Topping this week’s major moves, Phil Cheveley has joined Covington & Burling’s cross-border M&A practice group in London as a partner. Cheveley departs Sidley Austin, bringing a wealth of experience from top firms, including legacy Shearman & Sterling, where he served as EMEA and Asia M&A head, as well as his previous role as M&A head at Travers Smith.
Cheveley’s recent high-profile transactions include advising GE Healthcare on its acquisition of Intelligent Ultrasound, Canaccord Genuity Group, Inc. on its acquisition of Results International, and HPS Investments LLC on its investment in its European wealth management business. He moves to Covington after less than two years at Sidley.
‘Phil’s many years of experience at the intersection of M&A, capital markets and private equity will further bolster out practice and our ability to assist our clients with some of their most complex global transactions,’ said Catherine Dargan, chair of Covington’s corporate practice, in a statement.
Cheveley follows two of his former Sidley Austin colleagues who joined Covington earlier this year: private equity partners Lyndsey Laverack and Jade Williams Adedeji joined Covington in July. Earlier in the year, the firm also hired Adrian Chiodo from Paul Hastings.
HFW has bolstered its commodities disputes offering with the hire of Anna Fomina as partner from Clyde & Co. With over 15 years’ experience advising on a range of commodities and international trade-related disputes in the UK, Europe and the Middle East, Fomina specialises in physical commodities disputes, with a particular focus on the oil, gas, petroleum, chemical products, and metals sectors.
Charles Russell Speechlys has expanded its European footprint with the launch of a new office in Milan. Cristiana Felisi, formerly of counsel at Maisto e Associati, joins as a partner and head of the Milan office, while Giovanni Angelini also makes the move from Maisto e Associati to join as counsel.
Nicola Saccardo, partner in the private client team in London, will continue to lead the firm’s Italian practice. Commenting on the strategic importance of the new office, Saccardo said in a statement: ‘Italy is a vitally important location for us due to the significant relocation of foreign UHNWIs to Italy and the presence of wealthy Italian families with an international dimension.’
Saccardo added that the Milan launch was a ‘logical next step in order for us to best serve the needs of a fast-growing client base.’
The expansion comes as two other firms make moves in Europe, with HSF and Simpson Thacher each announcing a new office in Luxembourg this week.
Meanwhile, DLA Piper has bolstered its global restructuring practice with the addition of Sandra Esquiva-Hesse in Paris, effective early December. Esquiva-Hesse joins from Simmons & Simmons, accompanied by associates Amélie Gorphe and Alexandre Gratio.
The move follows several recent high-profile restructuring hires for DLA, with Sven Schelo joining in Frankfurt in June and Legal 500 corporate restructuring and insolvency Hall of Famer Adam Plainer joining in London earlier this month.
