Osborne Clarke (OC) has made its 25th lateral hire in 18 months, while managing partner Simon Beswick has revealed plans for the firm to continue to build out internationally.
Former Pinsent Masons partner Andrew Normington, who will join 600-lawyer OC’s infrastructure and project finance team, specialises in providing advice to sponsors and financial institutions with particular focus on European economic infrastructure and energy projects.
Prior to Pinsents, where he became partner in 2005, Normington has also practised at Linklaters in Singapore and London, as well as Norton Rose in Hong Kong and London.
Head of projects, real estate and finance Omar Al-Nuaimi said: ‘Andrew’s deep UK and international expertise will add depth and strength to our projects and finance teams. His contacts and focus align with ours and have particular relevance to the pipeline of infrastructure develop we expect to see in the UK and Europe in the coming period.’
Beswick also told Legal Business that the firm, which opened in Paris and Brussels earlier this year, will also add one partner to its Brussels base and two into Paris shortly – with the intention of building a core team of four partners with 10 to 12 lawyers in each base – while also adding to its Spanish, Italian and German offices with announcements to follow throughout the autumn.
Beswick said the firm’s international expansion plans stem from a more optimistic economic market. The firm saw revenues rise 14% to £112m at the end of last financial year, not long after the firm formally merged with its Spanish and Italian best friend firms under a Swiss verein model, going live in July 2012.
However, discounting the revenue generated by the firm’s new offices, OC saw turnover actually fall by 1% from £98m in 2011-12 to £97m in 2012-13.
francesca.fanshawe@legalease.co.uk