McDermott Will & Schulte has hired senior litigation lawyer Hilton Mervis, who has joined the firm’s London office as a partner from Arnold & Porter.
Mervis brings more than two decades of experience advising financial institutions on complex commercial litigation, joint venture/partnership disputes, regulatory investigations and cross-border disputes.
His career spans a decade at legacy Herbert Smith, where he trained and qualified, followed by 16 years at legacy SJ Berwin (later King & Wood Mallesons), where he was a partner with recognised disputes figures such as Craig Pollack, Justin Michelson and Dorothy Murray. He joined Arnold & Porter in 2016.
Mervis' practice focuses on high-value commercial litigation, with a leading reputation in representing private equity firms and hedge funds – an area McDermott has targeted for growth, hiring several leading PE partners in London recently including former Kirkland & Ellis heavyweight Graham White in 2024. Mervis’s equivalent disputes experience mirrors White’s transactional nous, and enhances the firm’s London standing commensurately.
“Hilton is an outstanding addition to our global disputes team,” said Joshua Simon, global head of McDermott’s litigation practice group.
“He brings deep insight into the financial sector and a collaborative, client-focused approach that aligns perfectly with our culture. His enthusiasm for the McDermott platform and the clear synergies in our practice areas make him a natural fit as we continue to grow our litigation capabilities worldwide,” Simon added.
His arrival comes at a pivotal time for McDermott, as it continues to expand its offering in London and globally. It hired Karen Butler, a financial regulatory partner, from DLA Piper earlier this week in London, having promoted 74 to partner last month in its first promotions round since its merger with Schulte Roth & Zabel in August. It also hired Milo Molfa, an arbitration partner, in London earlier this year.
Aymen Mahmoud, managing partner of McDermott’s London office, said: “Hilton’s experience working with private capital clients is a powerful complement to our strategic growth ambitions, especially as we build on the momentum of our recent merger. In just a few years, we’ve assembled a team of more than 20 dispute lawyers in London, advising on some of the most complex and high-profile matters in the market. Hilton’s arrival strengthens that trajectory.”
Mervis pointed to McDermott's strategic focus and talent across key sectors – especially private capital – as factors in making the move, adding: “I will be concentrating on complex financial sector disputes, particularly in the private equity and hedge fund sectors, alongside my colleagues in London and internationally.”
Mervis’s arrival also enhances the firm’s reputation for supporting recognised City institutions, such as the National Pro Bono Centre, of which he is a supporter, and for his work with London’s commercial litigators as the chair of the Commercial Litigation Forum.
On a personal level, Mervis has also campaigned to end university zero-tolerance drug policies, launching a charity, SafeCourse, in memory of his son Daniel, who died after an accidental overdose while at Oxford University.
Email your news and story ideas to: [email protected]
