Many of the City’s lateral recruiters may have taken a half term break this week, as disputes and IP were the busiest areas in a sluggish market domestically and overseas.

The headline arrival came at Gibson Dunn, which has recruited the current president of the European Court of Human Rights, Robert Spano (pictured), into its London disputes team. Spano, who will join the firm as of counsel from the beginning of 2023, will provide expertise in digital rights, having handed down a number of landmark judgments in relation to online content moderation and freedom of expression, while his practice will also span public international law and investor-state arbitration. Continue reading “Revolving doors: Gibson Dunn hires human rights president as OC adds two London litigators”

Kirkland & Ellis has cemented its commitment to building its European infrastructure practice with its fourth magic circle hire in two months.

Clifford Chance’s co-head of infrastructure Toby Parkinson is the latest of the City elite to move to the US rival to bolster its infrastructure coverage. This follows the arrivals last month of Allen & Overy’s former global co-head of infrastructure, Sara Pickersgill, and infrastructure funds partners James Boswell and Paul Sampson from Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy, respectively. Continue reading “Revolving Doors: Kirkland secures another Magic Circle head as US class action specialist launches Manchester boutique”

There is a globetrotting feel to this week’s lateral hires roundup, as global moves in India, US and Canada offset a more muted London market.

The headline City arrival came at Proskauer Rose, where Frazer Money joined the tax department. A partner for five years at Kirkland & Ellis, Money adds to the firm’s expertise in tax issues relating to private investment funds. In particular, his focus is advising asset managers on tax and structuring issues. Continue reading “Revolving Doors: Proskauer brings in Kirkland tax partner as Dentons secures India tie-up”

It’s been a busy week for London laterals, as firms have bolstered their transactional and regulatory teams.

King & Spalding has strengthened its London corporate, finance and investments practice with the additions of Amit Kataria from Morrison & Foerster and private equity partner Paul Barron, a rare departure from Scottish corporate firm Dickson Minto. This continued the firm’s push to boost its City transactional practice following the hires of energy sector partner Nina Howell and finance partners Richard Kitchen and Amin Doulai from Paul Hastings in August. Continue reading “Revolving doors: King & Spalding adds two in London as City firms bolster financial regulatory expertise”

This week, as the pound reached a record low against the dollar, US firms have continued to wield their hiring power in the City, adding several high-profile laterals to their ranks.

Kirkland & Ellis bolstered its infrastructure funds practice with two magic circle hires. It recruited the Legal 500-ranked leading individual James Boswell from Clifford Chance and Paul Sampson (who was described by Jon Ballis, chairman of Kirkland’s executive committee, as a ‘a rising star in the European funds world’) from Allen & Overy. These hires follow the arrival of A&O’s global co-head of infrastructure Sara Pickersgill last week.

 

Meanwhile, Akin Gump welcomed restructuring partner Sam Brodie back to the firm after 18 months at Shearman & Sterling. Brodie first joined Akin Gump as counsel as part of a team from Bingham McCutchen led by James Roome and was promoted to the partnership in 2018. He re-joins as Roome readies to retire, marking an end of an era for the City restructuring practice.

 

Of his return, Brodie told Legal Business: ‘It was a really compelling opportunity for me to rejoin Akin Gump not only to help manage the ever-increasing client demand, but also to help develop the restructuring and special situations practices, as well as to help bring on the next generation of talent within the team.’

Elsewhere, CMS’s co-head of construction has joined Clyde & Co after more than 28 years at the firm. Victoria Peckett, who was promoted to partner in 2002, has a breadth of contentious and non-contentious experience, including in projects in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.

Clyde & Co’s chief executive officer Matthew Kelsall said: ‘Construction is one of our core sectors and we have ambitious plans to continue to grow the practice globally in both depth and breadth, as contractors face both huge opportunities and significant risks as they continue to navigate today’s challenging business environment.  Attracting a lawyer of Victoria’s calibre is clearly aligned with that focus on growth.’

Osborne Clarke added corporate energy partner Matt Lewy from Womble Bond Dickinson.  He has more than a decade of experience in renewable energy and infrastructure M&A having previously worked at CMS and Baker Botts. Lewy is the fifth partner to join the firm’s renewable energy sector group this year following the arrivals of projects partners Hugo Lidbetter (who joined in January from Fieldfisher) and John Deacon, Hannah Roscoe and Dominic O’Brien, who all joined from Orrick in March.

Finally, in Madrid, Pinsent Masons strengthened its European finance capabilities with the addition of José Millán from Penningtons Manches Cooper, where he headed the banking and finance team. This follows the launch of the firm’s financial services-focused Luxembourg office in July.

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