Fieldfisher, Clyde & Co and BCLP have all made interconnected arbitration hires in London.
Fieldfisher has appointed Richard Power as a senior arbitration partner from Clyde & Co, which has in turn hired Mark Ratcliff as a partner in its London insurance practice from Womble Bond Dickinson. At the same time, Fieldfisher has lost partner Ania Farren to BCLP.
Power specialises in cross-border disputes, with a particular focus on international arbitration and energy disputes. He leaves Clyde & Co after ten years.
His arrival supports Fieldfisher’s continued investment in the energy sector, one of the firm’s four key sector focus areas, and marks an early investment in senior talent by John McElroy and Daniel Hayward, who jointly took over the leadership of the firm’s 30-partner European disputes team from Colin Gibson in April.
Power will work closely with energy partners Feilim O’Caoimh and Daniel Marhewka, as well as with McElroy and Hayward. Recent matters include acting in LCIA claims for a Saudi Arabian investment bank concerning a joint venture dispute with a Franco-Canadian aerospace company arising from a contract for airliner cargo conversion kits; and representing a private jet hire company in a series of LCIA proceedings and related High Court claims.
Hayward said: “Richard is an outstanding disputes lawyer with a strong reputation in international arbitration and a particularly impressive energy disputes practice. His arrival enhances our ability to support clients on complex, high-value and business-critical matters, while also strengthening our offering in a strategically important sector for the firm.”
Power, in turn, cited Fieldfisher’s “clear commitment to the energy sector, particularly around the opportunities and risks arising from the energy transition”.
Clyde & Co, meanwhile, has hired Mark Ratcliff as a partner in its London insurance practice. He joins from Womble Bond Dickinson and brings more than 30 years of experience advising insurers on complex professional indemnity and management liability matters.
His practice includes defending high-value claims, providing coverage advice, and overseeing claims, with expertise in financial lines and commercial crime insurance. Dual-qualified as both a barrister and solicitor, Ratcliff has worked with major global insurers and has built long-standing relationships with key London market clients.
Louisa Robbins, head of financial lines, said: “Mark is a highly regarded insurance lawyer with deep expertise and excellent client relationships. His experience aligns closely with our strategic priorities, particularly across D&O and professional indemnity risks, and we are pleased he is joining our national team.”
Power’s departure from Clyde & Co follows the loss of three arbitration partners to Keystone Law earlier this year, including former international arbitration head Ben Knowles.
A spokesperson for the firm confirmed Power’s exit, saying: “We thank him for his contribution and wish him well for the future.”
They added: “International arbitration remains a core part of the firm’s global disputes practice. We have nearly two hundred partners and around 400 lawyers working on arbitration matters worldwide, advising on a broad range of complex disputes across key arbitral centres,” which it said incorporated a sectoral approach to its industry-focused work.
Meanwhile, hard on the heels of the departure of BCLP’s former co-head of arbitration, George Burn, to CMS, the transatlantic firm has persuaded Ania Farren to return after a 10-year gap.
She joins from Fieldfisher, where she spent three-and-a-half years as a partner, having previously worked for Omnia Strategy and litigation funders Vannin Capital.
She wrote on LinkedIn: “Sometimes life comes full circle. I have had an amazing journey and ended up back home at the firm where I first became a partner 10 years ago. I am grateful to BCLP for having me back,” reuniting with former colleagues.
Lee Marshall, BCLP’s disputes lead, said Farren “brings strong expertise in both investment treaty and commercial arbitration, which aligns with our efforts to deepen our bench for international arbitration.”
Farren brings extensive expertise representing states and corporate clients across sectors in commercial and investment treaty arbitration, with experience in Africa and the Middle East.
She also practices as an arbitrator at Arbitra International and co-chairs the International Arbitration Charity Ball, having recently stood down as chair of the ICC’s UK arbitration commission.
Responding, a spokesperson for Fieldfisher pointed to its “deep bench of partners and associates” across the arbitration practice, saying it “continues to go from strength to strength”, adding “we thank her for her contributions and wish her well for the future.”
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