US firm Winston & Strawn has swooped on City rival Simmons & Simmons to take aviation finance duo Mark Moody and Christopher Boresjo.
Moody, who has been a partner at Simmons & Simmons for over a decade, is a member of the asset finance and leasing group at the City firm and specialises in cross-border asset financing in the aviation industry. A leading individual in The Legal 500 for asset finance, Moody will arrive at Winston & Strawn before the end of this month.
Moody has worked closely with Boresjo for nearly a decade and their arrival bolsters Winston & Strawn’s finance team. Boresjo’s arrival date is still to be confirmed. The pair will also be joined by associate Manolis Hatziapostolou, who will be promoted to counsel upon joining Winston & Strawn.
The arrival of Moody and Boresjo come as part of a wider play in the finance market. The team hires come a year after Winston & Strawn took 11 partners from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman which saw a large finance team arrive in the US and co-head of energy, infrastructure and projects James Simpson arrive in the City.
Late last year Winston & Strawn rejigged its global executive committee, with London board member and disputes partner Michael Madden replaced by corporate partner Zoe Ashcroft, signalling a shift in focus for the US firm. At the time managing partner Tom Fitzgerald told Legal Business the firm wanted to commit more resources to London and diversify its offering, having previously focused on disputes.
In March the Winston & Strawn lost co-head of arbitration Joe Tirado to Garrigues, which hired the English-qualified lawyer to launch an arbitration practice in London.
tom.moore@legalease.co.uk