Former secretary of state for international development Douglas Alexander (pictured) is joining national firm Pinsent Masons as an adviser to develop the firm’s business ethics and compliance capability.
Joining to work with Pinsents’ senior leadership team to help inform and support debate among the firm’s clients on doing business responsibly, the firm has hired Alexander as it looks to begin a series of events to support clients in identifying the challenges and opportunities arising from change in Europe.
The firm said Alexander will guide Pinsents in its approaches with international clients if Britain chooses to leave the EU.
Alexander will begin his role at the firm on Friday (4 March), bringing his political and diplomatic experience to the role. Serving in both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s cabinets, he was a member of the UK Parliament until 2015.
He will split his time between his role at Pinsents and his other commitments as a senior fellow at Harvard University, visiting professor at King’s College, London and advising U2 frontman Bono.
Pinsents senior partner Richard Foley described Alexander as having a reputation as one of the most capable and engaging politicians of his generation.
He said: ‘At the heart of Douglas’ remit with us is the issue of responsible business and how organisations can re-build bridges into society at a time when public trust is low. First and foremost on that agenda right now is how to engage with the debate around Europe’s future, and there are few better-placed to provide perspectives on that than Douglas.’
Other recent appointments for the firm include Reg Dhanjal who joined as a partner from DAC Beachcroft last October, while last month the firm recruited a fourth partner, Torsten Bergau, for its Dusseldorf outpost from Hoffman Liebs Fritsch & Partner, and hired a trio of lawyers from Watson Farley & Williams, including head of planning Gareth Phillips to bolster its energy and infrastructure planning practice.
madeleine.farman@legalease.co.uk
