The legal market has seen a high-profile return to chambers and a series of both national and international lateral appointments this week at firms such as Squire Patton Boggs, Allen & Overy (A&O) and Eversheds.
In a move back to her old stomping ground, Shami Chakrabarti is to re-join 39 Essex Chambers as a door tenant. Formerly director of civil liberties advocacy group Liberty where she spent 13 years in the role, Chakrabarti began her career with a pupillage at 39 Essex Chambers in 1994.
Speaking on her return to 39 Essex, Chakrabati described it as a ‘pleasure and privilege’ to be back at the chambers where she learned her law and began her career. ‘Lawyers face unfair attacks but a chambers that produces advocates on both sides of vital disputes and so many senior judges well represents the Rule of Law.’ Chakrabati has been replaced at Liberty by Doughty Street Chambers barrister and human rights campaigner Martha Spurrier.
Meanwhile Squire Paton Boggs has appointed Andrew Herring to its real estate practice in its London office. Joining from DWF, Herring brings his experience advising on international and cross-border projects throughout the US, Europe, and the Middle East to the firm. Head of the firm’s global infrastructure group Philippa Chadwick predicts Herring will play a key role in supporting its global clients after seeing significant growth in its rail work in markets around the world. Chadwick said: ‘Andrew Herring is a go-to international rail and transportation lawyer. He has advised on some of the most complex global and UK projects, and he brings a wealth of experience to our burgeoning infrastructure practice.’
In Manchester, Eversheds has expanded its commercial contracts team with the hire of Nick Stubbs, who joins from Ward Hadaway and has in-house experience as Aviva’s legal counsel. Eversheds head of contracts in Manchester Tom Bridgford said of the appointment, ‘we are delighted to welcome Nick Stubbs who is joining our award winning Manchester commercial contracts team as a partner to support our continued growth. Nick has a wide range of expertise in high value commercial contracts, IT and outsourcing agreements.’
After spending two years at Simmons & Simmons, corporate partner Tom Butcher has returned to A&O to head the firm’s Middle East technology, media and telecommunications and intellectual property practice groups. With Butcher’s expertise in strategic outsourcing, technology procurement, data protection and transactional IP, the firm’s Middle East head of corporate Andrew Schoorlemmer said: ‘This is a significant appointment at a time when Middle East governments are investing in technology to develop sustainable knowledge-based, innovation-led economies to diversify from the traditional hydrocarbon industries. Local and international corporates are also engaging more and more in high value transactions and projects to bring technology to the Middle East and African markets.’
Hogan Lovells has strengthened its corporate practice offering with appointments to its New York and Tokyo offices with two international lateral hires. Paul Downs joins as partner in the firm’s New York office from Jones Day, where he was partner in the firm’s New York M&A group and co-head of its sovereign investor practice. With focuses on domestic and cross-border investments, M&A, and joint ventures, global head of Hogan Lovells’ corporate practice group David Gibbons said Downs brings a particular knowledge to the firm, which will help expand its offering. ‘Paul is a talented lawyer, whose transactional and cross-border experience is a natural fit with our M&A and private equity teams. His skill set and successful track record for clients will continue to strengthen our offerings both nationally and on a global scale.’
The firm has also hired partner Lisa Yano to its Tokyo office, increasing its capabilities in Asia and its cross-border M&A offering into and out of Japan. She brings experience advising both Japanese and offshore clients across electronics, telecommunications, media, life sciences and automotive sectors to Hogan Lovells. Regional managing partner for Asia and the Middle East Patrick Sherrington said: ‘Lisa has a profound understanding of the Japanese market and her contribution will be invaluable as we continue the build-out of our capabilities in the region.’
madeleine.farman@legalease.co.uk
