Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed 14 new partners, with just under half of the promotions made in London.
The Magic Circle firm made up six associates in the City, boosting partner headcount in its corporate, finance, dispute resolution, employment and tax practices.
Freshfields made the unusual move of promoting into its high-yield practice after it promoted Denise Ryan to partner. The firm bolstered its high-yield practice in 2010 after hiring Gil Strauss from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. But Strauss, who headed up the practice, left for Weil Gotshal & Manges last year.
The Magic Circle firm has also beefed up its international disputes practice, appointing five new partners across its Hong Kong, New York, London and Paris offices.
Freshfields has moved to boost its financial institutions disputes practice in the City, appointing Christopher Robinson as a partner. The firm also made up two disputes partners in its New York office, making up international arbitration specialist Elliot Friedman and white-collar and global investigations partner Kimberley Zelnick in the Big Apple.
Meanwhile, over half of the firm’s promotions for 2013 – eight – come outside of London. Freshfields added three new partners in Germany, two in New York while Vienna, Hong Kong and Paris each got one new partner.
Senior partner Will Lawes said: ‘Our class of 2013 partners are all highly talented lawyers whose outstanding qualities will help us to enhance our market-leading offering and exceptional client service.’
Other UK firms to promote new partners include, Berwin Leighton Paisner, Olswang and Slaughter and May.
david.stevenson@legalease.co.uk
