Law.com International

Willkie Expects To Be the Next Target of a Trump Executive Order

Travers Smith has hired a restructuring and insolvency partner from Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson. Mandip Englund joins the finance team as head of restructuring and insolvency, bringing expertise on financial restructuring, distressed investing and formal insolvency. Englund trained at DLA Piper before moving to Linklaters between 2009 and 2018, being elevated to counsel in 2016, according to her LinkedIn profile. She was then hired as a partner at Reed Smith before moving to Fried Frank for four years. On the Travers hire, managing partner Edmund Reed said in a statement: "Continuing to strengthen our partnership across the full spectrum of the firm is a key focus for my second term as managing partner. We will achieve this through a combination of internal promotions and selective lateral hires, ensuring we have the right teams in place to provide our clients with the bespoke, premium service which our clients value so highly." Full story from Louis Altmann: https://lnkd.in/eaUKuUrG

Eversheds Sutherland has strengthened its technology media and telecoms practice with the addition of a senior DLA Piper partner. Simon Kenyon (below), a DLA lifer, will sit in technology media and telecoms practice area, according to a release from Eversheds Sutherland. He is leaving after 27 years at DLA Piper, where he straddled a number of different senior positions, including as co-lead of its technology disputes practice, co-head of its U.K. technology disputes practice and lead U.K. litigation partner of its India group. Commenting on the latest appointment, global head of A.I. and head of technology Nasser Ali Khasawneh, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Simon to the firm. His deep sector knowledge and impressive track record of dealing with highly complex TMT matters make him the perfect addition to our team. With the increasingly rapid advancements in AI and technology, the opportunities for growth and innovation are immense. Simon will be instrumental in helping us to capitalise on the on these, driving our TMT disputes practice to new heights." Full story from Habiba Cullen-Jafar: https://lnkd.in/e8X8r9M3

Eversheds' New US Leader Says Firm to Focus on Strategic Growth, Emphasize Its Specialty Areas in Global Markets

Paul Weiss' Continues London Expansion with Hires from Akin, Slaughters

Travers Boosts Finance Team With Hire From Fried Frank

BREAKING from Jack Womack: A former London managing associate at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe has been accused by two former colleagues at the firm of conduct which was “unwanted and/or inappropriate and/or sexually motivated”, according to submissions made at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in London. Lewis Brady was an associate in Orrick’s cyber, privacy & data innovation team. The allegations against him cover a time period between September 2021 and 24 March 2022, and are made by persons A—a paralegal—and B—a managing associate, who both also worked in Orrick’s London office at the time. Brady’s position, according to court documents, is that “he challenges factual aspects of the evidence of Person A and B and he does not accept that any conduct towards/touching of Persons A and B was not consented to or reciprocal. Further, he challenges the legal basis upon which the SRA’s case is brought”. Louise Culleton, a barrister with Capsticks Solicitors appearing for the Solicitors Regulation Authority, told a hearing of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal that Person A had allegedly been the subject of “unwanted touching” by Brady on five occasions between September and December 2021. According to the SRA’s Rule 12 statement, Brady’s understanding was that “the relationship was exclusively outside of a work setting and he honestly believed it was an appropriate and mutual relationship”. Meanwhile, in March 2022 after a work-related dinner, Person B has alleged that she shared a taxi home with Brady, and that “he shoved his right hand into her top so that his hands were in her bra". However, the SRA’s statement quotes Brady as saying he "vehemently” denied doing anything that Person B did not consent to. Full story: https://lnkd.in/ek4TgVRE

BREAKING from Dario Sabaghi: Paul Hastings aims to establish its new Abu Dhabi office as a regional hub linking the Middle East with Europe, the U.S., and Asia, supported by a three-partner infrastructure team hired from White & Case. Dinmukhamed ‘Din’ Eshanov and George Kazakov will co-lead its global energy and infrastructure practice and coordinate with the London and Paris hubs. Eshanov will work from Abu Dhabi. Kazakov will work between Europe and Abu Dhabi. Paris-based White & Case private equity and M&A partner Xavier Petet is also joining the Paul Hastings team, a source told Law.com. Paul Hastings would not comment on the hiring. "It's not haphazard that we have these locations and this team joining, as we're already working closely on deals with these regions and this team," Kazakov said. "We'll continue working as we have before since we know each other, just enhancing it with additional capabilities to take it to the next level.” Paul Hastings' Abu Dhabi office is part of a long-term strategy. "The region is still in growth mode, despite occasional ups and downs, with a clear trend toward more growth and infrastructure development,” Kazakov said. Full story: https://lnkd.in/eKiA9znz

BREAKING from from Jessica Seah: Simpson Thacher and Nishimura & Asahi are advising KKR on the $2.3 billion management buyout of Japanese medical gear manufacturer Topcon. Big Four Japanese firms Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu and AMT are advising Japan Investment Corporation (JIC), the Japanese state fund, which joined KKR on the buyout. KKR will invest around $1.7 billion for a majority stake while JIC's private equity arm will invest $635 million for a minority interest. Other advisers on the Topcon deal include Japanese boutique TXL Partners, who are counsel to Topcon president and chief executive Takashi Eto. The company's special committee is advised by another local boutique, Nakamura, Tsunoda & Matsumoto. Nagashima Ohno partner Yutaka Kuroda led the firm on its advice to JIC's subsidiary. The Simpson Thacher partners Noritaka Kumamoto, Jonathan Stradling, Makiko Harunari, Etienne Renaudeau and George Wang are leading on the deal. Full story: https://lnkd.in/e_3get-Q

Ex-Orrick Associate Faces Tribunal Over Allegations of Inappropriate Conduct by Former Colleagues