Greenberg Traurig has hired Baker McKenzie’s global co-head of restructuring and insolvency as it prepares for an “unprecedented period of disruption” for law firms and businesses.

Ian Jack joins the firm’s London office, which has more than 85 lawyers, as a partner in its global restructuring and bankruptcy and banking and finance practices in a move the firm dubbed a "timely strategic hire".

Greenberg Traurig  executive chairman Richard Rosenbaum said Jack’s hire had presented the firm with a unique opportunity to enhance and balance the firm’s practices at a time when “all countries, businesses and law firms are no doubt facing an unprecedented period of disruption, change and challenges”.

He added: "We just concluded our strongest year on record by any measure, and began 2020 in the same manner, but we all know we are facing new challenges given the coronavirus, oil price wars, stock market gyrations, and the uncertainties stemming from all of those circumstances.”

Jack, who also headed Bakers’ London insolvency practice, had been with the firm for more than 20 years.

Work highlights include advising the senior lenders in relation to the debt restructuring and receivership sale of the Gherkin skyscraper in London; and advising a client in relation to the €14bn financing for its bid for Portugal Telecom.

“I am very familiar with the team in London and look forward to working with them and firm members across the globe,” he said.

In January, Greenberg Traurig hired M. Adel Aslani-Far as a partner in its corporate practice in New York from Latham & Watkins. He was the former global co-chair of Latham’s M&A practice.