Mishcon de Reya has seen a partner exit from its ranks, as it has emerged that employment lawyer Helen Croft has joined communications agency, Mission Media, as its chief operating officer and general counsel (GC).
Promoted to partner in 2012, Croft (pictured) is experienced in both employment tribunals and High Court litigation. She represented clients across retail and hospitality, financial services, fashion and luxury, including senior executives, plc directors and high net worth individuals on their employment arrangements and day-to-day and post-employment issues. Her clients include Gordon Ramsay, Christian Louboutin, Badoo and Business Environment Group.
She joined Mission Media this month where she is now tasked with leading the company’s legal unit. Founded in 2004, the company has offices in London, New York and San Francisco. The company is currently a client of Mishcon’s. Previous mandates allocated to the firm includes advising on IP issues for the company’s #makeithappen campaign filming. These issues included, but were not limited to, copyright, moral rights and trademarks, as well as strategic advice on dealing with representatives of both the London Eye and Westminster Council.
Signalling a move away from the traditional domination of a lengthy career in private practice, studies released earlier this year by the Law Society showed the profession continues to expand due to greater levels of entry in-house. Its Annual Statistics Report concluded the in-house community now constitutes 21.6% of the profession, against 21.1% in the 2015 report, outpacing a 2.3% increase in the general number of practising solicitors.
For Mishcon, partner departures are a rarity at the Holborn-headquartered firm. The last high-profile exit was media litigator Charlotte Harris, best known for her work during the Leveson Inquiry as the lawyer for celebrities over allegations of phone hacking and a vocal campaigner for media law reform. She moved to Kingsley Napley in 2014 to set up its media and reputation unit.
sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk
