Latham & Watkins has bolstered its regulatory and disputes offering in the City with the hire of Ashurst’s head of financial services regulation Rob Moulton.
A leader in his field, Moulton (pictured) has represented clients such as investment banks, governments, corporate finance houses, clearing houses, fund managers, insurers, stockbrokers and online trading businesses. Recommended by The Legal 500, Moulton has gained a reputation for advising on aspects of the Financial Conduct Authority’s Conduct of Business Rules, European regulatory developments and contested enforcement actions.
Latham executive committee member Richard Trobman said: ‘Rob’s financial regulatory expertise is highly complementary to our transactional capability in London and globally, including our equity capital markets, restructuring, structured finance, M&A and private equity, and derivatives and equity-linked products practices. Financial institutions are operating in an increasingly complex regulatory environment with overlapping layers of regulation, and Rob’s expertise and sharp legal mind will be a great asset to our clients, particularly in light of the UK’s recent vote to leave the European Union.’
The firm has recently boosted its litigation & trial department in New York with the high-profile appointment of executive partner at Magic Circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Michael Lacovara.
Ashurst has suffered a round of partners exiting the firm this year, with equity capital markets partner Jonathan Parry and disputes specialist Mark Clarke both leaving the firm for White & Case, and corporate partner and board member Anthony Clare departing for Stephenson Harwood. Financial institutions partner James Perry also quit the firm in April for Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.
Going the other way, Ashurst has made several lateral hires in London this year, bringing in TMT duo Nick Elverston and Amanda Hale from Herbert Smith Freehills, real estate partners Darren Rogers and Patrick Williams from King & Wood Mallesons and DLA Piper’s high-profile international arbitration head Matthew Saunders.
madeleine.farman@legalease.co.uk
Read more on Latham in the feature: ‘The firm most likely – can anything halt Latham’s global rise?’