UK law firm Simmons & Simmons has added a quartet of technology lawyers from Deloitte Legal and Goodwin Procter in a significant boost to its digital business group in London. 

Partners Andrew Joint, Calum Murray and Rich Folsom join from Deloitte Legal, having previously worked at tech-focused firm Kemp Little before it was acquired by the professional services firm in 2021. Meantime, Hayley Davis joins as a partner from Goodwin Procter, having earlier worked at Kemp Little and Deloitte Legal. 

The head of Simmons’ digital business group, Alex Brown, described the team’s hire as a “game-changing moment” for the group. 

“To secure multiple partners of this calibre sends a strong signal to the market and industry about the capabilities of our practice, and Simmons’ ambitions as a firm,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working closely with Andrew, Calum, Rich and Hayley to take the practice to the next level.”

Joint was managing partner of Kemp Little and head of legal advisory for Deloitte Legal UK. He specialises in areas including cloud, digital and business transformation, software, AI and data analytics.

Meantime Murray brings a wealth of expertise to the firm as another digital, technology and commercial specialist. A partner for more than 20 years, he specialises in operational, regulatory and transactional work for market leading internet retail, search, advertising and marketing companies. 

Folsom brings more than 15 years of experience operating at the intersection of data, legal tech and financial services. With expertise across financial institutions and asset management and investment funds, Simmons said he would also bolster its crypto capabilities. 

Meantime Davis brings expertise in technology transactional matters, particularly in the digital health industry, with her hire adding depth to Simmons’ health and life sciences sector offering.

The team’s hire, together with the promotion of tech specialist Sophie Sheldon to partner last year, mean that the firm’s digital business group has doubled its partner count from five to 10 over the last year. 

The group advises on tech, telecoms, outsourcing, fintech and data matters and has worked with telecoms company Veon on commerical contracting matters. It also supported the transition and implementation of around £90bn of Lloyds’ assets from Aberdeen Asset Management to Schroders.

The hires follow the firm, which specialises in the financial institutions, asset management and investment funds, TMT and life sciences sectors, growing revenue 12% to £521m in the year ending 30 April 2023 as profit per equity partner held steady at £1m. 

The firm announced in January that it was adding a third base in the Middle East in Riyadh, having opened an office in Silicon Valley in 2022 to strengthen its relationships with major US tech companies and connect with growing tech firms looking to internationalise.