KWM has instructed Mishcon de Reya to bring legal action against the firm’s former corporate co-head Richard Lever and his new firm Goodwin Procter. The claim, filed on 16 May in the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court, pertains to a string of hires from KWM’s European PE practice. Hogan Lovells has been enlisted to defend the US firm against KWM’s claim.

Costly lateral losses

Mr Lever left KWM last year to help establish a City-based PE presence for the Boston-headquartered Goodwin Procter, only to be quickly followed by private equity heavyweight Simon Fullbrook. In April this year, the pair were followed once more by a highly lucrative team of six PE partners from KWM’s office in Paris which included former KWM Paris managing partner Christine Digoy. The team reportedly took around £8m in annual billings with it when it made the switch to Goodwin Procter.Sources: Legal Week; Legal Business