Paul Hastings has hired litigation and trial partners Oliver Browne and Stuart Alford KC from Latham & Watkins, just days after it lost structured finance partner Blake Jones to Clifford Chance. Paul Hastings confirmed the moves today (16 February).
Browne leaves Latham after 18 years, having most recently served as the London co-chair of the litigation and trial department. He advises on cross-border disputes, both in court and arbitration, spanning various sectors and involving high-net-worth individuals.
Browne’s recent mandates include leading a Latham team in advising Saudi National Bank amid claims brought by Saad Investments Company Limited and its liquidators, culminating in a landmark ruling by the UK Supreme Court in December 2023.
Alford, meanwhile, left Latham in December 2023 after spending seven years as a partner in the firm’s litigation and trial department, specialising in white-collar crime. Prior to this, he spent four years at the Serious Fraud Office as head of banking fraud. He was called to the bar in 1992 and spent two decades at 36 Bedford Row working on national and international crime.
The news comes in the wake of structured finance partner Blake Jones’s recent move to Clifford Chance. Paul Hastings also recently bid farewell to restructuring veteran David Ereira, who joined Quinn Emanuel, bringing extensive experience in advising clients ranging from governments to debtors, creditors, and investors on insolvency and restructuring matters.