Last week’s laterals saw a focus on hiring management with K&L Gates bringing in a new finance head in Sydney, Eversheds hiring in London for a head of strategy for Hungary, and, in the US, General Motors (GM) appointing a new general counsel (GC).
Firstly, in London, Seddons announced the hire of prominent libel and defamation lawyer Mark Lewis, who joins the firm from Taylor Hampton. Lewis – who has 25 years of experience in libel, privacy, confidentiality, reputation management and intellectual property matters – has worked with clients on the phone hacking scandals, including representing the Dowler family against News International, and since bringing the first case against the company in 2007, he has represented over 120 victims.
Lewis commented: ‘As the landscape for press regulation and complexity of modern reputation management continues to evolve, I’m confident that I can make a significant contribution to the firm and support its clients in protecting and defending their reputations in the UK and around the globe.’
Meanwhile, Richárd Eördögh, managing partner of Bird & Bird’s Hungarian offering, is set to join Eversheds as partner and Head of Strategy in its Budapest office. Eördögh joined Bird & Bird in 2011 after relocating from his position in London as chief legal counsel of Chayton Capital and its private equity real estate funds
Another in-house move, this time in the US, saw GM hire Craig Glidden as its new GC replacing long-time incumbent Michael Millikin on 1 March. Milliken, who has faced questioning from Congress in relation to the carmaker’s response to its faulty ignition switches, announced his retirement last year. Glidden joins from plastics, chemical and refining company LyondellBasell Industries and will take over responsibility for GM’s legal team in more than 30 countries worldwide.
Further afield, in Sydney, international law firm K&L Gates hired Jason Opperman as a partner in the firm’s finance practice. Opperman, who has more than 17 years of experience acting for banks and financial institutions, joins from Henry Davis York, where he led the banking, restructuring and insolvency practice.
Nick Nichola, K&L Gates’ managing partner for Australia said: ‘Jason was targeted for his outstanding leadership qualities and will assume the leadership role of our national practice group immediately upon commencement in the K&L Gates Sydney office. Jason shares the firm’s vision and believes the global platform and reach the firm delivers is critical to clients who want to stay competitive in the global marketplace.’
kathryn.mccann@legalease.co.uk