After undertaking a signifcant push into the Asia-Pacific market since the start of this year, Withers has now enhanced its corporate, litigation and IP law capabilities in the US with the hire of an 11-strong team, comprising five partners and six lawyers, to its Greenwich, Connecticut office.
The group join from US outfit Kelley Drye & Warren and include corporate finance partner Ridgway Barker, finance partners Patricia Lee and Clyde Tinnen, IP partner Steven Moore, who founded and led the patent group at Kelley Drye, and litigation partner James Nealon.
The firm’s efforts to improve its standing in the US follows its recently announced expansion plans in the Asia-Pacific region, with the firm establishing a formal law alliance with Singapore law firm KhattarWong, with the aim of providing a range of Singapore, UK, and US legal services to clients and boosting Asian revenues to a third of the firm’s total. It further launched a presence in Australia in December, creating Withers SBL through an alliance with tax practice Balazs Lazanas & Welch and corporate boutique SBL Shmith.
Withers’ US commercial practice head David Guin said: ‘The arrival of these talented and proven lawyers continues the rapid expansion of our firm and adds significant depth to the services we offer our corporate clients domestically and internationally.’
Dean Nicyper, who was recently appointed co-chair of the firm’s US litigation department, added: ‘With decades of experience across the spectrum of corporate and IP law issues, this group immediately enhances our ability to help our clients in all phases of the expansion of their businesses.’
sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk