England
Stephen Kon has been elected as the next senior partner at London-based international law firm SJ Berwin. Mr Kon, who takes office on 1 May, is a founder member of the firm, which was launched in 1982. He is currently serving as head of the practice’s international EU, competition and regulatory department, where he advises states and major companies on merger clearance and competition issues.
Mr Kon said: ‘I am very proud of this firm and everything we have achieved over the past 30 years. Our success is attributable to the quality of the people in our firm and the deep relationships we enjoy with our clients. I am focused on driving the firm forward to achieve its full potential with energy, enthusiasm and determination.’ It has not been entirely smooth sailing for Mr Kon’s firm over recent times, however – as The Lawyer newspaper’s assessment of the practice in its round-up of the UK’s top 200 suggests.
The paper comments on legal sector amazement that SJ Berwin recently posted profitper- equity partner figures showing a whopping 40 per cent increase, despite a modest 5 per cent rise in turnover for 2010-11, and the global equity partnership actually increasing from 79 lawyers to 82 in that period.
One of the reasons for the profit bonanza, according to The Lawyer, has been a harsh austerity drive that has seen the firm take measures such as sub-letting part of its London headquarters as well as cutting down significantly on its trainee intake.
New York law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher confirmed the appointment of Peter Burrell to its London office. Previously head of London-headquartered Herbert Smith’s investigations and corporate crime practice, Mr Burrell has built a reputation for his anti-corruption expertise, and he will lead London’s compliance and enforcement practice at Willkie.
UK-based international law firm Simmons & Simmons has poached another partner from City rivals Berwin Leighton Paisner as real estate specialist John Kelsey makes the switch. Legal Week reports that this takes the number of partners Simmons has hired from BLP to seven in less than a year.
Simmons real estate head Nick Jones said: ‘Our real estate team is growing and we have made a strategic decision to reinforce this both in London and internationally.’
Also in the real estate field, Property Magazine International reports that Chicagoheadquartered firm Meyer Brown has recruited Chris Harvey for its London real estate group. Mr Harvey – who was recently nominated by The Times newspaper as one of the top 10 future stars of the city – leaves London law firm CMS Cameron McKenna, where he practised for more than 10 years.
Global law firm Pinsent Masons has also expanded its London team with the hire of David Jones, who joins from North East firm Watson Burton. According to Legal Week, Mr Jones is a former partner of pre-merger Masons, and was a key figure in setting up its Hong Kong office.
Away from London, Newcastlebased law firm Dickson Dees has strengthened its Leeds office with the hire of Nick Mason. He will take his place as partner in the litigation team after joining from the National Trust, where he was a disputes lawyer, according to Insider Media.
Scottish law firm Brodies has bagged two senior intellectual property and regulation specialist lawyers.
Gill Grassie and Robert Buchan, both previously of Maclay Murray & Spens, have been appointed as partners.
Middle East
Global Anglo-US law firm SNR Denton has suffered a blow in the Middle East with the departure of Islamic finance practice head Shaikh Muddassir Siddiqui earlier this month. Mr Siddiqui has not joined another firm, but is pursuing other interests as a Shariah scholar in the field of Islamic finance, according to Legal Week.
The practice will now be led by partners Paul Jarvis and Martin Brown in the Middle East, with Richard de Belder, Paul Holland and Matthew Sapte assisting from London, according to Thomson Reuters.
SNR Denton has been busy elsewhere in the region, too. Abu Dhabi partner Stuart Cavet is set to move to the Kuwait office to become managing partner, replacing David Pfeiffer, who resigned from the firm in October. Mr Cavet, who is an energy specialist, joined SNR Denton from Simmons & Simmons in 2010.
Americas
Anglo-US mega-firm DLA Piper has poached Richard Reilly from New York-based rivals White & Case. Investment funds and structured finance specialist Mr Reilly will stay in New York, but also spend time in DLA’s London office.
Legal Week reports that Mr Reilly spent nearly 11 years with White & Case, and at one point served as global co-head of its securitisation group. The move to DLA also reunites him with David Goldstein, who moved from White & Case last year to become head of DLA’s investment funds practice.
Cleveland-based law firm Jones Day has swooped to pick up three private equity partners from the San Diego office of Foley & Lardner, according to The Am Law Daily website. Kenneth Polin, an expert in securities, venture capital, and mergers and acquisitions work for emerging and public technology companies, and tax structuring specialist Peter Elias will help to beef up the firm’s California office, while Amie Singer Piccola will relocate to Atlanta.
Philadelphia-based Fox Rothschild has lured Emily Yukich to its Los Angeles office as corporate partner. According to The Am Law Daily, Ms Yukich, who has considerable experience counselling small to medium sized businesses in consumer products, clean technology and solar power fields, has joined from Holme Roberts & Owen, where she was managing partner of the Los Angeles office.
Christopher Russell has signed on to join offshore legal, fiduciary and administration service provider Appleby at its Cayman Islands office as partner from the beginning of May. Mr Russell, a prominent Cayman Islands litigator, will join from Ogier’s Cayman office – where he led the firm’s litigation team.
Los Angeles-based global law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has signed up Fernando Almeida from New York white shoe practice Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom to act as ‘of counsel’ in São Paulo. The Am Law Daily website states that Mr Almeida has already spent time with Gibson Dunn in New York, and has often handled corporate transactions involving Brazilian companies.
Europe
Italian employment law specialist practice Lablaw has continued to grow with the promotion of two senior associates, boosting the partner count to 13. Carlo Majer, a Lablaw member since 2009, is based at the firm’s Milan office, while Nicolò Schittone, a member since 2010, takes his position in Rome.
Leading French employment law firm Flichy Grangé Avocats has appointed two partners and a counsel in recent days. England France: Antoine Sarailler 20 The Global Legal Post 30 March 2012 www.globallegalpost.com Global people Cyprien Pialoux, an associate with the firm since 2006, and Stéphanie Guedes da Costa, previously at the local office of Anglo-German global practice Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, have both become partners. Charlotte Michaud has also been promoted to the position of counsel.
Philadelphia-based global law firm Dechert has announced the capture of multi-jurisdictional M&A and corporate finance transactions specialist Sven Schulte-Hillen from New Yorkbased Fried Frank. A founder and managing partner of Fried Frank’s German branch in Frankfurt, Mr Schulte-Hillen will stay in the city as he moves to Dechert’s corporate and securities group as partner.
Dechert has also been busy in France, with Antoine Sarailler joining the financial services group as a national partner in the firm’s Paris office.
He is an asset management specialist with experience of advising both French and international financial institutions on launching and obtaining approval for management companies. He advises on structures and regulatory frameworks and the distribution of financial products.
International law firm Salans has appointed Peter Homberg as a partner in its German intellectual property, technology and communications practice group. Mr Homberg, who is an expert in advising pharmaceutical, diagnostics and biotechnology industry on a broad range of legal matters, will be based in the firm’s Frankfurt office. He joins from German firm Raupach & Wollert-Elmendorff, where he was the head of the life sciences practice group.
Leading Romanian independent law firm ?uca Zbârcea & Asocia?ii has launched a tax consultancy division to meet what it describes as a growing demand from local and international clients in the country. The core team will comprise five certified tax consultants and five experienced tax law and disputes attorneys.
Tax partners Alexandru Cristea and R?zvan Gheorghiu- Testa will supervise the strategic development of the business. Leading Paris-based independent law firm De Pardieu Brocas Maffei has launched a China desk in cooperation with the Chinese law firm Allbright Law Offices. The operation will be headed by Ghislain de Mareuil, who previously practiced in Shanghai within Allbright.
Asia
Washington DC firm Covington & Burling has applied to the Korean authorities to open an office in Seoul, following the recruitment of a lawyer from a local firm. According to Legal Week, William Park – a founding lawyer at Korean firm Apex – will join Covington as a partner. The Washington DC-based firm aim to base him in the Seoul office along with of counsel Daniel Spiegel.
The announcement follows recent moves by fellow US law firms Squire Sanders, Ropes & Gray and Paul Hastings to pitch for practice licences from the Korean authorities.
Stephen Kon has been elected as the next senior partner at London-based international law firm SJ Berwin. Mr Kon, who takes office on 1 May, is a founder member of the firm, which was launched in 1982. He is currently serving as head of the practice’s international EU, competition and regulatory department, where he advises states and major companies on merger clearance and competition issues.
Mr Kon said: ‘I am very proud of this firm and everything we have achieved over the past 30 years. Our success is attributable to the quality of the people in our firm and the deep relationships we enjoy with our clients. I am focused on driving the firm forward to achieve its full potential with energy, enthusiasm and determination.’ It has not been entirely smooth sailing for Mr Kon’s firm over recent times, however – as The Lawyer newspaper’s assessment of the practice in its round-up of the UK’s top 200 suggests.
The paper comments on legal sector amazement that SJ Berwin recently posted profitper- equity partner figures showing a whopping 40 per cent increase, despite a modest 5 per cent rise in turnover for 2010-11, and the global equity partnership actually increasing from 79 lawyers to 82 in that period.
One of the reasons for the profit bonanza, according to The Lawyer, has been a harsh austerity drive that has seen the firm take measures such as sub-letting part of its London headquarters as well as cutting down significantly on its trainee intake.
New York law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher confirmed the appointment of Peter Burrell to its London office. Previously head of London-headquartered Herbert Smith’s investigations and corporate crime practice, Mr Burrell has built a reputation for his anti-corruption expertise, and he will lead London’s compliance and enforcement practice at Willkie.
UK-based international law firm Simmons & Simmons has poached another partner from City rivals Berwin Leighton Paisner as real estate specialist John Kelsey makes the switch. Legal Week reports that this takes the number of partners Simmons has hired from BLP to seven in less than a year.
Simmons real estate head Nick Jones said: ‘Our real estate team is growing and we have made a strategic decision to reinforce this both in London and internationally.’
Also in the real estate field, Property Magazine International reports that Chicagoheadquartered firm Meyer Brown has recruited Chris Harvey for its London real estate group. Mr Harvey – who was recently nominated by The Times newspaper as one of the top 10 future stars of the city – leaves London law firm CMS Cameron McKenna, where he practised for more than 10 years.
Global law firm Pinsent Masons has also expanded its London team with the hire of David Jones, who joins from North East firm Watson Burton. According to Legal Week, Mr Jones is a former partner of pre-merger Masons, and was a key figure in setting up its Hong Kong office.
Away from London, Newcastlebased law firm Dickson Dees has strengthened its Leeds office with the hire of Nick Mason. He will take his place as partner in the litigation team after joining from the National Trust, where he was a disputes lawyer, according to Insider Media.
Scottish law firm Brodies has bagged two senior intellectual property and regulation specialist lawyers.
Gill Grassie and Robert Buchan, both previously of Maclay Murray & Spens, have been appointed as partners.
Middle East
Global Anglo-US law firm SNR Denton has suffered a blow in the Middle East with the departure of Islamic finance practice head Shaikh Muddassir Siddiqui earlier this month. Mr Siddiqui has not joined another firm, but is pursuing other interests as a Shariah scholar in the field of Islamic finance, according to Legal Week.
The practice will now be led by partners Paul Jarvis and Martin Brown in the Middle East, with Richard de Belder, Paul Holland and Matthew Sapte assisting from London, according to Thomson Reuters.
SNR Denton has been busy elsewhere in the region, too. Abu Dhabi partner Stuart Cavet is set to move to the Kuwait office to become managing partner, replacing David Pfeiffer, who resigned from the firm in October. Mr Cavet, who is an energy specialist, joined SNR Denton from Simmons & Simmons in 2010.
Americas
Anglo-US mega-firm DLA Piper has poached Richard Reilly from New York-based rivals White & Case. Investment funds and structured finance specialist Mr Reilly will stay in New York, but also spend time in DLA’s London office.
Legal Week reports that Mr Reilly spent nearly 11 years with White & Case, and at one point served as global co-head of its securitisation group. The move to DLA also reunites him with David Goldstein, who moved from White & Case last year to become head of DLA’s investment funds practice.
Cleveland-based law firm Jones Day has swooped to pick up three private equity partners from the San Diego office of Foley & Lardner, according to The Am Law Daily website. Kenneth Polin, an expert in securities, venture capital, and mergers and acquisitions work for emerging and public technology companies, and tax structuring specialist Peter Elias will help to beef up the firm’s California office, while Amie Singer Piccola will relocate to Atlanta.
Philadelphia-based Fox Rothschild has lured Emily Yukich to its Los Angeles office as corporate partner. According to The Am Law Daily, Ms Yukich, who has considerable experience counselling small to medium sized businesses in consumer products, clean technology and solar power fields, has joined from Holme Roberts & Owen, where she was managing partner of the Los Angeles office.
Christopher Russell has signed on to join offshore legal, fiduciary and administration service provider Appleby at its Cayman Islands office as partner from the beginning of May. Mr Russell, a prominent Cayman Islands litigator, will join from Ogier’s Cayman office – where he led the firm’s litigation team.
Los Angeles-based global law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has signed up Fernando Almeida from New York white shoe practice Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom to act as ‘of counsel’ in São Paulo. The Am Law Daily website states that Mr Almeida has already spent time with Gibson Dunn in New York, and has often handled corporate transactions involving Brazilian companies.
Europe
Italian employment law specialist practice Lablaw has continued to grow with the promotion of two senior associates, boosting the partner count to 13. Carlo Majer, a Lablaw member since 2009, is based at the firm’s Milan office, while Nicolò Schittone, a member since 2010, takes his position in Rome.
Leading French employment law firm Flichy Grangé Avocats has appointed two partners and a counsel in recent days. England France: Antoine Sarailler 20 The Global Legal Post 30 March 2012 www.globallegalpost.com Global people Cyprien Pialoux, an associate with the firm since 2006, and Stéphanie Guedes da Costa, previously at the local office of Anglo-German global practice Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, have both become partners. Charlotte Michaud has also been promoted to the position of counsel.
Philadelphia-based global law firm Dechert has announced the capture of multi-jurisdictional M&A and corporate finance transactions specialist Sven Schulte-Hillen from New Yorkbased Fried Frank. A founder and managing partner of Fried Frank’s German branch in Frankfurt, Mr Schulte-Hillen will stay in the city as he moves to Dechert’s corporate and securities group as partner.
Dechert has also been busy in France, with Antoine Sarailler joining the financial services group as a national partner in the firm’s Paris office.
He is an asset management specialist with experience of advising both French and international financial institutions on launching and obtaining approval for management companies. He advises on structures and regulatory frameworks and the distribution of financial products.
International law firm Salans has appointed Peter Homberg as a partner in its German intellectual property, technology and communications practice group. Mr Homberg, who is an expert in advising pharmaceutical, diagnostics and biotechnology industry on a broad range of legal matters, will be based in the firm’s Frankfurt office. He joins from German firm Raupach & Wollert-Elmendorff, where he was the head of the life sciences practice group.
Leading Romanian independent law firm ?uca Zbârcea & Asocia?ii has launched a tax consultancy division to meet what it describes as a growing demand from local and international clients in the country. The core team will comprise five certified tax consultants and five experienced tax law and disputes attorneys.
Tax partners Alexandru Cristea and R?zvan Gheorghiu- Testa will supervise the strategic development of the business. Leading Paris-based independent law firm De Pardieu Brocas Maffei has launched a China desk in cooperation with the Chinese law firm Allbright Law Offices. The operation will be headed by Ghislain de Mareuil, who previously practiced in Shanghai within Allbright.
Asia
Washington DC firm Covington & Burling has applied to the Korean authorities to open an office in Seoul, following the recruitment of a lawyer from a local firm. According to Legal Week, William Park – a founding lawyer at Korean firm Apex – will join Covington as a partner. The Washington DC-based firm aim to base him in the Seoul office along with of counsel Daniel Spiegel.
The announcement follows recent moves by fellow US law firms Squire Sanders, Ropes & Gray and Paul Hastings to pitch for practice licences from the Korean authorities.
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