Simmons & Simmons plans to double its fee earner count in Bristol over the next two years to reach 100 fee-earners, as it has grown its partner count to ten today with its latest hire, pensions partner James Dean from TLT.
Dean joined TLT as partner in 2012, after being a senior associate at Osborne Clarke, and he specialises in pension scheme investments, corporate restructurings, M&A and public sector pensions.
Earlier this month, funds partner Mahrie Webb took on the role of head of Bristol office. She specialises in investment funds and financial services regulatory work.
Simmons’ Bristol office opened with 12 fee earners and five business services staff in 2012, and currently has 55 fee earners and 99 other staff, with over 25 other roles having been filled or are actively being recruited as at May 2017.
The Bristol office has grown from four practices in 2012 (projects, real estate, banking and dispute resolution) and has since added funds, capital markets, employment, corporate, tax, information, communications and technology (ICT) and, most recently, insurance capabilities.
A Simmons spokesperson said: ‘We continue to grow in Bristol. The objective is to have 100 fee-earners there by April 2019. The arrival of James Dean expands the services we offer from Bristol to include pensions.
‘This growth can also help us where we have small teams in international offices as these additional resources available in Bristol may help to staff matters that we would otherwise not be able to pitch for.’
Last month, Simmons re-elected Colin Passmore as senior partner for a third term. Litigation partner Passmore was first voted into the senior partner role in 2011, was then re-elected two years later and his third four-year term will begin in August 2017.
georgiana.tudor@legalease.co.uk
