Weekly Update - 11th March 2024
Fides Search
Partner Search for Professional Services & In-House Legal, Co-Sec and Compliance, Financial Crime and Privacy Search
Moves:
UK & Ireland
After more than 12 years at HSF, where she oversaw the U.K., U.S., and EMEA ESG business, Rebecca Perlman has joined Kirkland. She oversaw the company's worldwide impact and sustainable investing practice as well.
The appointment comes after David Lidington, a former Conservative MP and minister of state for justice, was added to DLA's board in December as a non-executive director.
Massimo Amoruso is a new partner in the company's London-based Global Energy department, specializing in energy and infrastructure deals in well-known markets like LNG and energy-transition technologies like batteries, hydrogen, and CCUS. He brings more than 15 years of experience in the energy and infrastructure sectors to Clifford Chance.
In an effort to expand its Disputes & Investigations portfolio, international legal firm Ashurst has appointed Judith Seddon, a specialist in white collar crime and investigations, as a partner in London.
Oliver Storey-Harris has joined the esteemed and well-respected Banking & Finance division at law firm Blake Morgan as a new partner.
Emma Cafferky has been named as a corporate partner in the Dublin office of business law firm ReganWall.
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EMEA
Corporate partners Benedikt von Schorlemer and Maximilian Uibeleisen are joining McDermott. While von Schorlemer concentrates on the energy and infrastructure sectors, Uibeleisen is especially interested in renewable energy efforts.
Ryszard Manteuffel, the team leader, was previously employed by Baker McKenzie and Dentons.
Prior to their partnership at Darrois, Marcus Billam and de Martigny collaborated at Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy. Counsel at Darrois, Alexandre Durand, had formerly worked at Allen & Overy. All three become partners with Gide.
In March, Chris Beaumont-McQuillan, a partner in BCLP's Corporate Real Estate & Funds division, will move from London to the company's Dubai office as part of the ongoing expansion of our transactional real estate practice, which is now the best in the Middle East.
Rabih Tabbara has been named as the new Construction Arbitration Partner in the Arbitration and Litigation Department by Habib Al Mulla and Partners.
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APAC
During a meeting with associates, a partner within the firm ascribed the firm's decision to market conditions and the size of the team, namely it being 'too big'.
Six attorneys will be joining the two partners, James Arnott, who headed KPMG's technology and digital transformation division, and Veronica Scott, who oversaw the firm's cyber, privacy, and data practice.
Lily Miao and John McCarroll SC are joining the business from Mourant Ozannes' Hong Kong office and Harneys' British Virgin Islands office, respectively.
Natalie Lonergan, a partner at Squire Patton Boggs, was lured by Australian law firm Mills Oakley to help the company expand its energy and resources division and secure further business in the industry.
Jake Robson, a partner at King & Wood Mallesons, has joined Greenberg Traurig as head of mergers and acquisitions in Singapore and co-managing shareholder.
Stephen Chan, formerly a partner at the firm, will be departing as well as three corporate associates in Hong Kong as the firm scales down its corporate offering in Greater China, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.
The firm set up in New York and Singapore less than 12 months ago.
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The Americas
Neal Reenan and Ian Bushner, two New York-based private equity M&A attorneys from Latham & Watkins, have joined Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer to support in leading its private capital practice, this was announced by the company on Monday.
Kim Pagotto was one of a multitude of partners who joined Hogan Lovells on Nov. 15 from Stroock. A couple of months later, Dentons announced her arrival.
As the firm grows its tech team on the East Coast, Josh Beser, a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, joined Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe as a member of the technology companies group in New York.
Monica Thurmond was previously the deputy chair of the corporate department at Paul Weiss.
Danielle Gray said, through a post on LinkedIn, "I'm thrilled for this next chapter and I look forward to working with my new colleagues on the critically important mission of helping people live healthier lives".
founded in Houston Charles Rettig, a former Internal Revenue Service Commissioner, was brought on as a stakeholder by Chamberlain Hrdlicka, a firm with a notable tax controversy practice, in California. In Houston, former Vinson & Elkins energy and infrastructure partner Mark Brasher rejoined Winston & Strawn as a partner, and Jones Day commercial attorney J. Laurens Wilkes was appointed the firm's chair of infrastructure and projects—global disputes.
White collar giant Judith Seddon is joining Ashurst as the firm continues to grow its disputes and investigations offering.
Tony Pezzano, Matthew Asbell, David Johnson, and Chintan Desai, who have collaborated for a number of years from the Offit Kurman law offices, have joined Lippes Mathias as an integrated group of four attorneys. Meghan K. Finnerty has joined Flaster Greenberg as a shareholder in its litigation and insurance counseling and recovery departments.
Nochumson declared that Jared Klein has become an of counsel attorney at the firm.
Midsize businesses in the mid-Atlantic region are expanding, moving from regional to national reach. Meanwhile, a federal prosecutor drawn to the flexibility of mid-market enterprises joins trial boutique MoloLamken.
Keith Hallam, a partner in mergers and acquisitions, has relocated to White & Case in New York, the company said on Monday, following nearly 20 years at Cravath, Swaine & Moore.
Ian Bushner will lead US private capital, while Neal Reenan has joined as co-head of private capital globally. Alongside Charles Hayes and Arend von Riegen, who are based in Frankfurt and London, respectively, Reenan will co-lead the firm.
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In-House
Newly appointed Chief Legal Officer Cheree McAlpine said "I want to make sure that we have an engaged legal team and that they are as excited about that engagement as I am,".
A high-stakes assignment for Shiv O'Neill will be assisting the business in managing its relationship with Ancora Capital.
The 37-year-old Seth Ingall's retirement left a vacuum in the position of chief legal officer, which was filled by senior in-house lawyer Tangela Richter, hired by insurance giant Geico.
Ella Smith will take over as KFC's chief legal officer. Samantha McGonigle, meanwhile, leaves Paul Hastings' London private equity practice after just 11 months to join Hg. She had co-founded Farview Equity Partners in 2019, where she worked for five years before that.
After four months, Shiv O'Neill takes over as interim general counsel after Marcela Kirberger left for 3M.
The firm is welcoming IP litigators Shamita Etienne-Cummings, Lisa Nguyen, Eric Lancaster, James Gagen, and Grace Wang. The Washington, DC office will welcome a sixth litigator who has not yet been identified.
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Team Moves
CEO Tim Lupinacci says that The Carolinas is a "real growth market" for Baker Donelson.
The additions, which include 16 lawyers from FisherBroyles, align the new firm's head count with the 130 "commitments" that Joel Ferdinand and co-chairman Michael Pierson said at the firm's founding.
Former federal prosecutors Michael Elliott and Mindy Sauter, together with attorney Chris Quinlan, joined McGuireWoods on Monday as partners in Dallas.
Allen & Overy, with offices in Palo Alto, New York, and Washington, D.C., has provided its six-partner IP litigation team to the Am Law 25 firm.
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Promotions & Appointments:
George C. Werner, a lawyer, was appointed general counsel of the company, according to a statement made by Barley Snyder.
领英推荐
Jonathan Clark of Dallas is one of the eighteen attorneys who have been promoted to partners at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton.
For one-third of the commission's 46-year history, Joseph Belluck served as a member and as chair since 2016.
Post & Schell recently announced that principals Anthony L. Miscioscia and Steven J. Schildt have been appointed as co-chairs of the firm's insurance law department.
Hoagland, Longo's managing partner Chad M. Moore discussed the firm's new artificial intelligence practice group saying that, "Everyone has to try to get on board with that, to avoid the point of litigation. Especially here in New Jersey, we are very protective of the consumer. You have to make sure that any of this information is used in a neutral way that is not going to compromise those protections".
Aoife McDonagh, an attorney specializing in funds and investment management, and Joe O'Neill, a finance lawyer, have joined the firm's Irish partnership. In finance, the new attorneys are Eoin O'Leary and Alex Walsh, while in funds and investment management, the new attorneys are Jennifer Dobbyn and Richard O'Donoghuge.
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Mergers & Alliances:
The agreement might establish "the second largest provider of mortgages and savings in the UK," making it a relative rarity in the country's sluggish M&A market.
To control the best lateral partner transfers in the industry, Johnson Downie and Lippman Jungers have merged.
Keller Postman UK forms litigation funder-owned KP Law in partnership with Lanier Longstaff Hedar & Roberts.
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Office Openings & Closing:
In no more than eight months, Proskauer Rose, Akin Gump and Latham have all closed offices in mainland China.
The Am Law 100 firm signed a 10-year lease for 27,667 square feet at 3 Times Square building, regarding a 38.5% decrease in space from its current office.
At the beginning of the month, the company moved into new space previously occupied by Slack, adding an extra 2,000 square feet.
Renowned criminal defense lawyers Marc Agnifilo, Zach Intrater, and Teny Geragos are in charge of the new company.
The company opened offices less than a year ago in New York and Singapore.
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Financials:
Adam Smith Esq. partner Janet Stanton said, "Five years ago, if you said the phrase 'succession planning,' people's hair would catch on fire".
Whilst speaking on the firm's 5.8% revenue rise, Robert Hays said that "The reality is they worked harder. The head count didn't grow, but the work did."
Firm president and CEO John Adkisson argued that a slow year for contingency collections contributed to the IP firm's 2.4% decline in gross revenue.
Managing partner Erika Arner stated that the company has been making investments in "adjacent services" to supplement its conventional core IP offerings.
There was no substantial inflow of funds from contingency receipts, and PEP dropped. According to Phil Inglima, the chair of Crowell, the company's base business income increased by 6.8%.
Firm chairman Michael Heller explained that the firm's revenues climbed by 5.5% to hit $653 million. "We're not looking for a business that's up 20% in the good years and down 8% in the bad years".
"The largest part" of the revenue increase could be attributed to demand remaining strong and lawyers "working harder" after its hours billed increased 6.7%. Said Firm leader Liz Washko.
For almost a decade, Venable has consistently experienced growth in its revenue.
In 2023, revenue increased by 7.6% to surpass $971 million, while PEP increased by 3.6% to exceed $1.8 million.
The firm, which was founded in Atlanta, increased revenue to $338.96 million in 2023–a 10.9% increase from 2022 and an 85% increase since 2016.
After years of dropping lawyer counts, the Dallas-founded firm saw a small increase in the number of lawyer heads.
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Technology & Innovation:
Maintaining a strong and continuous commitment to IP awareness and compliance is essential for the legal tech industry to maintain its current growth and innovative trajectory.
After being seconded to a customer, a Gowling associate saw how difficult and costly brand protection can be. This realization gave rise to the idea for the product, which is known as Saturn.
Legaltech News was recently provided with an inside peek at the set of in-house generative artificial intelligence capabilities that Dechert has been internally implementing since April 2023 by Thor Alden, associate director of innovation at the company.
According to K. Lance Anderson, Benton B. Bodamer and Andrew M. Robie of Dickinson Wright." one of the reasons GenAI is so dangerous is that the law surrounding it is only just beginning to form".
Norton Rose, Husch and Winston are a few of the firms that have officially launched AI groups during Q1 of 2024, with firm leaders pointing to increased client interest and a surge of AI-related cases hitting courts.
Orrick and Reed Smith have been awarding billable hours credit to associates for innovative work for the past five years, and during that time, generative AI has become increasingly popular.
There are several reasons why the mid-market is becoming more and more popular. However, a number of them have a technological origin, either directly or indirectly.
Kieran Donovan, a former partner at Latham & Watkins, has formally introduced the initial range of solutions for his kids safety and compliance technology platform.
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Diversity & Inclusion:
With effect from February 14th, workers' department shareholder Ana-Eliza T. Bauersachs will lead the company's diversity and inclusion committee, according to a statement from Capehart Scatchard.
For many years, Asian women have been at the helm of some of the biggest and most powerful legal companies globally. We spoke with a few of the current generation of female leaders in the region's law firms in honor of International Women's Day.
In light of former Chief Judge Judith Ann Kaye's 1988 lecture on the subject, Sophia Cahill and Danielle Vrabie compare the current situation for female litigators in large litigation with what is still true.
Despite the fact that the average percentage of female partners increased to 36% this year from 27% in 2022, as per the 2023 Law.com gender diversity survey, the barriers facing women in the legal field, regardless of their professional stage, remain evident.
With neurodiversity Celebration Week, which takes place March 18-24, quickly approaching us it is a great time to take stock of your current neurodiversity efforts, assess what specific actions you can take to become more inclusive, and become a change agent.
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Market Commentary:
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison has played Kirkland & Ellis at its own game in London: actively hiring a who's who of top partners, most of which from Kirkland, in an attempt to build out an office from the ground up.
So far in 2024, Akerman, Holland & Knight and Greenberg Traurig have all added to their roster’s several times. The demand for practitioners is "insatiable," according to a local recruiter.
Several intriguing currents were identified in MaxVal's annual study on worldwide patent publication trends, which was just issued. The collected data, covering the previous five years, aids in illuminating the intricate web of technology advancements, innovation, and factors that have shaped the intellectual property landscape.
Firm consultant Kristin Stark stated that "The movement over the past month has [confirmed that] we're going to continue seeing some of the largest, highest-profit firms have this tremendous recruiting advantage."
According to the CRBE 2024 U.S. Law Firm Office Benchmarking Survey, 42 percent of all firms anticipate having the same number of offices after three years.
Pinsent Masons seeks ‘lasting change’ after inquest into partner’s death sparks mental health debate
Managing partner at Pinsent Masons, who has vowed to pursue "positive and lasting change," lost a partner to an "acute mental health crisis" after working on a high-profile project.