Goodwin Procter has hired capital markets partner Ariel White-Tsimikalis from Bryan Cave Leighton Paiser (BCLP) in London in a bid to beef up its team of IPO-focused lawyers to represent technology and life sciences clients. 

White-Tsimikalis specialises in advising investment banks, corporations and private equity funds on equity capital market transactions and regularly counsels listed companies on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) obligations with a particular focus on governance matters. 

She joined BCLP last year as a partner from US rival Davis Polk & Wardwell, where she spent two years as European counsel, and rose to the position of global co-leader for BCLP’s banking sector group in May. Prior to Davis Polk her career has included stints as a legal counsel at Goldman Sachs and Citi, as well as serving as an associate at Latham & Watkins and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

White-Tsimikalis’ hire is the latest move to come out of Boston-based Goodwin’s heavy investment in its life science capability over the past year, as it gears up for what it predicts to be a wave of fresh IPO activity in the sector in both the UK and the US. 

“As Goodwin continues to be the destination law firm for emerging companies, public companies and investors, we are focused on providing full life cycle support for clients in the UK, Europe and globally,” said David Mardle, partner in the firm’s technology and life sciences practices.

He added: “Ariel’s first-class equity capital markets experience will be an integral part of both our service offering to our portfolio of emerging growth clients as well as further growing our strong global relationships with leading financial institutions.”

The firm’s UK life sciences team currently boasts ten partners and 30 associates following White-Tsimikalis’ hire and the recent promotion of Cambridge-based life sciences lawyer Elizabeth Rhodes, while its European platform received a boost last month when it hired intellectual property partner Marie Fillon to bolster its life sciences offering in Paris. 

Ken Gordon, co-chair of Goodwin’s technology practice, said: “With technology and life science listings predicted to be the dominant driver of UK IPO activity in the coming years, having a strong team with the requisite set of capabilities to handle this work in the UK, as well as the US, is a priority for us. Ariel is an exceptional capital markets lawyer and her addition will further bolster our global platform.”

Last year, Goodwin’s life sciences push saw it nab licensing partner Adam Bellack from Hogan Lovells in Washington DC. And in May, it grew its European private equity bench and established a Munich presence with the hire of private equity partner Jan Schinkoth alongside an associate from US rival Sidley Austin. 

BCLP, meanwhile, announced at the end of last week that it had added a four-strong team to its litigation and investigations practice in Paris from White & Case, including the head of White & Case’s commercial and civil litigation practice in the city. The news followed hot on the heels of The Lawyer’s report that BCLP is shutting down some of its NewLaw arm as part of a wider project to modify its operational structure and is pulling the plug on Cubed, its high-volume delivery unit. Cubed was led by senior partner Neville Eisenberg, who has left the firm after more than 25 years.