In and out

UK

Claire Bushen and Simon Taylor have joined the Manchester office of international law firm Kennedys as partners.
Ms Bushen joins from DAC Beachcroft where she was a partner and Mr Taylor arrives from Freeth Cartwright, where he was partner and head of the sport and entertainment unit.
Their appointment takes the headcount at the Manchester office to 48.
Ms Bushen brings a wide range of experience in defending claims against accountants and auditors, insurance brokers, estate agents and solicitors.
Mr Taylor has extensive experience in the sport and entertainment industries with a strong reputation within the motorsport industry and for the licensing and organisation of major outdoor music events.

London law firm Davenport Lyons has snapped up employment law specialist Noel Deans as partner.
Mr Deans is a former practicing employment barrister and his current legal practice covers a wide range of contentious and non-contentious UK employment law and has included advising clients operating in the financial services, insurance, publishing, technology and recruitment industries.
Marie van der Zyl, business group head at Davenport Lyons, commented: ‘Noel is an exceptional and responsive employment lawyer and brings a wealth of experience to our well established employment team.’

French law firm Gide Loyrette Nouel has secured two new lawyers to boost its London-based structured finance and securitisation team.
Samir Bensaker and Jérémie Bismuth both join the team as associates having joined the firm earlier this year.
Mr Bensaker was previously an associate at Allen & Overy Paris, where he advised both arrangers and originators on a wide range of securitisation transactions.
Mr Bismuth joined Gide London from Orrick Paris in January. His practice focuses on securitisation, including trade receivables and whole business.

Atlanta law firm King & Spalding has hired Iain MacVay as partner as it establishes its London trade practice.
With the firm continuing to expand its global trade offering, Mr MacVay has seen as an ideal choice due to his experience advising on international trade matters.
He has experience in challenging tax and regulatory barriers under WTO rules and other international trade agreements as well as substantial expertise in other trade areas, particularly EU export controls, sanctions and customs. He also represents clients in relation to intra-EU trade matters and has appeared before numerous EU institutions.
He joins from Bird & Bird, where he was a partner and led the trade and customs group.

Europe

Anglo-Australian  law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has recruited Nico Abel as partner to its newly opened Frankfurt office.
Mr Abel is currently Norton Rose's corporate team leader in Frankfurt, where he has been since 2005 having joined the firm from magic circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.  
Mr Abel has expertise in multi-jurisdictional transactions including, in addition to pure M&A, joint ventures, carve-outs and distressed M&A. He advises mainly strategic investors and private equity sponsors.
HSF had already sealed the hire of its first partner in Germany with the recruitment of Ralf Thaeter, a former senior corporate partner at Gleiss Lutz.

New York-headquartered law firm White & Case has boosted its German mergers & acquisitions practice with the appointment of Roger Kien as partner.
Mr Kien joins the firm’s Frankfurt office from Shearman & Sterling in what White & Case described as a ‘key development’ for its global M&A practice.
Mr Kien’s practice covers complex domestic and cross-border M&A, including both public and private transactions with a specific focus on the financial services sector and other regulated environments. He will be joined by Andreas Wieland as a local partner in Frankfurt.