In the annual eye-watering reminder of just how large Baker & McKenzie really is, the top ten LB100 firm this week made up 65 new partners across 22 countries in its worldwide promotions round, including four in the City, bringing the partnership to 1,480. Withers, meanwhile, maintained last year’s tally of seven, with just one in London and six internationally.
Baker’s promotions, which take effect from 1 July, saw the largest number of promotions across the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, where 32% of lawyers were promoted. Twenty nine percent of those promoted this year are in the Asia Pacific region; 14% in Latin America; and 25% in North America.
Twenty eight percent of the latest round of promotions are women.
Those promoted in the City include Mark Agnew and Nigel Dolman within the corporate tax practice, private client-focused Salpy Kouyoumijan, and disputes specialist Charles Thomson. The promotions bring the total number of partners based in London to 86.
Baker & McKenzie’s chairman of the executive committee Eduardo Leite (pictured) said: ‘We continue to grow in ways that benefit our clients around the world, including making strategic investments in our talent. These individuals represent the next generation of leaders at our firm. They have excelled in their respective practices, having shown the leadership and dedication, which we encourage in a trusted advisor to our clients.’
Meanwhile, Withers yesterday (26 June) announced the appointment of seven new partners across its international offices, primarily across the firm’s tax and wealth planning team in Hong Kong, New Haven and London. The remainder fell in New York in the immigration team and art law team, and one in the litigation practice in the British Virgin Islands.
The appointments bring the firm’s total number of partners to 115.
Withers’ managing partner Margaret Robertson said: ‘I am pleased that the growing demand of our clients – successful people and families around the world – has enabled us to appoint so many new partners across our offices and practice groups.
‘Our global immigration practice benefits from the appointment of Reaz Jafri and our art law practice from the promotion of Diana Wierbicki. Our BVI office strengthens its litigation and insolvency capability with the appointment of Niki Olympitis. The success of our international tax and wealth planning team means we are able to continue its growth across the regions with the appointment of US attorney Tim Burns in Hong Kong, Charlie Tee in London and tax lawyers Andrew Haave and Bill Kambas in our East Coast US offices.’
Sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk
