Nine lawyers have made the grade in Simmons & Simmons’ latest partner promotions round.
The round – the same size as last year’s – includes five women, meaning the firm meets its 2026 target for women to represent 50% of partner promotions and is on track for women to represent 50% of all new internal and lateral partners annually by 2029.
Taking effect on 1 May, the group spans seven different offices globally and four international practice groups. London, where Simmons recently hired DLA Piper’s pensions de-risking lead along with a team of four lawyers, welcomed the most new partners, with three, with the rest of the promotions spread across Bristol, Dublin, Frankfurt, Singapore, Dubai and its recently-launched Abu Dhabi office.
The firm also boosted its partner bench last summer in Dublin when it absorbed employment boutique CC Solicitors and in Frankfurt with the hire of a transactions, tax and finance quartet from Goodwin Procter ahead of the latter’s closure in the city.
Like last year, financial markets and real estate dominated the round by practice area, welcoming four new partners. There were also three in financial services and tax, one in corporate and commercial and another in business services.
The practice areas reflect key growth drivers for the firm, which grew revenue 7% £615m and profit per equity partner by 5% to just over £1.1m in the 2024/25 financial year fuelled by work for clients in the asset management and investment funds, financial institutions, healthcare and life sciences, and TMT sectors.
Julian Taylor, Simmons’ senior partner, commented: “Each of these new partners has demonstrated outstanding talent, drive and a deep commitment to our clients and to the firm; their promotions are thoroughly deserved.”
The new partners are:
Oliver Ward, Bristol, Financial Markets and Real Estate
Diederik Wintershoven, Abu Dhabi, Financial Services and Tax
Lena Eli, Frankfurt, Financial Markets and Real Estate
Joanne Elson, London, Corporate & Commercial
Camilla Jessel, London, Financial Services and Tax
Tristram Lawton, London, Financial Services and Tax
Karen Sheil, Dublin, Financial Markets and Real Estate
Edward Laird, Singapore, Financial Markets and Real Estate.
Victoria Grundy, Dubai, Business Services
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