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
Paul Hastings targets Reed Smith for Fund Finance buildout
Paul Hastings is set to hire a Fund Finance partner from Reed Smith as the firm looks to expand its London bench. Leon Stephenson will exit Reed Smith after having spent more than 20 years at the firm. He was an elected member of the firm’s executive committee and was previously Co-Head of the Global Fund Finance team.
Cleary hires second London Fried Frank Funds Partner in two months
US firm Cleary Gottlieb has hired Funds Partner Nathan McKinnon from Fried Frank in London two months after it added fellow Funds Partner David Christmas from the same firm. Cleary has now added five lateral Partners to its global funds practice since autumn 2025.
Daniel Bain joins Lindsays as Partner
Daniel Bain has joined Lindsays as a Partner in its Dispute Resolution and Litigation (DRL) team in Edinburgh. Daniel joined from Balfour + Manson, where he was a Partner.
New Macfarlanes Finance Partner
Nick O’Grady joins Macfarlanes on 1st July 2026, as a Partner in the firm’s Finance practice. Nick is based in London and joins from Baker McKenzie.
Dawn Finlayson returns to MTM Family Law
Dawn Finlayson has returned as Managing Partner to MTM Family Law. Dawn joins from Weightmans, where she was a Principal Associate. Dawn is based in Glasgow.
Freeths strengthens Disputes capability with Alastair Frood appointment
Freeths has appointed Partner Alastair Frood to its Commercial Dispute resolution team in Glasgow. He joins from Eversheds Sutherland, where he served as Head of Litigation in Scotland and led the development of the firm’s Commercial Litigation practice, significantly growing both team capability and fee income.
RPC snaps up International Arbitration Partner
The firm has bolstered its London offering with the addition of a former DWF lawyer. RPC has hired Solomon Ebere as a Partner in its International Arbitration practice.
Lewis Silkin strengthens Disputes and Insolvency offering with Manchester Partner hire
Lewis Silkin announces that Mark Hague has joined the firm as a Partner in its Dispute Resolution team, based in the firm’s Manchester office. Mark joins from Farleys Solicitors, where he was Partner.
International Disputes specialist Neville Byford joins Addleshaw Goddard
Addleshaw Goddard has appointed leading Disputes lawyer Neville Byford as a Partner in London, further strengthening its capabilities in complex cross-border litigation and arbitration. Neville joins from RPC.
Keystone Law hires Commercial Litigation Partner
Keystone Law welcomes Commercial Litigation Partner Stephen Joelson. Stephen has more than 40 years’ experience advising on complex commercial disputes, with particular expertise in the entertainment, media, sports and luxury sectors, and significant experience in litigation, arbitration, and mediation, including cross-border matters. Stephen joins from Clintons, where he worked as Principal.
Europe
Cleary boosts Paris PE bench with Kirkland hire
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has hired a Partner from Kirkland & Ellis in Paris, in a bid to bolster the firm’s Private Equity practice in the French capital. Emmanuel Enrici is set to join the firm in July, having spent the past seven years at Kirkland.
FPS strengthens largest practice group with dual access
FPS is expanding its advisory capacities in the field of Construction and Real Estate law with two new additions with Sebastian Schneiker and Jochen Heilig joining as Partners. Schneiker previously worked in the Munich branch of Zirngibl, Heilig came from SMNG in Frankfurt.
Reed Smith strengthens Private Equity capabilities with Partner hire in Munich
Reed Smith has announced the appointment of Private Equity Partner Bernd Dreier in its Munich office. Bernd joins from Norton Rose Fulbright, where he worked as Partner.
BAHR Law Firm hires Financing Partner
Christian Sahlertz joins BAHR as a Partner in the Financing practice. Christian joins from Bruun & Hjejle, where he worked since 2016. Christian is based in Copenhagen.
Eversheds Sutherland has continued to invest in its European growth strategy with lateral partner hire, Anne Servoir, who joins the firm’s Paris-based Commercial Advisory team. Anne joins from Hoyng Rokh Monegier.
Team
Clifford Chance 19-Lawyer Paris Funds Team Joins Gibson Dunn
Gibson Dunn first announced the arrival of the team, including four Partners (Xavier Comaills, Marie Préat, Elodie Cinconze, and Pierre Goyat) in April, but with the group joining the firm on July 1st 2026, it was disclosed that an additional 12 Associates have also moved across.
Baker McKenzie announces the entry of Francesco Macrì as Partner and Head of Real Estate in Italy, together with Diletta Pietrosemoli, Associate. Both join from Orrick.
Fieldfisher Strengthens European Tech & Data Practice with Arrival of Frédéric Sardain in Paris
Fieldfisher has strengthened its Tech & Data practice with the appointment of Technology lawyer Frédéric Sardain as a Partner in Paris. He joined the firm on July 1st 2026 alongside Associates Claire Allavena and Maxime Seiller, bringing extensive experience advising clients on complex digital transformation projects, technology regulation and strategic technology disputes. The team joins from Jeantet.
Bird & Bird strengthens Dispute Resolution Group in Poland
Bird & Bird has strengthened its Dispute Resolution Group with the appointment of Commercial Disputes specialist Łukasz Gembiś as a Partner and Head of the Dispute Resolution and Public Procurement team in Poland. Łukasz joins alongside his team comprising Counsel Paulina Sawicka and Associate Kacper Wróblewski, while Senior Associate Patryk Polek will join in August. The team joins from DWF and is based in Warsaw.
Eversheds Sutherland adds TMT Partner Miguel Barroso
Eversheds Sutherland has brought on Miguel Barroso as a Partner in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) department of its Madrid office, with Associate Cristina Ramírez joining alongside him. Both come from Dentons.
Eversheds Sutherland has appointed a new Funds team in Paris, led by Partner Tiana Rambatomanga, who will establish and lead the global law firm’s Fund Structuring practice in the local market. Tiana joins with a team of two: Brandy Keunan, Associate and Ghita Berrada, Legal Officer. The team joins from Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
Sullivan & Cromwell signals European Litigation move with Hengeler hires
Sullivan & Cromwell has hired its first European litigators with two Partners from Hengeler Mueller in Germany. The firm announced on Thursday evening that Philipp Hanfland and Maximilian Bülau will join the firm’s Frankfurt office as its first Disputes Partners in Europe’s largest economy.
Promotions & Appointments
Ashurst Perkins Coie promotes Anne Grewlich to Head of Region Europe
As of 1st July 2026, Anne Grewlich is taking on the role of Head of Region Europe at Ashurst Perkins Coie, while continuing to lead their Global Loans and Global Markets team across CEMEA.
Eversheds Sutherland promotes Litigation Lawyer to Partner
Eversheds Sutherland has promoted Sarah Leutwiler to Partner, effective July 1st 2026. Sarah is based in Zurich.
Dentons appoints David Zafra Carollo as Düsseldorf Managing Partner
Dentons has appointed Real Estate lawyer David Zafra Carollo as Managing Partner of its Düsseldorf office, effective July 1, 2026. In his new role, he will lead the office of more than 30 lawyers. He succeeds Dr. Sascha Grosjean who has served as Office Managing Partner for the past three years and whose term has ended.
Hogan Lovells promotes Structured Finance lawyer to Partner
Assia Damianova will be made up to Partner at Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, effective 1st July 2026. Assia is based in London.
Baker McKenzie promotes Anahita Thoms to Country Managing Partner
As of 1st July 2026, Anahita Thoms take up the role of Country Managing Partner of Baker McKenzie Germany. She brings deep experience across international trade, crisis management and strategic governance to the position. Alongside this role, she will continue to lead the firm’s International Trade Practice in Germany.
Harneys appoints new Office Managing Partners in the British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands
Harneys has announced two senior leadership appointments. Claire Goldstein and Nick Hoffman have been appointed as Office Managing Partners in the BVI and Cayman Islands, respectively. Both appointments are effective 1 July 2026.
Withers promotes 12 Partners across the US, UK and Singapore
Withers has promoted 12 lawyers to Partner across the US, the UK and Singapore, strengthening its Private Client, Family and Disputes capabilities in three of its key markets. The appointments, effective from 1st July 2026, comprised five US Partners, four in London, and three in Singapore, with elevations within Withers KhattarWong remaining subject to regulatory approvals.
Walkers promotes Szymon Durlo to Senior Counsel
Szymon Durlo has been promoted to Senior Counsel in Walkers’ Finance practice in Dubai.
Elvinger Hoss Prussen promotes new Partner and ten new Counsel
Law firm Elvinger Hoss Prussen has announced the appointment of one new Partner and ten new Counsel in their Luxembourg office. The new partner is Loïc Bacquelaine, whose principal field of activity is the provision of advice to regulated entities, including management companies, AIFMs and other professionals of the financial sector. Meanwhile, Eva Brauckmann, Christophe Bricage, Iren Butrakova, Mateusz Glowacki, Inès Goeminne, Benoît Nerriec, Aurélie Petersen, Karolina Szpinda, Floris Van Rymenants and Filipe Vilas Boa have all been promoted to Counsel at the law firm.
Firm and Market Activity
Office Openings & Closings
KPMG launches Portuguese legal arm after hiring from four local law firms
KPMG has launched a legal arm in Portugal with a team of seven Partners recruited from five law firms. To kick off the venture, which aims to have more than 70 lawyers within the next two years, the firm has recruited senior lawyers from Morais Leitão, Cuatrecasas, Deloitte Legal Telles and GPA. These lawyers include four Partners: João Afonso (ex-Morais Leitão, Corporate/M&A, Lisbon), Jorge Cortez (ex-Morais Leitão, Corporate/M&A, Porto), Marta Gouveia Gomes (ex-Deloitte Legal, Real Estate, Lisbon), and Samantha Cyrne (ex-Cuatrecasas, Corporate/M&A, Porto). It also includes three Associate Partners: Bernardo Almeida Azevedo (ex-Morais Leitão, Administrative Law, Porto), Dzhamil Oda (ex-Morais Leitão, EU & Competition, Lisbon), and Manuel Gouveia Pereira (ex-GPA, Environmental Law, Lisbon).
New law firm Attuned launches in Dundee
A boutique legal studio built on decades of corporate and commercial expertise has launched in Dundee. Attuned is founded by Campbell Clark and Kirk Dailly, who bring a track record of supporting innovative and ambitious businesses through mergers and acquisitions, investment transactions and commercial contracts.
Mergers & Alliances
Ashurst Perkins Coie Merger Goes Live
Ashurst and Perkins Coie’s merger has gone live, with the newly combined Ashurst Perkins Coie featuring 3,500 client-facing practitioners and 950 partners across more than 50 offices.
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader launches as Big Law’s merger wave rolls on
The merger between Cadwalader – the oldest firm on Wall Street – and global heavyweight Hogan Lovells is officially complete. Hogan Lovells Cadwalader is now live. The new firm has around 3,200 lawyers and over 900 partners across 38 offices in more than 18 countries, with combined turnover of around $3.6 billion.
Hobbs Law merges with Glanvilles in West Sussex
On 1st July 2026 well-known Bognor Regis firm Hobbs Law will become part of Glanvilles following a successful merger. This merger adds Mike and Louise Hobbs’ Hobbs Law Bognor Regis office to the already established four offices of Glanvilles’ in Chichester, Petworth, Fareham and Havant.
Financial Results
Double-digit profit growth at global heavyweight law firm Simmons & Simmons
In the year to 30 April 2026 profits grew by 14% to £245 million. Profit per equity partner was up by 11% to £1.25m. Revenue was up by 12% to £690m, with particular success for the asset management and investments funds division and the technology, media and telecoms practice.
Shoosmiths tops £1m PEP for second consecutive year as turnover inches up
Shoosmiths’ profit hit £80m in FY26, a record year for the firm that saw its profit per equity partner (PEP) exceed £1m for the second consecutive year. PEP rose 3% to £1.04m in the year to 31 March 2026, having rocketed 30% the year before to £1.01m. Meanwhile, profit rose by 4% and turnover inched up 2% to £221.4m, marking 11 years of continuous growth.
Addleshaw Goddard Posts 17% Revenue Growth, PEP Rises to £1.1M
Addleshaw Goddard’s revenue rose 17% to £664 million in the last financial year, while its profit per equity partner increased 10% to £1.1 million.
Market Commentary
Macfarlanes ups NQ salary to £150k, matches Magic Circle
Macfarlanes has raised salaries for its newly qualified lawyers from £140,000 to £150,000, in a move that sees it match the Magic Circle at the top of the pay scale for UK firms.
Balfour Beatty lines up Legal Head replacement as GC heads for SSE
UK construction and infrastructure business Balfour Beatty has hired Ed Egerton as Chief Legal and Commercial Officer, replacing group General Counsel Tracey Wood. Ed is joining from global engineering, design and project management business AtkinsRéalis, where most recently he served as acting GC. He will report directly to group CEO Philip Hoare when Egerton joins in September.
Ashurst to shift to cash accounting in post-merger US pivot
Ashurst is to pivot to a US-style of financial accounting following its merger with Perkins Coie this week, moving to a cash-based system from one previously based on accruals.
Innovation & Culture
Technology & Innovation
Setfords bets big on own tech with in-house platform launch
Platform firm Setfords has migrated all 650 consultant lawyers and more than 200 support staff onto Halo, a proprietary practice management platform developed in-house. The investment forms part of a broader strategy to own the technology and data underpinning the business.
The great AI reset: More legal techs to follow Legora in pricing switch
Law firms and in-house teams are gearing up for a big change in their cost base, as more legal techs look set to follow Legora in its shift away from seat-based pricing. While seat-based pricing sees firms charged based on the number of users, consumption-based pricing is based on usage.