Negotiations conclude over Simmons’ hire of Mahrie Webb from Burges Salmon

Long-running negotiations have now concluded between Burges Salmon and Simmons & Simmons over the start date of funds partner Mahrie Webb, who in May became the City practice’s fourth hire to its low-cost Bristol office.

Simmons launched the South West base in September last year with the hire of financial services litigation partners Tim Boyce and Ed Crosse from Osborne Clarke.

However, Webb has yet to join and it is understood that Burges Salmon initially tried to hold the highly regarded funds lawyer to two years gardening leave but that figure has now been reduced to a year, with Webb expected to join Simmons in May.

Continue reading “Negotiations conclude over Simmons’ hire of Mahrie Webb from Burges Salmon”

Hogan Lovells’ ambitious capital expansion draws in second HSF partner

As Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) continues to lose London partners so Hogan Lovells is in the midst of aggressively bulking up in the capital and today (5 November) announced internally that HSF environmental partner Louise Moore will re-join the firm.

Moore – who focuses on M&A and private equity and has advised high profile clients including Energy Capital Partners, Chevron, BP and EDF – will re-join the transatlantic firm’s London office in early 2014, having trained with legacy Lovells and become an environmental partner before moving to HSF in 2007. Continue reading “Hogan Lovells’ ambitious capital expansion draws in second HSF partner”

Bristol tussle over Simmons’ hire of Mahrie Webb from Burges Salmon

Negotiations are still underway between Burges Salmon and Simmons & Simmons over the start date of funds partners Mahrie Webb, who in May became the City practice’s fourth hire to its low-cost Bristol office.

Simmons launched the South West base in September last year with the hire of financial services litigation partners Tim Boyce and Ed Crosse from Osborne Clarke.

However, Webb has yet to join and it is understood that Burges Salmon initially tried to hold the highly regarded funds lawyer to two years gardening leave but that figure may be reduced to a year.

Continue reading “Bristol tussle over Simmons’ hire of Mahrie Webb from Burges Salmon”

Law Society reaches out to City firms with hire of A&O’s Denyer

The Law Society has not always seen eye-to-eye with its City firm contingent but the hire of Allen & Overy’s (A&O) global markets partner Stephen Denyer, who is leaving the Magic Circle firm to join the representative body as City and international head, may go some way towards building a bridge between the two camps.

Despite moving across from private practice Denyer, who is charged with developing relationships with larger firms, already has form in this kind of role. Continue reading “Law Society reaches out to City firms with hire of A&O’s Denyer”

City ambitions – Mayer Brown adds to London laterals tally with hire of BLP finance partner

Mayer Brown has added to its tally of recent London hires as Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) finance and restructuring partner Trevor Wood joins the US firm.

Wood will be reunited with former BLP banking and finance partner Richard Todd when he joins 1,536-lawyer Mayer Brown, which has made six lateral hires in its London office in the last month, compared to just five in 2012.

Meanwhile, BLP’s partner departures continue in the wake of the firm’s disclosure in September that its profits for 2012/13 are down by nearly 40%. The firm also unveiled a drop in revenues this summer of 5% to £233m, making it the worst financial performer of the top 25 UK firms.

Continue reading “City ambitions – Mayer Brown adds to London laterals tally with hire of BLP finance partner”

More Paris moves as Linklaters announces triple partner hire

Further movement in the Paris market has seen Linklaters announce a trio of high level hires as Matthieu de Boisséson, Pierre Duprey and Roland Ziadé join as partners in its Paris office in a move to boost the Magic Circle firm’s arbitration offering.

Duprey arrives from Paris firm Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier, where he spent 11 years as an arbitrator, and he is joined by of counsel Andrew Plump. Ziadé comes over from Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton where he was counsel, and de Boisséson was a tenant with Littleton Chambers. While at Littleton Chambers, de Boisséson worked on about 90 cases as chairman or co-arbitrator in the International Criminal Court. He oversaw cases in the construction, telecommunications, oil, and mining and pharmaceuticals industries. Continue reading “More Paris moves as Linklaters announces triple partner hire”

Revolving Doors: SJ Berwin corporate heavyweight Harris to Hogan Lovells as Bingham and Bond Dicks make key hires

Just weeks away from its merger with King Wood & Mallesons, SJ Berwin corporate heavyweight Ed Harris is leaving for Hogan Lovells as Bingham McCutcheon also raids Jones Day to build its London competition team and Osborne Clarke’s remaining two-partner private client team joins Bond Dickinson.

Harris, who will move across to Hogan Lovells on an unknown date as a result of ongoing negotiations with management, has been at SJ Berwin since 2007 and has advised a number of high profile clients including Terra Firma, Pantheon Ventures Investindustrial, EQT, Actavis and Constellation Software Inc. Continue reading “Revolving Doors: SJ Berwin corporate heavyweight Harris to Hogan Lovells as Bingham and Bond Dicks make key hires”

Growth plans: Osborne Clarke continues lateral hiring spree

Osborne Clarke (OC) has made its 25th lateral hire in 18 months, while managing partner Simon Beswick has revealed plans for the firm to continue to build out internationally.

Former Pinsent Masons partner Andrew Normington, who will join 600-lawyer OC’s infrastructure and project finance team, specialises in providing advice to sponsors and financial institutions with particular focus on European economic infrastructure and energy projects.

Continue reading “Growth plans: Osborne Clarke continues lateral hiring spree”

Revolving Doors: Strategic hires for WilmerHale, Eversheds, Irwin Mitchell and DWF

As former co-head of Bird & Bird’s London-based international life sciences sector group and rated intellectual property (IP) litigation partner Trevor Cook joins WilmerHale’s New York office, Irwin Mitchell this week took on Pinsent Masons former dispute resolution and litigation head Nigel Kissack and Squire Sanders IP partner Alex Newman, while in Birmingham, Eversheds and DWF pulled in international rail partner Andrew Herring and real estate partner Melanie Williams respectively. Continue reading “Revolving Doors: Strategic hires for WilmerHale, Eversheds, Irwin Mitchell and DWF”

Linklaters private equity ambitions dealt a blow by departure of Bagshaw and Youle

Linklaters‘ now decade-long effort to carve a credible position in the private equity market has been dealt a serious blow as co-heads Ian Bagshaw (pictured) and Richard Youle leave to join White & Case.

The high profile pair, long-term friends having started their careers together at Eversheds, had to build the Magic Circle firm’s private equity practice almost from scratch after the departure of Graham White and Raymond McKeeve in 2007, although it has been an enduring irony that their own reputations in private equity exceed that of the firm. Continue reading “Linklaters private equity ambitions dealt a blow by departure of Bagshaw and Youle”