Rob Murphy, the firm's global head of asset finance team and co-head of its aviation sector group, will exit Freshfields at the end of this year to join China Development Bank's aircraft leasing unit CDB Aviation Lease Finance as its general counsel and chief operating officer.  Departures to Holland & Knight  include finance counsel William Coleman and senior associate Victoria Koob who will be made up to partner in the move. Three more associates from Freshfields are also jumping ship.

Expansion

The US firm opened its London office to expand its aviation and maritime finance practices, hiring six lawyers, all of whom previously practiced at Clark Ricketts, a well-established London law firm whose practice is devoted to transportation law.