Last week saw Clyde & Co expand its transportation finance practice in the City, while Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan expands its litigation offering in Houston, and peer group firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher expanded its M&A offering in Singapore.
Clydes has expanded its City transportation finance group with Ince & Co partner Dean Norton joining. The hire comes as the firm pushes to grow its global marine practice. Norton joins with over 20 years’ experience in the shipping and energy sectors, advising owners, charterers and shipyards in relation to corporate structuring, joint ventures, shipbuilding and chartering arrangements.
He joined Ince & Co in 2007, where he headed the global offshore finance team. During his time there, he advised on the $600m LNG new-building project financing, and the $1.1bn drilling rig-financing deal. Before Ince & Co, Norton was an associate at Clifford Chance for six years.
London-based Marine partner Andrew Preston said: ‘Dean’s arrival adds new capability to the transport finance group, and reaffirms our commitment to fully servicing the global shipping industry. His standout banking and finance experience brings diversity and depth to what we can offer clients in an increasingly complex market and industry.’
Over on the other side of the pond, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan added litigator Charles Eskridge as a partner in its Houston office. Eskridge has experience of advising in commercial matters within antitrust, IP, including patents and trade secrets matters, aviation disasters, securities fraud, the First Amendment, ERISA, and asbestos bankruptcy litigation. He is also an experienced appellate advocate having briefed and argued numerous appeals in both federal and state courts.
Before joining Quinn Emanuel, Eskridge was a partner at Susman Godfrey, where he worked for the last decade. ‘Frankly, I never thought I would ever leave Susman Godfrey,’ said Eskridge. ‘I learned so much there and leave behind many good friends. However, Quinn Emanuel offered something unique – the opportunity to build something from the ground up with all the resources of the world’s largest litigation firm at my disposal. And to join partners of the calibre of David Gerger and Karl Stern in doing so is a real privilege.’
Quinn Emanuel managing partner John Quinn added: ‘It is rare you have the opportunity to add a partner of Charles’ calibre. He is a unique talent who will help us service our growing list of Houston based clients.’
And following Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s recent City raid, the US firm has added local corporate partner Robson Lee to strengthen its M&A and capital markets offering in the region. Lee specialises in corporate finance and capital markets transactions. He advises public listed companies on securities transactions, cross-border mergers and acquisitions and foreign joint ventures. He also used to practice advising local and foreign companies in funds raising and stock market floatation.
Lee joins from Shook Lin & Bok in Singapore, and is also an advocate and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore and a solicitor in England and Wales.
jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk
