Partner exits continue to mount in Trowers & Hamlins’ construction practice as City-based construction disputes partner Rob Horne moves on to join Simmons & Simmons.
Horne leaves Trowers after spending more than a decade at the firm having joined in January 2005 after working as an assistant at Addleshaw Goddard from 2000 to 2005. He also worked at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators for eight years.
He has experience in construction, engineering and infrastructure disputes, as well as international and domestic arbitration, litigation, adjudication and mediation. Horne comes recommended in The Legal 500 both for rail and international arbitration.
In his new role, he will work closely with construction partners James Pollock and Navneet Juty in London to expand the practice’s construction dispute resolution and avoidance offerings.
Simmons international construction group head Richard Dyton said: ‘Rob’s expertise will greatly enhance opportunities for our clients and our current offering in construction and, as part of our energy and infrastructure sector focus, complement experience across our international team.’
The hire comes after the firm’s former M&A partner Matt Rees left Simmons to join Proskauer Rose in April, and after Squire Patton Boggs hired its acquisition finance partner John Hayward at the beginning of the year.
However, Trowers has seen its share of partner exits too including former head of Bahrain construction Paula Boast who returned to Charles Russell Speechlys as its Middle East head of construction in May, after spending almost nine years at Trowers’ Bahrain office. This came after head of UAE Abdullah Mutawi, and fellow partner and international disputes resolution chief Lucas Pitts, exited the firm in March to join Baker Botts’ corporate and disputes practice in Dubai.
Last week, Trowers revealed its 2014/15 financials which saw improving UK revenue help the firm to a 3% turnover growth rate after international offices’ income fell 7.5% from £15.9m to £14.7m. Profitability performed better with net profit up 8% to £19.5m.
jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk
