In a big week for lateral recruitment, a two partner pensions team has quit DLA Piper‘s Leeds office, while Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer‘s Paris real estate head has left for a US firm. Meanwhile, Dechert and Debevoise & Plimpton have made key hires.
While Freshfields made a major play in Paris earlier this month with a five partner private equity team from Ashurst, it has suffered the loss of its real estate head from the same office. Erwan Le Douce-Bercot will move to Jones Day to run its French real estate team, bringing associates Flavia Poujade, Solène Maulard and Alix Pallier.
Boutique firm ARC Pensions Law has opened a new office in Leeds with a double partner hire from DLA Piper. Leeds partners Kate Payne and Vikki Massarano will lead ARC’s new five lawyer office, alongside legal director Max Ballard and senior associates Nigel Jones and Robert Walker.
ARC senior partner Anna Rogers said: ‘We’re extremely fortunate to be joined at ARC by Kate Payne and Vikki Massarano, two very experienced and highly regarded pensions partners, together with most of their team.
Meanwhile, DAC Beachcroft will make two legal directors from Clyde & Co partners at the firm when they move in March this year. Legal directors Michelle Traxler and Tom Walshaw move along with four other partners from Clydes which DAC announced in November. The duo join David Knapp, Danielle Singer, John Goodman and Nigel Adams as part of DAC Beachcroft’s claims solution group in London.
Focusing internationally, Debevoise has hired private funds lawyer Patricia Volhard to operate out of the firm’s Frankfurt and London offices.
Previously of German outfit Pöllath + Partners, Volhard has experience in advising private funds on a range of regulatory issues. Fluent in German, French and English, Volhard is permitted to practice in Germany and France.
Chair of Debevoise’ global investment management/funds group, Erica Berthou, said: ‘The arrival of Patricia as a leader of our European funds regulatory work strengthens our global funds regulatory platform, giving us a true heavy hitter in mainland Europe to add to our UK and US teams. We believe it puts us in a unique position in terms of what we can offer clients in this space.’
Closer to home, Dechert has strengthened its Dublin office with the hire of financial services partner Jeff Mackey from Dillon Eustace. Mackey’s practice focuses on the establishment and authorization of investment funds.
Mackey added: ‘I’m certain my clients will benefit from the international presence of the firm and I’m glad to contribute to the firm’s growth.’
tom.baker@legalease.co.uk