And so the tally rises, Jones Day hires fourth BLP partner since August

Posted on |

Fresh from the news on Friday (28 February) that DLA Piper has hired three Berwin Leighton Paisner partners, Jones Day has added to its own tally of laterals from the firm by recruiting banking and capital markets partner Paul Simcock.

Simcock specialises in leveraged finance and has acted for private equity sponsors, senior and junior lenders, strategic investors and corporate borrowers on leveraged acquisitions. Continue reading “And so the tally rises, Jones Day hires fourth BLP partner since August”

Good things come in threes…or fours: DLA Piper secures triple lateral hire from BLP

Posted on |

Following the announcement last September that Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) corporate partner Patrick Somers had joined DLA Piper, the top five Global 100 firm today (28 February) confirmed it has secured a further three lateral hires, including head of real estate finance Laurence Rogers.

Rogers joins the 4,036-lawyer firm alongside commercial real estate partner Richard Hopkinson-Woolley and corporate tax partner Neville Wright. Continue reading “Good things come in threes…or fours: DLA Piper secures triple lateral hire from BLP”

Hogan Lovells eyes growth in South Africa with hire of Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs partner as banking head

Posted on |

Transatlantic giant Hogan Lovells has made its first lateral hire in South Africa since merging last December with Routledge Modise, taking on finance partner Anina Boshoff from leading local firm Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs (ENS) to head up its banking and finance department in Johannesburg.

Boshoff (pictured), who returned to South Africa early in 2010 after working in the Singapore office of Allen & Overy for three years, will begin her new role on 1 March, and will be joined by ENS associates Candice Morgan and Sanrie van Tonder. Continue reading “Hogan Lovells eyes growth in South Africa with hire of Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs partner as banking head”

Asia calling: Bird & Bird launches in South Korea as Taylor Wessing and Allen & Gledhill expand Asia footprint

Posted on |

Bird & Bird has joined a host of international law firms looking to enhance their global footprint with a cooperation agreement in Asia’s fourth largest economy, tying up with South Korean firm Hwang Mok Park (HMP).

Announced today (25 February), the top 20 firm said the aim is to focus on helping clients in industry sectors where technology and regulation are driving change.

Founded in 1993, HMP is acknowledged by the Legal 500 as third-tier in antitrust and competition, banking and finance, corporate and M&A, disputes, employment, and insurance. Continue reading “Asia calling: Bird & Bird launches in South Korea as Taylor Wessing and Allen & Gledhill expand Asia footprint”

Axiom hires new UK MD from LexisNexis in senior leadership reshuffle and BT fills competition GC role

Posted on |

In the wake of its latest high profile outsourcing deal with BT, Axiom, arguably the most touted alternative legal services provider, is to boost its senior management team with the hire of LexisNexis’ director of legal markets, Nick West, as incumbent Al Giles moves into a more senior role as executive vice president, head of regional markets.

West is to take the role of managing director of the UK business at Axiom, which Giles, who will continue to be UK-based, has held since he was brought in from Linklaters to launch the US group’s London office in 2007. Continue reading “Axiom hires new UK MD from LexisNexis in senior leadership reshuffle and BT fills competition GC role”

Taking London – Latham on the offensive in the Square Mile with hire of third private equity partner from CC

Posted on |

As our Taking Manhattan cover feature underlines, the Los Angeles-bred Latham & Watkins continues to make major inroads in the key global hubs of New York and increasingly London. Making the point again, the global giant has today (18 February), announced the recruitment of high-profile Clifford Chance (CC) partner Kem Ihenacho, the third private equity partner to join Latham’s City arm from CC in the last 12 months.

The move follows the departure of former CC global head of private equity David Walker in April last year and another CC partner Tom Evans in October.

Continue reading “Taking London – Latham on the offensive in the Square Mile with hire of third private equity partner from CC”

City hire: Reed Smith takes on Travers Smith leverage finance partner Ben Davis

Posted on |

With Reed Smith’s London office results touted to break the $200m mark next week, the top 30 global law firm has hired Travers Smith leverage finance partner Ben Davis to join its City office in March.

Davis advises on corporate facilities, refinancings, debt restructurings and general banking matters. Last year he advised Pace on its US law $470m financing for the acquisition of Aurora Networks, and thetrainline.com, backed by Exponent Private Equity, on its £190m unitranche and super senior refinancing facilities. Continue reading “City hire: Reed Smith takes on Travers Smith leverage finance partner Ben Davis”

Partner exits: NRF corporate partner Cathy Pitt and head of climate change Hobley move on

Posted on |

Top 10 LB100 firm Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) has said goodbye to two further senior partner departures as longstanding London-based corporate finance partner Cathy Pitt last month (January) moved to CMS Cameron McKenna to head up its investment management funds group, while the firm’s global head of sustainability and climate change Anthony Hobley left to join the Carbon Tracker Initiative (CTI) as its first chief executive officer on 1 February.

Having spent 18 years at the 2,647-lawyer firm, Pitt was involved in corporate finance work within the asset management practice, including the establishment of investment funds and corporate advisory work. She also spent seven months on secondment as a legal advisor to financial institution HSBC in 2006, followed by a stint as interim head of group legal at insurer Prudential in 2010.

Continue reading “Partner exits: NRF corporate partner Cathy Pitt and head of climate change Hobley move on”

Three’s company: BLP’s former head of restructuring Ben Larkin joins Jones Day

Posted on |

The third partner to leave Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) for Jones Day in under six months, former head of restructuring and insolvency Ben Larkin has joined the top 10 Global100 law firm’s 100 lawyer-strong global restructuring practice.

Described as ‘an excellent operator’ by the Legal 500, during his time at BLP Larkin advised on stand out mandates such as the restructuring of companies in the TXU Group and acted for RBS in the restructuring of Le Méridien hotel group. Continue reading “Three’s company: BLP’s former head of restructuring Ben Larkin joins Jones Day”

O Canada! DLA Piper in talks with Heenan Blaikie partners to set up in Toronto and Calgary

Posted on |

Long having eyed a Canadian presence, DLA Piper confirmed today (7 February) that it is in talks with a group of partners from the Toronto and Calgary offices of top-tier local firm Heenan Blaikie, which announced earlier this week that it is to wind down its operations following a wave of partner departures.

The discussions, which come as a management re-shuffle at the top 10 LB100 firm announced this week will see current co-chief executive and managing partner Sir Nigel Knowles take over from Tony Angel as co-chair, could provide a long sought after entry to a market that has in recent years seen the arrival of firms such as Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) and Clyde & Co. Continue reading “O Canada! DLA Piper in talks with Heenan Blaikie partners to set up in Toronto and Calgary”