September saw it finally confirmed that, as suspected, M&A lawyer Roger Johnson will join Paul Weiss’ new English law offering, leaving Kirkland after the firm’s management discovered that he was in discussions to take a team to a US rival firm. Johnson joins former Kirkland colleague Neel Sachdev who moved to Paul Weiss in August. Indeed, September was not the easiest month for Kirkland, which suffered further losses to McDermott in New York and London from its transactions and employment practices.
The rest of the London and international markets have also been hectic, picking up after the summer lull with notable lateral activity reported in corporate, energy and infrastructure, finance and employment in particular.
Corporate
James Channo joined RPC’s corporate practice in London from Ince (see story about the collapse of Axiom Ince), where he led the corporate practice. Channo specialises in IPOs, secondary fundraisings, cross-border M&A and joint ventures. The firm’s head of commercial, Jeremy Drew, said of Channo’s move: ‘This is an important and strategic appointment for RPC. It’s also an opportunity to support clients of the wider commercial group across our key sectors: retail, consumer, insurance, technology and media.’
Elsewhere in the City, Baker McKenzie added transactional lawyer Hannah Luqmani to its private equity team from Fried Frank, where she was an associate. ‘Hannah’s hire brings our London partner team focused on private equity and financial sponsors up to 12,’ said Baker McKenzie’s corporate head, David Allen. ‘We are planning to grow more both in London and our other core markets.’
Clifford Chance (CC) welcomed David Stringer, the latest partner to join its new Houston office. Formerly at Jones Day for 11 years, Stringer brings to CC’s corporate team experience representing companies within the energy, chemicals and petrochemicals sectors, focusing on M&A, joint ventures and projects.
‘We are very excited about CC’s initiative in the US and we recently met our partners from Houston who are at the cutting edge of energy transition.’ Craig Nethercott, Clifford Chance
In New York, Latham & Watkins appointed Andrew Elken from Cravath, where he had spent 14 years as a partner. He brings to the corporate team a wealth of experience advising public companies and boards of directors on corporate matters, including M&A and corporate governance.
In Hong Kong, Linklaters lost M&A partner Alex Bidlake to CC. Having honed expertise advising investors on public and private M&A transactions throughout Asia, Bidlake has left Linklaters after 15 years as partner.
Energy and infrastructure
CC revealed that it had acquired two new partners, Craig Nethercott and Chirag Sanghrajka from Latham to its global energy and infrastructure practices in both London and Dubai respectively.
Having served as a partner for nearly 14 years at Latham, Nethercott brings to CC experience handling work involving banking, capital markets, Islamic finance and energy transition projects. His clientele includes energy, metals, and infrastructure companies, as well as capital providers.
Joining CC after five years as a partner at Latham, Sanghrajka represents financial institutions, as well as clients in the energy, mining and metals sectors. He is experienced in handling matters involving project development finance and banking in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Nethercott said of the duo’s move: ‘We are very excited about CC’s initiative in the US and we recently met our partners from Houston who are at the cutting edge of energy transition. The work they are doing is of significant interest to clients globally.’
In London, Paul Hastings hired Candice Lambeth, its third infrastructure partner in the space of three months. Joining from Weil, Lambeth brings expertise in domestic and cross-border M&A, joint ventures, and co-investments across the energy and infrastructure sectors. ‘There is incredible growth to tap into at Paul Hastings and my practice has excellent synergies with the existing Paul Hastings client base,’ said Lambeth of her move. ‘I hope to grow our practice through a mix of exceptional client service and superior execution of energy and infrastructure transactions. Drawing on specialist teams across the firm to support that.’
In Washington DC, Scott Cockerham left Orrick for Allen & Overy (A&O)’s projects, energy, natural resources and infrastructure practice. Cockerham is sought by clients for his advice on the tax elements of energy and infrastructure projects, including tax equity financing and tax credit transferability transactions. ‘Scott is a critical element in continuing our growth and addressing client needs – both in the US and globally,’ said A&O co-chairs Karen Seward and Kent Rowey in a joint statement.
A&O continued to expand in the US, bringing New York partner Elaine Hughes into its funds and asset management practice. Formerly at Lowenstein Sandler, Hughes had a position on its executive board and held the role of co-chair of the firm’s investment management group.
Finance
McDermott brought in Usman Khan to its transactions practice from Kirkland. He specialises in real estate finance, with experience advising clients such as banking institutions, private equity sponsors, credit funds and sovereign wealth funds.
White & Case hired Peter Mason from Freshfields to its global debt finance practice based in London. Representing banks, sponsors, corporates and other non-bank financial institutions, he has particular expertise in acquisition financing and using European and New York-style term loan B, bank/bond and direct lending/unitranche structures.
DLA Piper added corporate finance partner Charlotte Lewis-Williams (pictured) to its London finance, projects and restructuring practice. With expertise in corporate and leveraged acquisition finance, Lewis-Williams has further experience handling mid-market transactions and work in the private credit industry. ‘The idea is to grow the bench and make it more diverse, dynamic and able to take on more work for both existing clients and new clients in the finance, banking and private credit sectors,’ Lewis-Williams said of the firm’s ambitions.
Pinsent Masons appointed Harjeet Lall as a new partner in its finance and restructuring team from Mayer Brown, where she was co-chair of its India practice. Lall brings expertise in structured finance and securitisation, and is the sixth addition to Pinsents’ financial services team in 2023.
Shearman & Sterling announced that it has rehired capital markets practitioner Alejandro Gordano from Linklaters for its Latin America group in New York. Gordano previously served as counsel for two years at Shearman from 2016.
Disputes and regulatory
Addleshaw Goddard enlisted Lisa Lee Lewis to its London financial services team from Norton Rose Fulbright, where she was head of risk consulting EMEA advisory for ten years. Lewis offers clients a wealth of knowledge in regulatory change regarding the UK and EU financial services sector, including the impact of Brexit, crypto asset regulation, and the Edinburgh Reforms.
Patent litigator James Marshall joined Pinsent Masons from Taylor Wessing, bringing to the firm expertise in trade secrets, as well as a focus on the life sciences and technology sectors.
Howard Kennedy expanded its disputes and regulatory practices through the additions of Nikki Edwards from Temple Bright to its commercial dispute resolution team, and David Hamilton from Pinsent Masons to its business crime and regulatory team.
Goodwin has strengthened its litigation offering with the appointment of government investigations and enforcement partner Mark Beardsworth. Beardsworth is a Legal 500 Leading Individual for white-collar crime and will lead the firm’s European investigations and enforcement practice. He carries out internal investigations for corporations and regulators and advises on a range of risk and governance issues.
Morrison & Foerster has appointed Legal 500 Leading Individual in commercial litigation, Ben Summerfield, to its litigation department. Previously at Reed Smith, Summerfield acts on high-value, cross-border commercial disputes, with his clients spanning the technology, media, entertainment, telecoms, financial services, and infrastructure sectors.
‘The idea is to grow the bench and make it more diverse, dynamic and able to take on more work for both existing clients and new clients in the finance, banking and private credit sectors.’ Charlotte Lewis-Williams, DLA Piper
International arbitration specialist Philipp Kurek made the decision to join City boutique firm Signature Litigation after 14 years as a partner at Kirkland. Kurek represents clients in various sectors, including technology, real estate, and private equity.
Also expanding its arbitration team, A&O recruited disputes partner Daniel Garton to its London practice. He offers extensive experience from his nearly 17-year tenure at White & Case, where he worked on projects in the energy, oil and gas, petrochemical, transport and mining sectors.
Katia Finkel joined Eversheds Sutherland’s international arbitration practice from Baker McKenzie, where she was previously a senior associate. Finkley brings deep expertise in complex multijurisdictional arbitrations in the energy, mining and infrastructure sectors to the firm.
Employment
In New York, Kate Vera left Kirkland for McDermott to lead its employee benefits and executive compensation practice. She represents private equity firms and their portfolio companies on the executive compensation components of mergers and acquisitions, restructuring plans and IPOs.
In London, Jones Day added Pulina Whitaker to its labour and employment practice. Joining from Morgan Lewis where she spent eight years as a partner, she brings experience in advising clients on a range of employment and data privacy matters.
Graham Green joined Eversheds Sutherland’s employment team from Reed Smith, specialising in advising clients in the TMT sector. ‘In broadcast media in the UK, there’s been a lot of focus on representation, both onscreen and offscreen. You need real sector knowledge to help clients with that sort of issue and be able to field a strong team,’ Green said.
Keystone Law’s employment practice acquired two new partners, Katy Edwards from Gibson Dunn, and Marie van der Zyl from Ince. ‘I’m keen to develop my practice across the board, working for both individuals and companies,’ said van der Zyl of her move.
Finally, Freshfields scored a major coup with the hire of Doug Bryden to its global ESG and sustainability practice. He was previously head of environment and operational regulatory, and co-head of the ESG and impact group at Travers. He specialises in ESG and regulatory issues, helping boards and investors navigate ESG governance strategies and obligations, as well as responding to crisis events. LB