After preparing to downsize its office space by almost half, Ince & Co has hired two more partners for its London office.
The firm, which has suffered recent of exits from its Singapore office, has made two key appointments in City in its insurance and aviation practices.
Jennifer Donohue moves from Locke Lord to add her expertise in insurance and reinsurance. Her experience includes advising on financing in the insurance and banking sectors based upon forensic engineering and modelling.
Ince has also recruited Will Cooper as a partner in the aviation group in London. Cooper moves from the UK government’s Export Credit Guarantee Department, where he was a legal adviser. Cooper, who trained in the asset finance group at Norton Rose, is the firm’s second aviation finance hire in recent months following the recruitment of Laurence Hanley to the Paris office.
Meanwhile CMS has appointed Jonathan Woolf to its corporate team in London from BP where he was managing counsel of the oil major’s M&A legal team since 2010. Woolf, who joins as partner, had previously practised at Linklaters in London and Hong Kong.
Charles Currier, head of CMS’ corporate group, said: ‘Jonathan’s appointment adds to our significant bench strength and ability to handle the largest and most complex matters for our global energy clients.’
In Poland, K&L Gates has hired Wolf Theiss duo Gregor Ordon and Adrian Jonca. Ordon joins the banking and asset finance team, while Jonca will work in the firm’s tax practice.
K&L Gates’ Warsaw office administrative partner Maciej Jamka said: ‘As experienced partners and leading practitioners in their fields, Adrian and Gregor will allow us to better serve our German clients through the development of a strong German desk.’
McDermott Will & Emery is to boost its German antitrust practice with a three-team hire, which includes one partner. KPMG Law partner Christian Krohs joins the firm’s Düsseldorf office with two associates and will be responsible for developing McDermott’s antitrust practice in Germany. He was head of KPMG Law’s antitrust group in Cologne.
The global head of McDermott’s antitrust practice Ray Jacobsen said: ‘Our antitrust practice is currently experiencing a period of substantial growth in Brussels, Italy and France. Christian and his team will be instrumental in taking this strategy to the next level by developing our antitrust capabilities in Germany.’
In South Africa, Baker & McKenzie has hired Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr partner Johan Botes to launch its employment practice in Johannesburg, bringing senior associate Lauren Salt with him.
The joint managing partner of Bakers’ Johannesburg office, Gerhard Rudolph, said: ‘Johan is a highly regarded employment lawyer whose excellent experience across all aspects of employment law together with his strong client base, makes him an ideal addition to the firm.’
victoria.young@legalease.co.uk