Former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer senior partner Will Lawes is the latest heavyweight from the Magic Circle firm move into investment banking, taking a position at Lazard.
Lawes (pictured), whose move follows veteran Mark Rawlinson’s move to Morgan Stanley in October, will become a managing director in financial advisory at Lazard from 9 January.
Lawes became senior partner at Freshfields in 2010 following a contest against chief executive Ted Burke. He left the Magic Circle firm earlier this year following the appointment of senior partner Edward Braham and joint-managing partners Chris Pugh and Stephan Eilers.
Prior to taking up the role of senior partner, Lawes was financial institutions co-head for six years. He joined Freshfields in 1986 and became a corporate partner in 1994.
Lawes said: ‘Lazard has an enviable reputation in the boardrooms of businesses all around the world. I have advised, worked alongside or across the table from its bankers for many years, and I look forward to returning to serving clients with the benefit of the full resources of Lazard.’
Veteran deal maker Rawlinson left in October to join Morgan Stanley as its new chair of UK investment banking. He became a partner at Freshfields in 1990 and was later appointed to head of corporate from 2008 before moving into the role of London managing partner in 2011, which he held for two years.
madeleine.farman@legalease.co.uk
