Moves:
In-House
Emerson Electric Opens Wallet to Reward New CLO for Fast Start
Michael Tang has already reorganized the company’s legal department and enhanced the expertise of its board of directors.
FactSet Finds New Legal Chief at Financial Data Rival S&P
As FactSet and its rivals compete to use generative AI to deliver better analytics to investing professionals more quickly, Christopher McLoughlin is taking over the company’s legal leadership.
Governor’s Chief Legal Counsel Is Newest Magistrate in Chancery
Danielle Gibbs was a corporate litigator at Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor for 16 years prior to joining the state of Delaware.
In-House Moves of Month: Discover Fills Awkward CLO Opening, Allegion GC Lasts Just 3 Months
Discover announced it had hired former U.S. Department of Commerce General Counsel Kelly Welsh as interim CLO. Also, only three months after handing off the general counsel position at Allegion to Stacy Cozad, Jeff Braun is reclaiming it.
Another Senior Boeing Attorney Exits, This One for CLO Post at Jet-Maintenance Company
According to Neil Book, CEO of Jet Support Services Inc., Carly Anderson “is a world-class attorney, businessperson, and team player who brings deep aviation expertise.”
Nation’s Largest Utility Parts Ways with CLO Who Helped It Navigate Bribery Scandal
Colette Honorable will take over Exelon’s legal responsibilities from Chief Legal Officer Gayle Littleton, who will remain an adviser until her departure in March 2025.
Carrier Legal Chief Departs for GC Post at Defense Giant Lockheed Martin
Kevin O’Connor is taking over the legal department of the biggest defence contractor in the country, which employs 122,000 people and generates $68 billion in revenue.
Professors Association Appoints New GC at Fractious Time
Veena Dubal, the new general counsel of the American Association of University Professors, stated that academic freedom is essential to not only research and higher education but also to our larger political, social, and economic liberties.
Ex-Google Exec Joins AI Company as First CLO
Catherine Lacavera, chief legal officer at Turing Enterprises, stated, “This is a pivotal moment, not just for Turing, but for the entire AI ecosystem.” “AI is reshaping industries, and companies need strong legal frameworks to navigate the challenges and opportunities it presents.”
Irish lawyer to head Trump’s antitrust team
The incoming Trump administration has named Irish attorney Gail Slater to head the US Department of Justice’s antitrust section. Ms. Slater is a graduate of the UCD Sutherland School of Law and is originally from Dalkey, County Dublin. She has been a US resident since 2003 and holds dual US and Irish citizenship.
UK & Ireland
Gibson Dunn Adds Jones Day M&A Veteran in London
With the hiring of a partner from Jones Day, the U.S. firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has further enhanced its transactional capabilities in London. Gibson Dunn announced that Will McDonald would be joining the firm’s mergers and acquisitions practice. After nearly eighteen years, McDonald, a Jones Day lifer, is departing the company.
Former Head of Finance at DLA Piper and Freshfields Quietly ‘Struck Off’
The UK regulator has revoked David Trott’s license to practice law. Trott was the former global head of finance at DLA Piper and Freshfields. Trott, who spent more than 34 years at Freshfields before joining DLA Piper in 2021, departed the company in May 2023 after just two years.
Brown Rudnick Expands Global Real Estate Practice with Partner Hire in London
Angus Ford has joined the international legal firm Brown Rudnick as the head of UK & European Real Estate in London, the business announced today. Ford brings with him more than 20 years of real estate law experience from Eversheds Sutherland, where he co-directed the Investment Management Services Product Group and oversaw the worldwide logistics group.
Leading construction partner joins Simmons
Marianne Toghill, an experienced partner, has joined the London office of international law firm Simmons & Simmons. After working for several decades at the London office of another international law firm, Marianne joins Simmons with a market-leading reputation in the construction industry, having provided advice on some of London’s most iconic buildings, such as the Shard, Battersea Power Station, the O2 Arena, and Canary Wharf.
White & Case hires fund finance partner in London
By hiring a senior partner from a competing US law firm in London, White & Case has stepped up efforts to broaden its fund finance service. Emma Russell, the London head of finance at Haynes & Boone, was hired by the business.
Proskauer Adds London Finance Partner
Last week, Jonathan Goldfinch, a former partner at A&O Shearman, was also hired by Proskauer Rose, a prominent finance firm based in the United States. After less than a year at A&O Shearman, Goldfinch resigned in September after it was revealed that he had left the company due to a conviction for drunk driving.
Clifford Chance Swipes Wilkie Farr’s Global European Competition Chair
With the acquisition of Wilkie Farr & Gallager’s chair of European competition, Clifford Chance has further strengthened its competitiveness. Having worked at Wilkie Farr for eight years, Philipp Girardet has decades of knowledge with both UK and EU competition law.
APAC
Ashurst Bolsters Singapore Offering With A&O Shearman Hire
According to Ashurst, Kok Jin Ong will become a partner after receiving regulatory permission and joining the firm’s corporate transactions practice. After eight months as counsel, Ong departs A&O Shearman. Prior to that, he was employed at Legacy Shearman & Sterlin.
Clayton Utz M&A partner Niro Ananda set to resign; KWM eyed
Sources with knowledge of the subject say Ananda is to leave Clayton Utz, and that he is set to join KWM. Ananda specialises in guiding financial sponsors and their portfolio companies through complex M&A transactions, encompassing private and public M&A, securities offerings, and capital restructures.
29 years is enough! Herbert Smith Freehills’ Tony Damian jumps ship
Tony Damian, Herbert Smith Freehills lifer and leading M&A lawyer is retiring from the partnership after almost three decades, the firm has confirmed.
Gibson Dunn Hires Again in Singapore After Cutting Partnership Weeks Ago
Hagen Rooke was Reed Smith’s sole fintech partner in Singapore and one of the company’s two regulatory partners for financial services in the city-state.
Former Bakers TMT lawyer joins SG boutique Magellan Law as partner
Alex Toh, a former local principal at Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow, has joined Singapore boutique law firm Magellan Law as a partner in its technology and telecommunications (TMT) department. Toh, who spent more than five years with Baker McKenzie before leaving in November 2023, is an expert in contractual, advising, and regulatory issues pertaining to TMT and information and communications technology (ICT).
EMEA
Maarten Stassen, Eversheds Sutherland’s most recent lateral partner hire, has enhanced the company’s cyber security and privacy expertise throughout the Benelux region. Maarten brings a wealth of experience from working both in-house and as external counsel to clients in the public and private sectors worldwide to the firm’s TMT division in Brussels, having previously worked at Crowell & Moring.
Noerr strengthens international trade law practice with addition of Tobias Zuber in Brussels
Noerr is bolstering its highly successful international trade law practice with the addition of Tobias Zuber, who was sent to join the Brussels office from the 1st of December.
CMS further bolsters Real Estate practice with partner appointment in Bratislava
It is with great pleasure that CMS CMNO announces Martin Jurecko as a partner in its Bratislava real estate practice. His hiring will help the team’s ongoing development and bolster the company’s real estate skills.
Clifford Chance Adds Two Goodwin Leveraged Finance Specialists as Partners in Paris
Clifford Chance has picked up two banking and finance partners from Goodwin Procter to boost their ability to advise clients in the financial services sector. Arnaud Fromion represents banks, debt funds, financial sponsors and corporate borrowers in various types of bank financing and complex restructuring transactions. Frédéric Guilloux specializes in leveraged finance, corporate finance, as well as restructuring. He advises private equity sponsors, private debt funds and banking syndicates.
Top German Banking Partners Seiler & Rath Rejoin Latham After White & Case Stint
After only a few months at White & Case, Oliver Seiler and David Rath are returning to Latham’s German capital markets division.
AC&H hires Dubai disputes partner
Alex Layden has joined the Dubai branch of Anjarwalla Collins & Haidermota (AC&H) as a disputes partner. With qualifications in Ireland, England and Wales, and the United Arab Emirates, Layden is a barrister with over ten years of experience in complex business disputes. He has represented clients in the Middle East and abroad in cross-border cases and is admitted to the courts of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
Bowmans, Matouk Bassiouny & ALN Make Strategic Hires in Africa
To strengthen their project, finance, and dispute resolution capabilities, African firms Bowmans, Matouk Bassiouny, and legal network ALN have recruited top attorneys from outside. Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (MBH) appointed former Securities and Commodities Authority lawyer Ayman Heikal to head the firm’s capital market offering in the UAE. Bowmans reported that Jeremy Connick, a former Clifford Chance lawyer based in the U.K., is joining as a consultant in January 2025. Furthermore, A&O Shearman partner, Deborah Carmichael, rejoins ENS. The banking & finance lawyer spent 13 years at ENS before departing for the legacy A&O last year.
The Americas
People in the News—Dec. 2, 2024—Marshall Dennehey, Pollock Begg
Nicole M. Ehrhart has returned to her position as special counsel in the health care division of Marshall Dennehey’s Harrisburg office.
Freshfields Hires SEC Associate Director in Latest D.C. Lateral Hiring Spree
Melissa Hodgman has joined Freshfields as a litigation partner in Washington, D.C., the firm announced on Monday. Hodgman was most recently an associate director in the Enforcement Division of the SEC.
Kirkland Hires Real Estate Finance Partners in New York
Matthew Bettinger and Seth Henslovitz have joined Kirkland & Ellis as partners in the Real Estate Practice Group.
Hogan Lovells, Reed Smith Add Tax Partners in DC, San Francisco
Jay Singer joins Hogan Lovells from A&O Shearman while Saba Shatara moves to Reed Smith from Deloitte.
People in the News—Dec. 4, 2024—Post & Schell, Tucker Arensberg
Abraham Rein, a white-collar defence lawyer with almost 20 years of experience, was chosen chair of Post & Schell’s white collar and internal investigations practice area, the company reported.
Moore & Van Allen Adds Finance Partner from Morris Manning
The Charleston office of Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA) is delighted to announce the addition of David M. Freda, who will work in the Commercial Real Estate group with an emphasis on real estate equity finance. Freda leaves Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP to join MVA.
Skadden Hires IP, Technology Litigator in Palo Alto
Bijal Vakil leaves A&O Shearman after eight months to join Skadden’s intellectual property litigation division.
People in the News—Dec. 5, 2024—Flaster Greenberg
Flaster Greenberg has added Michael J. Egnal as a lawyer in the environmental and real estate law divisions.
Freshfields Adds Cap Markets, Employee Benefits Partners in Silicon Valley
Calise Cheng, a capital markets partner at Cooley, has joined Magic Circle UK, a move that the firm claims confirm its standing as “the premier law firm for tech clients”. Heather Brookfield, a former Goodwin compensation and benefits lawyer for Uber, has also joined the company.
Linklaters Duo Jumps to Reed Smith’s Structured Finance Practice
After just over two years with Linklaters, Peter Williams and Elizabeth Walker decided to move to New York City to work with Reed Smith.
Husch, Winstead, Dentons Add Texas Partners as 2024 Hiring Season Winds Down
The lateral hires who started working at Texas firms are involved in environmental, health care, and fiduciary disputes. Two of the lawyers left in-house positions to return to private practice: Kate Sullivan Morgan, counsel at Dentons earlier in her career, came from Austin’s ‘Transcarent’, where she held various positions including senior vice president and associate general counsel; and Jordan Rodriguez, who formerly was senior counsel for environmental, health and safety at Huntsman Corp. in The Woodlands.
People in the News—Dec. 6, 2024—Hamburg Rubin, Pietragallo Gordon
Michael S. Gill, a real estate lawyer who represents clients on all sides of commercial real estate problems, has joined Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin.
Pullman & Comley Adds Member and Counsel
Attorneys Kate Boucher and Tyler Hokanson have joined Pullman & Comley’s land use, energy, real estate, and environmental practices.
Bracewell Adds Transactional Tax Partner in Dallas
Peter W. Rogers has joined Bracewell’s tax department as a partner in the Dallas office, the firm stated. Rogers leaves Vinson & Elkins for Bracewell. Rogers spent seven years practicing law at Cravath, Swaine & Moore before joining Vinson & Elkins.
Team Moves
According to Charlotte Harris, co-chair of the brand and reputation management team, “we are not feeling any loss from that perspective.”
Another Insurance Team Departs Clyde & Co in Australia
Wotton Kearney, an Australian law practice that specializes in insurance, has acquired another insurance partner and team from Clyde & Co., making it the sixth insurance team to depart the British firm in the last 12 months. The addition of Jacques Jacobs and his six-person team to Wotton Kearney’s Sydney office, according to the firm, solidifies its standing as a financial line’s leader.
DLA Piper Grows its Vancouver Office with 8 Lawyers from Regional Rival
The second sizable group to go from Vancouver firm Clark Wilson in recent months is the group of litigators from the insurance, construction, and aviation sectors.
Five-lawyer Withers IP team exits for Sullivan & Worcester in US
Boston-based Sullivan & Worcester has hired a five-lawyer IP team led by partners Tom Meyers and Zachary Hyde from top 30 UK firm Withersworldwide.
Financials:
Wilkinson Stekloff Tops Big Law, Doles Out 150% Above-Market Bonuses
In addition to special bonuses ranging from $6,000 to $25,000, the litigation boutique will offer its colleagues above-market bonuses, with the class of 2024 starting at $22,500 and the class of 2017 and later topping out at $172,000.
Are Associate Sign-On Bonuses Back? Not Just Yet, Recruiters Say
Infrequently, mid- and senior-level employees receive incentives, but a predicted rise in M&A in 2025 may make sign-on bonuses common once more.
Highest-Earning Partners May Be Looking to ‘Cash in’ on Early Retirement
Some of the highest-paid partners are eager to retire early due to rising partner compensation.
Promotions & Appointments
Delaware Governor Names Magistrate Judge as Next Vice Chancellor
For almost two years, Bonnie W. David has been a magistrate on the court.
DeSantis Joins the Broward Circuit Court Bench as an Assistant US Attorney
Jonathan D. Lott, who will fill the judicial vacancy, stated, “I doubt I’m the youngest judge to be appointed to the bench, but I’m probably younger than the average judge.”
Midsize Texas Firm Kane Russell Takes Another Step Toward Second-Generation Leadership with New CFO
As founding director Raymond Kane serves what he anticipates being his final term as chair before having a board made up entirely of practice leaders, Kane Russell Coleman Logan’s transition to second-generation leadership at the midsize Texas business is becoming closer to reality.
Trump Nominates Paul Atkins as SEC Chair
The CEO of Patomak Global Partners, a financial services consulting firm with offices in New York and Washington, D.C., is Paul Atkins.
Burns White Names Conshohocken Litigator as New CEO
In the past, Stuart O’Neal co-chaired the cybersecurity and professional liability divisions of the business and was its first chief privacy officer. He replaces the company’s first female CEO, Mary-Jo Rebelo, who departed to work as general counsel for a client.
Webber Wentzel Shakes Up Management with Elections for Top Partners
In March 2025, Safiyya Patel and Gareth Driver were named managing and senior partners at Webber Wentzel, replacing Sally Hutton and Christo Els.
Fieldfisher Expands Leadership of Growing Spanish Practice
Fieldfisher has a new leadership team overseeing its Spanish operations as the firm expects to close the year with revenue gains upwards of 15% from 2023. Héctor Jausàs, a regulatory partner and head of the life sciences group, is the new president of Fieldfisher’s practice in Spain. Rodrigo Martos, a corporate M&A partner, and Talmac Bel, a labour and employment partner, are co-managing partners.
Clark Hill appoints Conor Linehan SC to lead environmental and natural resources team
Conor Linehan SC is now the head of the environmental and natural resources team at the international law firm Clark Hill in Dublin. Mr. Linehan joins Clark Hill with over 25 years of environmental law experience.
Diversity & Inclusion:
King & Spalding E-Discovery Director Jumps to Nebraska Women-Owned Firm
Rose Jones was a founding member of King & Spalding’s e-discovery team, which currently consists of around 90 lawyers spread across 10 offices. She intends to assist in expanding Hilgers Graben’s e-discovery practice in search of a fresh challenge.
‘Glass ceiling remains powerful’ – IBA takes stock on progress achieving gender equality in law
A progress report released this week by the International Bar Association (IBA) on its flagship 50:50 by 2030 project identifies mentoring, leadership development, and flexible work arrangements as among of the most successful strategies for enhancing gender quality in the legal industry.
Office Openings & Closing:
Paul Weiss, Trailblazer for US Firms in China, to Close Beijing Office
At least a dozen American companies have shut down some or all of their offices in China, including this one. That trend is unlikely to be stopped by the incoming U.S. administration.
Embracing Hybrid Work, ArentFox Schiff Downsizes LA Digs
Aaron Jacoby, managing partner at ArentFox Schiff Los Angeles, stated that “a lot of what goes on in the law in motion part of law practice now happens online.”
Freeman Mathis & Gary Taps Orlando for Third New Florida Office This Year
With six lawyers from Orlando boutique Beytin, McLaughlin, McLaughlin, O’Hara & Bocchino, the new office marks the firm’s fourth Sunshine State location.
GrayRobinson Opens Office in Pensacola, Marking First New Office Since 2019
In order to increase its physical presence in a region of the state where it had not yet had an office, the Second Hundred company is adding five attorneys to its recently launched Pensacola office.
Dilworth Paxson Moving to One Liberty Place
The firm is following in the footsteps of Fox Rothschild and Goodwin Procter, who earlier this year moved into new offices in Philadelphia, after 17 years at 1500 Market St.
Milbank Becomes 14th U.S. Firm to Close Mainland China Office This Year
Paul Weiss, the oldest American law firm in China, have announced the closure of its Beijing office.
FGvW unveils plans to open in Düsseldorf
Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partners (FGvW) has declared that it will launch its sixth office in Germany in Düsseldorf at the start of May. Jessica Hanke and Gregor Lamla, partners in real estate law, and Sven Köhnen, a specialist in antitrust and commercial distribution, will head the office.
Ropes & Gray Registers Paris Services Company Amid Talk of France Office Launch
According to French government documents, the chief financial officer of Ropes & Gray, who is headquartered in New York, has formally registered an eponymous French company in Paris, ahead of what many anticipate being the opening of an office there.
Mergers & Alliances:
Ogletree Deakins Expanding to Baltimore, Adding 16-Lawyer Boutique
They are labour and employment law pioneers. Regarding merger partner Shawe Rosenthal, Ogletree managing shareholder Liz Washko stated, “Quite frankly, we did not expect them to be open to a conversation about it.”
Frost Enters Arizona Market with Acquisition of Litigation Boutique
Name partner Christopher Frost stated, “We want a stranglehold in Arizona, not just a toehold.”
Morais Leitão Expands in Asia with Timor-Leste Partnership
Through an exclusive agreement with JLA, Advogados e Consultores in Timor-Leste, the Portuguese legal firm Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados has increased its footprint in Asia. The collaboration expands Morais Leitão’s network in Asia, where the company opened an office in Singapore last year, and the Lusosphere at the same time.
Technology & Innovation:
Thomson Reuters Plans to Spend Big in AI. Here’s How
According to Raghu Ramanathan, President of Legal Professionals, the business will keep spending money on development and acquisitions to enhance its generative AI products.
AI Adoption, Data Center Building Boom Opening More Doors for Cybercriminals, Many of Them Teenagers
Michael Bruemmer, vice president of worldwide data breach response at Experian, stated, “We’ve seen a lot more activity with gangs that are powered by teenagers, and it makes sense because the teens are being recruited because they’re tech savvy, they’re into gaming, and they know about AI.”
UK Startup Wexler AI Announces $1.4M Preseed Funding
With the money, the legal intelligence platform hopes to grow its clientele abroad and enhance its litigation-focused skills.
Baker McKenzie Builds on AI Foundation, Crafting Tools to Help Lawyers Work ‘Better, Smarter’
The company has recently welcomed the emergence of generative AI after initiating an AI program in 2017 that was centered on cloud migration.
Lawyers Drowning in Cases Are Embracing AI Fastest—and Say It’s Yielding Better Outcomes for Clients
Aaref Hilaly, a partner at Bain Capital Ventures, which makes investments in businesses that automate legal documents, stated that “no lawyer can ignore this first technological wave.”
Contract Lifecycle Management Company ContractPodAi Unveils Leah Drive
In order to improve user accessibility, Leah Drive unifies the unstructured data in the Leah Intelligence Suite.
Consilio Announces ‘Native AI Review,’ Expanding Its Gen AI E-Discovery Offerings
Users will be able to build privilege logs on Consilio’s servers and conduct document assessments with the help of the sizable language model-powered tool.
How Latham & Watkins Is Using Online Training to Expand the Legal Pipeline
The most recent in a series of job simulations created to introduce aspiring attorneys to a range of practice areas is the firm’s new Data & Technology Transactions Job Simulation.
A summary of the past week in the legal IT industry, including new collaborations and product debuts.
Lawyers Should Only Use AI For Low-end Tasks, Regulators in Australia Say
To help attorneys understand their expectations when using AI, the Law Society of New South Wales, the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia, and the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner have released a statement on the use of AI in Australian legal practice.
Linklaters launches AI sandbox to drive innovation
In order to “quickly build out AI solutions, many of which have stemmed from ideas suggested by its people,” Linklaters has established an AI sandbox, according to the company.
Market Commentary:
New Partner Class Sizes Shrink for Second Year in a Row
In recent promotions, law firms prioritized banking and finance, investment funds, and litigation.
Bridge the Communication Gap: The Benefits of Having (and being) a Bilingual Mediator
A bilingual mediator can assist in bridging the communication gap when clients are not fluent in English, ensuring that all parties feel heard and understood. This will assist set the stage for resolution and is one of the main objectives of mediation.
‘This Trend Isn’t Over’: Law Firm Partner De-Equitizations Expected to Continue
In recent months, a number of Am Law 100 firms, along with smaller and regional law firms, have de-equitized their partners. There will probably be more.
Lateral Partner Movement in Miami Remains Brisk in 2024, Even if Down from Market’s Apex
Of the six markets that lateral hire intelligence company Decipher tracks, the increase in partner mobility from 2023 to 2024 is the largest.
Spain Gears Up for M&A Growth, Litigation Surge & High-Stakes Political Challenges
Salvador Sánchez-Terán, managing partner at Uría Menéndez, anticipates a “tense” year for litigation.
French Government Collapse Brings Uncertainties & Opportunities for Law Firms
The economic and political instability brought on by the political upheaval presents opportunities for law firms as well as difficulties for dealmakers.
Luxembourg Hot, Beijing Not: In Today’s Cutthroat Market, Regions Need a Business Case
According to the Global Lawyer, CEOs are paying far closer attention to their geographical dispersion, regardless of how “global” a law company is.