Revolving Doors: Gibson Dunn loses another London corporate partner as Shearman hires former Freshfields senior hand

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Revolving Doors: Gibson Dunn loses another London corporate partner as Shearman hires former Freshfields senior hand

The recent City corporate merry-go-round at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher has continued in the past week, with leading partner Nigel Stacey moving to Baker Botts in London. Meanwhile, Shearman & Sterling has hired former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Simon Marchant.

Stacey – one of the major names remaining at Gibson Dunn’s London office – has more than 20 years’ experience in mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance, acting for major corporate clients on a wide range of public and private transactions and advisory matters across numerous sectors, including TMT and life sciences. He has acted on some of the UK’s most high-profile transactions, and on deals with an aggregate value in excess of $600bn.  Continue reading “Revolving Doors: Gibson Dunn loses another London corporate partner as Shearman hires former Freshfields senior hand”

Revolving doors: all change in Middle East, UK, Europe as September begins with fresh wave of hires

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It has been a busy start to September already with a spate of international and UK-wide hires.

Washington DC-based Crowell & Moring was a major beneficiary in the Middle East, picking up a team from Squire Patton Boggs (SPB) after the latter announced plans to shut down its operation in Qatar. Continue reading “Revolving doors: all change in Middle East, UK, Europe as September begins with fresh wave of hires”

Revolving doors: Keystone maintains hiring spree as finance partners move between US firms in the City

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UK-listed firm Keystone Law has continued its summer run of partner recruitment, adding three more to its roster in the past week.

Sandra Bates and Yohanna Weber joined the firm in late August as lateral hires from Fladgate and Fieldfisher respectively, while at the same time Alex Heaton, who was a counsel at Reed Smith and has over 20 years’ experience as a commercial property lawyer, has also joined Keystone as partner. Continue reading “Revolving doors: Keystone maintains hiring spree as finance partners move between US firms in the City”

Revolving Doors: Paul Hastings completes swift one-two to dominate last week’s City recruitment

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Revolving Doors: Paul Hastings completes swift one-two to dominate last week’s City recruitment

Paul Hastings was the only notable mover in the City lateral market over the past week, with the US firm securing a swift double hire to bolster its finance practice.

The firm announced today (24 August) that infrastructure partner Derwin Jenkinson would be joining the practice from Ashurst. Jenkinson leaves after a seven-year spell at Ashurst, where he advised on loan and capital markets across infrastructure M&A and project finance matters. Prior to Ashurst, Jenkinson cut his teeth as a senior associate in Clifford Chance’s capital markets practice.  Continue reading “Revolving Doors: Paul Hastings completes swift one-two to dominate last week’s City recruitment”

Revolving doors: DLA continues corporate march with trophy hire as Keystone makes Middle East move

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DLA Piper made the most notable hire of the past week, announcing the addition of veteran Jonathan Earle to add further strength to its expanding London corporate practice.

Earle, who joined Gibson Dunn & Crutcher after 16 years at Ashurst in 2014, was part of a major push by the LA-based powerhouse into UK M&A that was fronted by Earle’s colleague Charlie Geffen. Continue reading “Revolving doors: DLA continues corporate march with trophy hire as Keystone makes Middle East move”

Revolving doors: lateral hire season back with gusto as raft of senior moves announced

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The first week of August saw the lateral recruitment market resume in earnest, with a bumper spate of partner hires unveiled.

Unsurprisingly the majority of acquisitions were made in corporate, with the deal market showing real signs of improvement . Herbert Smith Freehills led the way in the City with the addition of Kirkland & Ellis partner David D’Souza, a well-known private equity specialist who has regularly advised sponsors such as BC Partners, Blackstone and Permira. Continue reading “Revolving doors: lateral hire season back with gusto as raft of senior moves announced”

Revolving Doors: DWF appoints senior hand in critical management refresh as experienced players move to and from G100 firms

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The past week has seen some senior hands move to and from large international law firms, not least DWF Group refreshing its c-suite with experience to help CEO Sir Nigel Knowles at a critical time for the business. 

DWF has, following a ‘recruitment process’, appointed the current chair of Morgan Stanley International, Jonathan Bloomer, as its new chairman with effect from 1 August. Meanwhile, Chris Sullivan, who stepped up to become interim chairman, when former chairman Knowles took over from outgoing CEO Andrew Leaitherland in May, will now become deputy chairman.  Continue reading “Revolving Doors: DWF appoints senior hand in critical management refresh as experienced players move to and from G100 firms”

Revolving Doors: US firms take lead as lateral hire market emerges from hibernation

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Revolving Doors: US firms take lead as lateral hire market emerges from hibernation

As the lateral recruitment market in the UK and Europe begins to reawaken, it is clear US firms have picked up where they left off, going in hard with key hires from Global 100 rivals.

New York banking heavyweight Cahill Gordon & Reindel has made the standout move of late, strengthening its nascent London finance practice with the hires of Jonathan Brownson and Jake Keaveny from Allen & Overy, who will be joining in September.  Continue reading “Revolving Doors: US firms take lead as lateral hire market emerges from hibernation”

Comment: A triumph of hope over experience – Lateral hiring needs an upgrade for the post-Covid era

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Comment: A triumph of hope over experience – Lateral hiring needs an upgrade for the post-Covid era

Law firm leaders are getting restless. They are beginning to look past Covid-19 to what comes next. Even if finances remain a concern, there are fewer ‘unknown unknowns’. The process for getting people back to the office is mapped out. Huge uncertainties and challenges remain, but a way forward is emerging. The question now is: how to regain momentum and rally the troops?

A key part of any proactive strategy will likely include lateral hiring. It’s striking that a steady trickle of strategic hires has continued during the coronavirus crisis. Expect that trickle to become a gush by early 2021. And whether your firm is calling potential partners, other firms are calling yours. Continue reading “Comment: A triumph of hope over experience – Lateral hiring needs an upgrade for the post-Covid era”

Corporate losses continue for Freshfields as Latham makes public M&A play in London

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Corporate losses continue for Freshfields as Latham makes public M&A play in London

Kirkland & Ellis topped M&A rankings for Europe last year, bringing in a total of $224.2bn in deals, while Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer came in second at $221.7bn. Little wonder then that rival Latham & Watkins has targeted Freshfields for its most significant London lateral hire in some time, bringing in public M&A rising star Sam Newhouse.

It is inevitable that public M&A work in London – long-considered the preserve of the Magic Circle – has become the latest hunting ground for ambitious US players as an alternative to private equity and funds-driven corporate work. White & Case is well-established in the area and Weil, Gotshal & Manges has made no secret of its desire to find talented company for veteran Mike Francies, as it did with the hire of David Avery-Gee from Linklaters last year. Continue reading “Corporate losses continue for Freshfields as Latham makes public M&A play in London”