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
gunnercooke welcomes Planning & Enviroment Lawyer Kali Yau
Kali joins from Birketts, where she worked as a Legal Director. Kali is based in London.
Pinsent Masons welcomes Structured Finance Lawyer Thomas Shen
Thomas joins from Simmons & Simmons, where he worked as a Managing Associate. Thomas is based in London.
Fieldfisher boosts Disputes and Energy offering with Partner hire Richard Power
European law firm Fieldfisher has appointed Richard Power as a Partner in its London Dispute Resolution practice, effective from 1 June 2026. Richard joins from Clyde & Co, where he specialised in complex cross-border disputes, with a particular focus on International Arbitration and Energy Disputes.
Eversheds Sutherland strengthens Commercial Advisory practice with Technology Partner hire
Eversheds Sutherland has strengthened its Commercial Advisory offering with the appointment of Technology and Sourcing specialist Nichola Donovan as a Partner in its London office. Nichola joins the firm from DLA Piper.
Eversheds Sutherland strengthens Restructuring offering with Senior Partner appointment
Eversheds Sutherland has welcomed Partner Simon Thomas to its Restructuring & Insolvency London-based practice. Simon joins from Goodwin Procter where he was a Partner in its Financial Restructuring Group.
Morgan Lewis continues to expand its global investigations and sanctions bench with the arrival of Paul Feldberg as a Partner in the firm’s Litigation practice in London. Paul joins from Brown Rudnick, where he served as Head of the UK White Collar Defence, Investigations, and Compliance practice.
Farren leaves Fieldfisher to rejoin BCLP
Ania Farren has left Fieldfisher to rejoin the partnership at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in London. Ania will join the International Arbitration practice.
Signature Expands International Fraud Capabilities with New Partner Appointment
Signature Litigation today announces the appointment of leading International Fraud Partner Catherine Naylor, who joins its offices in London from Gowling WLG.
Fieldfisher launches Commercial practice in Birmingham with Partner hire
Law firm Fieldfisher has expanded its Birmingham office with the launch of a dedicated Commercial practice, alongside the appointment of Partner Sarah Riding. Riding joins from Gowling WLG, where she was Partner and Head of Commercial, IT and Outsourcing.
Paul Hastings Securitisation Partner jumps to Norton Rose Fulbright
Norton Rose Fulbright has boosted its Securitisation practice in London with the hire of Partner Victoria Morton from Paul Hastings. Morton joins after a decade at Paul Hastings, where she was a member of the firm’s structured credit team and made Partner in 2022.
Stevens & Bolton bags top specialist on Assisted Dying
Stevens & Bolton has recruited one of the UK’s leading experts in the law surrounding assisted dying, as it pushes for growth in its private client division. Trusts and Estates Litigator Alexa Payet joins from Michelmores. Alexa will be based in the firm’s Guildford office.
Travers Planning Head exits for Clyde & Co
Travers Smith’s Head of Planning has left the firm to join Clyde & Co. Jamie McKie joins Clydes as a Partner, bringing experience advising on various town and country planning matters. Jamie is based in London.
Kirkland boosts London Patent Litigation bench with Life Sciences barrister
Kirkland has hired Life Sciences barrister Tim Austen from IP set Three New Square in a boost to its top-of-market Patent Litigation offering. Austen will join the firm as a Partner this summer and continue to practice as a barrister.
gunnercooke hires Real Estate Partner Scott Pearman
Scott joins from London Bridge Partnership, where he worked as Managing Partner. Scott is based in London.
Europe
Weil welcome nine new colleagues to their German practice
In the area of Antitrust, Ingo Brinker and Niklas Brueggemann join as Partners in the Munich office. Ingo joins from White & Case. Niklas joins from Latham & Watkins.
Eversheds Sutherland welcomes M&A and Corporate Partner
Eversheds Sutherland has appointed Dominique Gottret as a Partner in the Bern office. Dominique joins from KPMG Switzerland, where he was Partner and Head of M&A and Corporate Law.
Marcel Duplois moves from Poellath to Gräfe Tax & Legal
The Tax lawyer will join the Munich boutique as a Partner on 1 June. This brings the team to five Partners.
Paschalis joins from Arendt & Medernach, where he specialised in International Arbitration and EU Law. Paschalis is based in Luxembourg.
Banking and Finance Partner Rhéa Christophilopoulos joins Jones Day in Paris
Rhéa Christophilopoulos has joined Jones Day as a partner in its Financial Markets Practice. She is based in the Firm’s Paris Office. Rhéa joins from Linklaters.
Linklaters has hired Marc Lordonnois as a Partner in its Public Law and Regulatory practice in Paris
Marc Lordonnois specialises in Public Law, with a particular focus on infrastructure, energy and regulated sectors. Marc joins from Weil, Gotshal & Manges.
Middle East
Gurminder Sanghera joins Ogier as Banking and Finance Partner in Dubai
Gurminder Sanghera has joined Ogier as a Partner in its Banking and Finance team in Dubai, further strengthening the firm’s capability to support complex cross-border financing and capital markets work through the DIFC. Gurminder joins from Maples Group.
Dentons adds Corporate Partner duo in Dubai
Dentons has appointed Christopher Neal and Selman Ansari as Corporate Partners in Dubai. Christopher joins from Pinsent Masons. Selman joins from AS&H Clifford Chance.
Fraser Dawson rejoins Addleshaw Goddard’s Corporate and Private Equity practice
Following a senior leadership role at NEOM Investment Fund, Fraser rejoins the Abu Dhabi office as a Partner in the Corporate and Private Equity team.
Team
Hogan Lovells Hires Arbitration Team from Hughes Hubbard & Reed in Paris Ahead of Merger
Hogan Lovells announced Friday that Sébastien Bonnard had joined the firm’s Paris office along with a team of former Hughes Hubbard lawyers, including Counsel Sabrina Touchard and Associates Eleni Jacovides and Florence Warsmann.
Gibson Dunn Hires Ex-Kirkland Partners in Munich Amid German Restructuring Boom
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has strengthened its German Restructuring practice and presence in Europe with the addition of former Kirkland & Ellis Partners Leo Plank and Sacha Lürken in Munich.
Hogan Lovells strengthens in Middle East with twin Partner hire from Ashurst
Hogan Lovells has announced the appointment of Simon Rahimzada and Vasi Papdopoulos as Partners in its Corporate & Finance practice in Dubai.
Katten Expands in London with Structured Products, Derivatives Practice
Katten Muchin Rosenman hired two Crowell & Moring Partners in London to launch the firm’s Structured Products and Derivatives practice and support the firm’s growing Structured Finance practice. Joining the firm to lead the new practice is Jennifer Kafcas, working alongside Alvino van Schalkwyk.
Gateley Middle East launches regional Tax consultancy with Partner and team hire in Dubai
Gateley Middle East has launched a Tax consultancy with the hire of a Partner and team of lawyers in a move the firm says will help its clients navigate the next phase of tax and regulatory change across the region. Renan Öztürk has joined the firm as a Partner and Head of Tax for the Middle East, alongside eight Tax lawyers and advisors. Renan joins from Alvarez & Marsal, where he worked as a Senior Director.
In house
Antitrust lawyer Franz Stenitzer promoted to Partner at Deloitte Legal
The Viennese law firm Jank Weiler Operenyi, which is part of Deloitte Legal’s global network, is gaining an experienced specialist in Competition law. Franz previously worked under the umbrella of stenitzer.legal, where he was self-employed.
Promotions & Appointments
Sidley promotes five in London following partnership shake-up
Sidley Austin has promoted five lawyers to Partner in London as part of a 52-strong round globally. The London cohort includes Finance lawyers Lewis Atherton and Carry Chen, Corporate Real Estate lawyer David Horan, M&A specialist Ed Perry and Capital Markets lawyer Omar Shafi.
Bauer Media Group promoted Rayyan Mughal to Senior Legal Counsel
Rayyan Mughal (Commercial, IP and Technology) has been promoted to In-House Senior Legal Counsel at Bauer Media Group. Rayyan is based in London.
Con Barry appointed Partner at CKT
Comyn Kelleher Tobin LLP has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Con Barry as partner, alongside a number of senior promotions and newly qualified solicitors. Con advises across Healthcare, Mental Health and Administrative law, acting in complex and sensitive statutory and regulatory matters. Con is based in Cork.
Firm and Market Activity
Office Openings & Closings
Mishcon de Reya opens its doors in Dubai
Mishcon de Reya announced the official opening of its Dubai office, further strengthening the firm’s operations in the UAE.
Market Commentary
Cadwalader London Associates Set for Higher Pay Scale Than Hogan Lovells Colleagues Post-Merger
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft associates have been told that they will remain on ‘Cravath scale’ pay once their firm merges with Hogan Lovells on July 1, leaving a significant salary gap between the lawyers of the two sides in London.
King & Spalding’s London boom fuels fresh office expansion
King & Spalding has boosted its London footprint at 8 Bishopsgate for the second time in two years, taking the tower’s highest office floor.
Mishcon to Introduce Exceptional Hours Bonus Worth 30%
Mishcon De Reya is introducing a bonus scheme that will allow lawyers working exceptional hours to earn up to 30% more than their base salary.
Clifford Chance overhauls partnership structure amid management bid to clear $5m PEP
Clifford Chance is revamping its partnership model, formalising a non-equity ‘local partner’ tier, as part of ambitious plans to boost profitability. The firm is gearing up to announce a new cohort of local partners firmwide, with the move forming one plank of a management push to nearly double profit per equity partner (PEP) over the next five years.
Milbank Boosts Associate Salaries, and McDermott Swiftly Follows
Milbank is increasing associate salaries, and at least one firm, McDermott Will & Schulte, has confirmed they are matching Milbank’s associate salary raise.
Quinn Emanuel raises London associate pay to stay ‘top of market’
Quinn Emanuel has increased associate salaries in London by 5% across the board as elite firms continue to compete aggressively for litigation talent. The new salary scale will take effect from 1 July 2026 and follows salary increases announced for the firm’s US associates this week.
US firm mergers trigger office reshuffle at 100 Bishopsgate
Bracewell, an energy sector specialist, will move out of its Tower 42 space to take over the 20,000 sq ft office in 100 Bishopsgate. Houston-headquartered Bracewell has snapped up the City of London space being vacated by Winston due to its merger with Taylor Wessing.
Innovation & Culture
Technology & Innovation
OpenAI moves into legal tech with major hire
OpenAI is preparing to break into the legal tech market after making a major hire to lead its new legal venture. The AI giant has hired Jason Boehmig, the founder of contract lifecycle management platform Ironclad, to be a product leader for its “legal vertical”.
Legora buys real estate AI startup in fourth deal of the year
Legora has acquired commercial real estate AI startup Cadastral, its fourth acquisition of 2026, marking the company’s entry into the commercial real estate sector.