The recruitment market was back in full swing after the annual summer hiatus, as elite firms made significant hires in insurance, competition and litigation this week.
The headline arrival came at Skadden, where corporate and insurance partner Robert Chaplin joined the financial institutions group. A partner at Slaughter and May since 2006, Chaplin’s wide ranging practice spans corporate, commercial and financing, with a particular focus on the insurance and asset management industries.
Speaking to Legal Business, Lorenzo Corte, Skadden’s co-head of transactions, said: ‘We have a first-class insurance M&A practice globally, especially in the US. We’ve had Rob Stirling for the last seven years in London, and he has been tremendous at developing our practice in the UK. We now have such a volume of work that we needed to strengthen and deepen our bench.
‘We were attracted to Rob [Chaplin]’s exposure to private equity clients investing into the insurance market. His expertise nicely marries our insurance and private equity strategies.’
Chaplin’s move is a rare example of Slaughters losing a seasoned lawyer, but is clearly a sign that the trend for Magic Circle partners jumping ship to juggernauts from across the pond has not abated.
One the subject, Corte added: ‘For the last several years, partners have been moving from the Magic Circle to premier US firms as a result of the economics and strategic outlook those US firms have. When a firm has a strong US base and has then expanded globally like we have, it becomes very attractive to Magic Circle partners. It is a trend that is only going to continue.
‘It is rare to see partners at US firms move to Magic Circle firms in order to progress their career. It is more common in the US, where the Magic Circle has offered very good packages to try to develop in that market.’
Meanwhile at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, partner Ravi Nayer joined the business and commercial disputes team from Quinn Emanuel. Experienced in insurance, data, pension and asset management related financial services disputes, Nayer has also advised clients on the implementation of private-sector compensation schemes arising from mass torts.
BCLP’s European leader of litigation and investigations, Graham Shear, said: ‘Our contentious business in London is a large and extremely busy group and we are delighted to welcome Ravi to our growing team. Ravi has demonstrated that he is a litigation innovator in several areas including class actions and the resolution of mass torts. His addition to our London team helps us to respond to the wide scope of disputes now being seen and provides an added dimension to our capability.’
Also in the disputes space, Ontier added James Dixon as a partner in the London office. Dixon joins the firm from Priestleys in the Cayman Islands, having trained with Fladgate in London before developing his practice in multiple offshore jurisdictions.
Derek Stinson, Ontier’s London managing partner, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome James to our growing partnership in London. His in-depth international experience will neatly augment our existing expertise and provide additional strategic support for our clients involved in cross-border disputes.’
McDermott, Will & Emery also strengthened its contentious ranks, adding Jack Thorne from Paul Hastings. A senior associate at his previous firm, Thorne joined McDermott as a partner and brought with him associate Alison Morris.
Speaking to Legal Business, Thorne said: ‘The main thing that attracted me to McDermott is its global platform and, in particular, the strength of its global dispute resolution practice. As part of that, the firm has had a lot of success in London and what was really attractive to me was its desire to continue to invest in its disputes offering, building it out in both London and globally in order to meet the needs of its clients.
‘I have a broad commercial litigation offering. My main focus is on disputes arising out of corporate and finance transactions, but I also have particular experience and expertise in more niche areas such as data breach litigation and antitrust litigation, which are areas in particular that I’ll be looking to expand on. The recent rise in collective actions in competition law is particularly significant, so that’s an area I’ll be looking at quite closely.’
Elsewhere, Freeths established a new private funds department in London by recruiting George Metcalfe as a partner from Simmons & Simmons. A managing associate at his old firm, Metcalfe has a particular focus on infrastructure, credit, private equity, venture capital, real estate and impact funds.
Outside the capital, Eversheds Sutherland recruited construction disputes partner Joseph Hale into its Leeds office. Previously the head of Freeths’ construction team in the city, Hale has niches in infrastructure and energy, including rail, water and highways.
There were also major moves on the international market. In Brussels, DLA Piper gained Laurent Geelhand from Hausfeld & Co, where he was managing partner of the Brussels and Paris offices, as well as head of the automotive and logistics practice groups.
The move represents a significant step forward for DLA’s competition offering in Europe, and Geelhand has been charged with creating a focal point from which the Brussels office will provide competition advice across the continent.
DLA’s Belgium managing partner, Kristof De Vulder, said: ‘We are thrilled to have Laurent join our team in addition to Joost Haans who will also soon join us in Brussels. Laurent has been involved in many high-profile and sophisticated matters and will be a strong asset to our clients. This is the next chapter in our strategy to have the Brussels office of DLA Piper play a key role in the global competition arena.’
Outside of Europe, Pinsent Masons appointed Martin Hayward in Dubai. A technology specialist, Hayward will lead the firm’s TMT offering in the Middle East, having previously done so at Al Tamimi & Company.
Finally, Reed Smith’s Hong Kong office welcomed Matthew Townsend to its litigation and international arbitration practice. Townsend, who focuses on disputes relating to M&A and the energy, infrastructure, construction and technology sectors, joined the firm as a partner, having been a counsel at his previous firm Fangda & Partners.
A mandarin speaker, Townsend has acted in a number of ground-breaking arbitration cases in Asia, including the first emergency arbitration to proceed to the hearing stage under Hong Kong International Court of Arbitration rules and the first arbitration concluded under a Sino-foreign PSC.