International expansion last week saw DLA Piper hire Holman Fenwick Willan’s (HFW) Paris head of tax Hervé Israël and bolster its US practice with a double litigation partner hire from Greenberg Traurig, while Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher expanded in Beijing and Hong Kong. Closer to home, Simmons & Simmons bolstered its growing Bristol presence with the hire of Osborne Clarke corporate partner Patrick Graves.
Israël, who was previously head of tax at Hogan Lovells in Paris before assuming the same position at HFW, joins DLA Piper in the French capital with more than a decade of experience in corporate tax matters, including the structuring and financing of M&A transactions, asset financing and securitisation transactions and acquisition structuring.
DLA has also added litigation partners Kevin Finger and Jeffrey Torosian, the former co-chairs of Greenberg Traurig’s Chicago litigation practice, to strengthen its US operations. The firm’s Chicago office has been at the centre of its recent expansion stateside, with technology and sourcing partner Gregory Manter having joined in February from Mayer Brown.
Elsewhere, Los Angeles-headquartered Gibson Dunn sought to bolster its presence in Asia Pacific, with partner hires in Beijing and Hong Kong as it targets local clients. Patricia Tan Openshaw joins the firm from Paul Hastings in Hong Kong, bringing with her significant experience in energy and infrastructure.
Openshaw said: ‘The strength of the firm’s corporate and disputes practices in Asia and globally forms a compelling platform that will assist me in delivering excellent service in a broad range of areas to clients.’
The top 10 Global 100 firm has also taken on Beijing-based corporate transactions lawyer Fang Xue, who becomes a partner after moving across from Shearman & Sterling, where she was counsel. Xue, who has practiced since 2003 in New York, Hong Kong and Beijing, offers the ability to provide East-West advice and recently represented state-owned Shanghai Pudong Science and Technology Investment Co. in its proposed acquisition of NASDAQ-listed RDA Microelectronics.
Joseph Barbeau, partner in charge of Gibson Dunn’s Beijing office, said: ‘Fang’s experience with Chinese clients on outbound work and with international companies on their interests in China will be an asset to the firm as we continue to expand in China and the Asia region.’
Back in the UK, Simmons & Simmons has welcomed its fourth partner hire in Bristol in two months with the addition of Graves. The firm launched its Bristol office in 2012 with 5 partners as a lower-cost proposition and Graves becomes the ninth partner and thirty-fourth lawyer at the office.
His arrival follows that of Burges Salmon’s head of fund structuring Mahrie Webb, DLA Piper’s transactions partner Hinal Patel and DAC Beachcroft partner Jocelyn Ormond, all of whom have joined since the beginning of May.
Simmons’ head of corporate, Mark Curtis, said: ‘Patrick Graves’ arrival marks a further milestone in the expansion of our corporate practice. His extensive ECM experience and knowledge of all aspects of corporate finance will be invaluable to our international practice. Together with the recent appointments of Hinal Patel and Jocelyn Ormond, we have an even stronger team with the capability to provide our clients with the full service of corporate requirements.’
tom.moore@legalease.co.uk
