In many ways the only real surprise about the departure of Edwards Wildman senior London venture capital partner Shawn Atkinson to Orrick is the speed with which it has been announced, after Legal Business revealed on Tuesday (17 June) that the US top 100 firm is in talks with five London partners following a string of exits, with Cooley and two other US firms said to be circling.
It is not yet known if Atkinson, who serves as co-chair of Edwards Wildman’s venture capital group, the cross-border group and its Central & Eastern Europe group, was one of the partners directly involved in the talks, after a statement from Edwards Wildman on Tuesday said: ‘..a few partners may consider leaving in the near term.’
