Allen & Overy has hired cyber security incident response partners, Ffion Flockhart, and Charlie Weston-Simons, with Flockhart taking on the role of global head of cybersecurity. The pair previously worked together at Norton Rose Fulbright, where Flockhart was global co-head of information governance, privacy, and cyber security. The team will assist clients with cyber incidents and managing data risks from prevention to response.
Meanwhile, Latham & Watkins has appointed Pamela Reddy as a partner in its white-collar defence and investigations practice in London. Reddy also moves from Norton Rose Fulbright. She advises on domestic and cross-border fraud, market abuse, bribery and corruption, and money laundering investigations, as well as public inquiries, internal investigations, workplace culture reviews and allegations following the #MeToo movement.
DLA Piper has strengthened its litigation and regulation offering with the appointment of Claire Whittle. Moving from Bates Wells, Whittle is an experienced public law partner working with a range of public, private, and third sector clients. She focuses on public inquiry work, ESG and contentious public procurement. Past inquiry work includes advising the Royal College of Nursing during the Covid 19 Inquiry, as well as working on the independent inquiries into sexual abuse and infected blood.
‘It was an opportunity to move from a national to a global firm and to benefit from the platform that DLA offers. DLA is on two government panels, and that work is high profile, cutting edge, and interesting so I was attracted by that opportunity,’ Whittle told Legal Business.
Elsewhere, Eversheds Sutherland has hired partner James Gibson to its planning and infrastructure team growing its renewable energy offerings. Moving from Pinsent Masons, he has experience acting on carbon capture, hydrogen, offshore and onshore wind projects. He also has experience advising on consenting and environmental aspects of port developments across the UK.
Watson Farley & Williams has strengthened its real estate offerings with the hire of Legal 500 Leading Individual for real estate, Deepa Deb. She joins as partner and head of international real estate investment, moving from DWF.
She has a specialist focus on the wider residential sector, including student accommodation, build-to-rent and senior living scheme.
‘WFW has always been a firm on my radar. I’ve always been attracted by its sector focus and geographical strength in real estate. I’m super excited to be here. It already has a lot of strength across energy and transport, and underlying this is infrastructure. Our aim is to be completely full service and I’m hoping to grow my own practice and to continue to grow and consolidate WFW’s expertise and join the dots internationally.’
Commenting on real estate trends she added: ‘We are also seeing headwinds that a generation has never seen before because of increasing concerns about costs. The industry has adopted a wait-and-see approach, rather than the dynamic approach we are used to. Another trend is a real focus on sustainability and ESG. People understand it is the right thing to do but there is also real concern about what we are going to do with standing stock that is not fit for purpose. We also have a lot of clients focusing on renewable energy and EV solar charging.’
Kirkland & Ellis has appointed Legal 500 Leading Individual James Morgan from Linklaters in London as a partner to its tax practice. He has experience advising private equity sponsors and alternative asset managers on tax issues arising from corporate transactions and financing. He specialises in advising on tax aspects of corporate reorganisation and debt restructuring transactions.
Sidley has bolstered its global private equity practice with the hire of Jeffrey Kochian, Gerald Brant, and Brittany Harrison. The trio move from Paul Weiss in New York, and have experience working with financial sponsors and portfolio companies, alongside advising private and public companies. In June, Sidley hired private equity partners Ramy Wahbeh and Kaisa Kuusk, from Paul Weiss.
Finally in Brussels, McDermott has strengthened its European antitrust offering with the addition of Axel Schulz as partner from White & Case. He has experience handing competition cases before the European Commission and the European Court of Justice, and specialises in merger control, cartel defence and antitrust disputes.