaries team
A&O Shearman has announced an expansion of its market-leading private capital offering with the addition of Secondaries Partners Gabriel Boghossian and Sarah de Ste Croix as Global Co-Heads of Secondaries, together with their full team based in London. Their arrival establishes A&O Shearman as one of only three firms in the industry to hold a Band 1 ranking for secondaries transactions, positioning the firm at the very forefront of one of private capital’s fastest growing and most strategically significant markets.
Weil Confirms London Departures of Tom Richards and Max Oppenheimer
Weil has confirmed that London Finance head Tom Richards and Private Equity partner Max Oppenheimer are set to leave the firm. Richards is in advanced talks to join Simpson Thacher, with fellow Weil finance partners Alex Eagle, Gilles Teerlinck, and Patrick Brendon also expected to make the move, according to reports. Oppenheimer is set to join Paul Weiss.
Pinsent Masons strengthens its Real Estate Practice
Patrick Duffy as Partner and Adam Barrett as Managing Senior Associate to the Pinsent Masons Real Estate practice. Patrick Duffy and Adam Barrett bring extensive experience, strong market reputations and a proven track record of supporting clients on complex development, investment and regeneration projects. Both join from Shoosmiths.
In house
Stephanie Cannon joins as Senior Corporate Counsel at Uber Boat by Thames Clippers.
Stephanie Cannon joins Uber Boat in London after 11 years at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in Commercial Real Estate.
Promotions & Appointments
Pinsent Masons Elects New Managing Partner after contested election
Richard Griffiths has been elected to take over the role from Laura Cameron after one term and will step into the position on November 1 in London. Griffiths succeeded in the ballot ahead of Cameron and Helen Corden, the firm’s Head of Employment and Incentives in the U.K. Griffiths is head of the firm’s property group, which has grown by 13% over the last two years. He was formerly in charge of the planning and environment practice, which grew by 53% during his four-year tenure.
Chris Harvey appointed Managing Partner at London office for Mayer Brown
Chris Harvey has been appointed Managing Partner in London, succeeding Dominic Griffiths, who will continue serving the firm as a member of the Global Management Committee. Chris is a Partner in the market-leading Real Estate practice and Co-leader of the Global Real Estate group, Chris has advised investors, funds, property companies, banks and developers on many of the UK’s most significant real estate transactions.
Reed Smith promotes Jimmy Theodorou to Managing Partner
Jimmy Theodorou has been promoted from Chair of Global Real Estate to EME Regional Managing Partner at Reed Smith in London. He takes over from Gregor Pryor who has finished his 3-year term.
Signature Litigation Paris promotes international arbitration specialist Amany Chamieh to Partner
Amany Chamieh joined Signature Litigation Paris as Counsel in January 2025 from Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier and has quickly become an integral member of the firm’s International Arbitration team. Specialising in International Arbitration, Amany has over 10 years’ experience representing state-owned entities and private sector companies in complex commercial and investment treaty arbitrations, as well as enforcement and annulment proceedings before the French courts. She also acts as an Arbitrator in ad hoc and ICC arbitrations.
Touko Raitis promoted to Managing Partner at Eversheds Sutherland Finland
Touko Raitis becomes Managing Partner after 2 years as Partner and Head of Insolvency in Finland.
Several Associates promoted to Partner at Kirkland and Ellis in London Office
Claudia Carr is now a Private Equity Partner at Kirkland and Ellis, having been promoted from Associate at the firm. Benjamin Bignier, Douglas Collins, Olivia Manley and Sebastien Van Helden and Sara Rebordão Topa have also been promoted to Partner.
Emily Townsend promoted to Partner at Goodwin
Emily Townsend is promoted from Senior Associate to Partner in Emerging Companies and Venture Capital.
Joanna Hewitt promoted to Managing Partner at Baker McKenzie
Joanna Hewitt has been promoted to Managing Partner at Baker McKenzie after 10 years as Partner.
Goodwin makes up three London Partners as global round grows
Goodwin has promoted three lawyers to Partner in London as part of a 43-strong round across the firm globally. Adnan Bhaiji has been made up in the firm’s real estate practice, Michael Grainger in life sciences and Emily Townsend in technology.
Other Notable Moves
Weil Brings Back Cravath Private Equity Head Peter Feist
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is bringing back Peter Feist from Cravath, Swaine & Moore as a Partner and U.S. Co-Head of its Private Equity practice in New York. Feist, who left Weil for Cravath in early 2023, most recently served as Head of Cravath’s Private Equity Practice.
Neil DuChez has rejoined the firm as a Corporate Partner in New York, adding dedicated U.S.-based technology transactions capability to its market-leading corporate platform. Neil advises on complex technology and commercial transactions, including strategic partnerships, joint development arrangements, outsourcing matters and technology-enabled transactions.
Jones Day adds five partners in Australia across five different practices
Five partners have joined Jones Day in Australia, bolstering the Firm’s capacity to serve clients across a broad range of complex domestic and cross-border matters. The new Partners are Dylan McKimmie who will work in Global Disputes, Leigh de Jong in Financial Markets and Real Estate, Christopher Flynn in Energy, Lance Sacks as Corporate Partner and Ken Saurajen in Intellectual Property.
Firm and Market Activity
Office Openings & Closings
Ropes & Gray moves into new office in Paris
Ropes & Gray has moved into new office space at 10A rue de la Paix, in the heart of Paris’s business district between Palais Garnier and Place Vendôme.
Former A&O leader founds AI-native firm
The former leader of Allen & Overy has launched an AI-native law firm in Belgium. Wim Dejonghe’s new firm is called Falcon and it is set to target small and medium-sized businesses in Europe.
Financial Results
Freeths delivers 83 per cent revenue growth over five years
Freeths has announced record financial results for the year ended 31 March 2026, with turnover rising by more than 12 per cent to £187.6 million and an 8.2 per cent increase in profit. The results mark Freeths’ fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth, with turnover increasing by 83 per cent over the past five years.
Market Commentary
Stephenson Harwood in merger talks with Taylor Wessing
Stephenson Harwood is understood to be in early-stage merger discussions with German-headquartered Taylor Wessing to create a potential £500m firm straddling Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Legora expands legal AI training to UK law schools
Legora is bringing its legal AI training programme to the UK, signing up King’s College London, The City Law School and BPP as its first university partners. The programme will give students and faculty access to the same Legora platform used by law firms and in-house legal teams, alongside training on how to use AI in legal work.
UK legal services exports near £11bn as international demand grows
UK legal services exports rose 8.8% to £10.97bn in 2025, according to figures assembled by the Law Society of England and Wales, as international work continued to underpin the sector’s growth. The total is £4.16bn higher than the £6.81bn recorded in 2021, an increase of more than 60% over five years.
UK top law firm salaries increase for newly qualified solicitors in 2027
On this year’s Firms Most List, Sullivan & Cromwell tops the pay table with an NQ salary of £181,000, while Davis Polk, Gibson Dunn, Paul, Weiss and Willkie are close behind on £180,000. More broadly, US firms continue to dominate the upper reaches of the table, with a sizeable group offering their London NQs upwards of £170,000.
Manuela Bernasconi succeeds Leanne Geale, who is retiring after seven years as Nestlé’s top lawyer. Bernasconi most recently served as the top lawyer for Nestlé’s Americas zone, the company’s regional division spanning North America and Latin America. She will oversee legal and compliance matters at Nestlé.
Lloyds Banking Group lines up replacement for long-serving Legal Head
Lloyds Banking Group has lined up Ajneet Jassey as its next Chief Legal Officer, replacing Kate Cheetham, who announced she was stepping down in a LinkedIn post. Jassey is currently General Counsel for Disputes and Operations. Jassey is based in London.
Morgan Lewis announces new global leadership team as David McManus begins Chair term
McManus commences his five-year term as Firm Chair after being a Partner at the firm for more than 30 years.
Energy Solutions Company Everllence hires new Legal Counsel
Johannes Seeberg-Elverfeldt joins Everllence as Legal Counsel in HR Compliance & Labour Relations in Ausberg after four years at Baker McKenzie.
Innovation & Culture
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
US Firms Set Pace on UK Ethnic Diversity, but Partnership Gap Persists
U.S.-headquartered law firms lead the way on ethnic diversity among U.K. law firm partnerships, according to the latest Law.com research. Out of the top 10 respondents to the survey, six of the firms are U.S.-based, with the top five all being American firms.