Headline Partner Moves in January – May 2017

Introduction

Our previous market report, which covered the last quarter of 2016, was dominated by one story – the demise of KWM in London. We reported on 61 partner moves from KWM as it struggled for survival, before finally going into administration on the 17th January. This report adds another 15 names who left as partners/senior associates to become partners elsewhere. Confusingly, as soon as the European, UK and Middle East business went into administration, the firm announced that it would be keeping a London presence with seven partners staying on at what was dubbed “KWM 2.0”. With a couple of exceptions, the vast majority of KWM partners are therefore now in new homes. However, when partners move quickly in distressed circumstances, often they don’t stay at their new firm for too long. We will track this over coming months to see if this rings true.

After the KWM feeding frenzy had subsided, we were interested to see whether partner recruitment levels would dip, especially as we had yet to see any post-Brexit slow down. In terms of volume, this hasn’t happened and in this report, we track 202 moves, as against 200 over the same period in 2016. However, by conducting a more forensic analysis, a few things really stand out:

For the first time since we started analysing the list of moves by discipline (January 2015), commercial litigation came out on top with 27 hires – see table below. There were also several contentious moves in areas such as tax, competition, financial services, real estate and IP/IT, all of which contribute to a picture that much of the recent activity in the lateral recruitment space is in the disputes arena. Employment and insurance also saw an above average number of moves as compared to the same period in 2016.

There has been a significant drop off in real estate hiring in 2017. If we strip out real estate finance, litigation, social housing and residential partners, we only report on 5 mainstream commercial property moves over the last 4 months. Over the same period last year, this number was 11. To be fair, this report comes off the back of a bumper crop of real estate moves at the end of 2016, when we reported on 17 real estate lateral hires, dominated by fallout from the KWM

administration. It will be interesting to see whether the start of 2017 is a blip, or whether this is the beginning of a real estate lateral recruitment slow down.

Corporate recruitment is also significantly down, with only 21 moves in this report as against 35 at the same time last year. Breaking this down further, 3 out of the 21 were US securities lawyers (one of whom moved in house), and there were 3 other moves from private practice to in house, as well as 4 former KWM partners finding new homes. Of the remaining corporate/private equity moves, we had to wait until mid-May for a genuine headline-grabber, with the news breaking this week of Richard Youle swapping White & Case for Skadden.

Perhaps more significantly, we report on 13 moves in insolvency/restructuring over the last 4 months, as against 10 for the whole of 2016.

We assiduously track which firms are the most active lateral recruiters, and there has been a definite slowdown in activity at some of the leading US firms. In 2016, the 5 most active US headquartered lateral recruiters in London (for these purposes we don’t include US firms that have merged or taken over a UK firm), were Latham, Sidley, White & Case, Kirkland and Goodwin, with a massive 53 lateral hires between them. In this market report, these firms account for only 6 moves in total.

More telling is the fact that, in our analysis of top hiring firms for Jan to May 2017, there are only 2 US headquartered firms – McDermott Will & Emery and Covington with 4 hires each. In 2016 there were 7 US-headquartered firms who made at least 7 partner hires each. We seem to be a long way from this being repeated this year. Is this a pause for breath by these voracious partner recruiters after a frenetic 2016 or is it the start of something more pronounced?

And yet, despite all these points, the volume of hires has stayed amazingly consistent, so who is picking up the slack? The top hiring firm this quarter is Simmons & Simmons, with 8 laterals joining the firm in London. We then have 5 firms who have each announced 5 partners apiece since the turn of the year – Clyde & Co, Eversheds, Forsters, and Reed Smith.

Our initial conclusion is that we are seeing a delayed Brexit effect on the market for partners in the City. Partner recruitment moves slowly, and many of the moves announced since the turn of the year would have been in the works for much of 2016. It is fascinating that the overall number of partners moving has remained constant pre-and post-Brexit, but our analysis has detected a marked shift away from corporate and real estate partner recruitment towards litigation and restructuring. It is perhaps too soon to judge quite how far the market has shifted away from transactional areas, but we will carefully track these trends throughout the rest of 2017.

CORPORATE

Skadden Arps has made a major double hire in London with the addition of White & Case global private equity co-head Richard Youle, and fellow private equity partner Katja Butler.

It is rare to see US partner moves in London between elite Wall Street firms, and so Alvaro Membrillera’s move to Paul Weiss from Simpson Thacher really stood out. Unlike Simpson, Paul Weiss is one of the few US firms in London that has steadfastly refused to practice UK law, benefiting instead from continued referral arrangements with top City firms.

RESTRUCTURING/FINANCE

As we mentioned in the introduction, the last few months have seen a big uptick in restructuring recruitment. There are a couple of standout moves, both featuring firms.

Sean Lacey swapped Freshfields for Kirkland as the Chicago-based firm again flexed its financial muscles in the lateral recruitment market.

It hasn’t taken long for to fill the gap left by Yen Sum, who jumped to Sidley at the end of 2016 (and who was joined recently by senior associate Jennifer Brennan, also from Linklaters). Since the beginning of the year, Linklaters have recruited Sarah Mook from Goldman Sachs and James Douglas who arrived from Ropes & Gray.

Weil Gotshal has boosted its infrastructure and real estate finance offering with the hire of Paul Hibbert who joins from Baker McKenzie.

REAL ESTATE

Mishcon de Reya have added to their market leading real estate litigation team with the hire of Joanna Lampert from .

Goodwin Procter continue to build their real estate credentials in London, unusually for a US firm, and they have most recently announced the hire of Matthew Pohlman, who re-joins the firm from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

PROJECTS/ENERGY

All law firm mergers create lateral partner fall out, and whenever we see a US-UK firm deal, we look at the impact that a tie up will have on the (generally smaller) US firm’s office in London. As soon as Chadbourne announced its intention to merge with , we expected some of the Chadbourne London partners to vote with their feet. We were therefore not surprised when Ben Donovan and Agnieszka Klich jumped ship for Covington & Burling as part of a 4 partner, 25 associate team across London, Johannesburg (where Donovan will split his time) and Dubai.

Donovan and Klich are joined at Covington by former Allen & Overy project finance partner, David Miles.

In another merger-related departure, Andrei Baev, who split his time between London and Moscow, leaves Chadbourne for Reed Smith’s London office.

LITIGATION/ARBITRATION

Latham & Watkins take no prisoners when it comes to lateral recruitment. Their latest high-profile partner hire is Martin Davies from Quinn Emanuel. Quinn rarely (as in almost never) lose partners to competitors so Davies’ hire is a definite coup. Joining Davies is Martin Felstead from , where the two used to work together.

Mishcon de Reya continue to make waves and have been joined by 3 additional litigation partners since the turn of the year. Nicola Bridge joins from KWM, with Genevieve Quierin moving from Humphries Kerstetter. They also welcome a big name in corporate crime, with Jo Rickards leaving Kingsley Napley for a new home at Africa House.

There are a number of high profile international arbitration moves in this report. The pick of the bunch is Wendy Miles QC leaving Boies Schiller for Debevoise & Plimpton.

Boies Schiller will, however, have been buoyed by the arrival of Dominic Roughton from Freehills.

Ben Morgan’s move from the Serious Fraud Office to Freshfields catches the eye, underlining the demand for senior talent in corporate crime and fraud.

EMPLOYMENT/PENSIONS

In what was arguably the move of 2017 so far, made its first ever lateral hire in London, with pensions expert Dan Schaffer joining from .

Ashurst City pensions head Marcus Fink is set to join PwC in another boost for the accountancy firm’s legal arm. Elsewhere, fellow accountancy firm RSM has appointed employment partner Carolyn Brown as the first head of its client legal services practice, RSM Legal LLP.

IP/TMT/DATA PROTECTION

Olswang’s former interim CEO Michael Burdon has decided not to join the tripartite merger with CMS and Nabarro, and has instead switched to Simmons & Simmons, who are looking to rebuild their IP practice following a number of defections to Allen & Overy in 2016.

BLP continues to focus its practice and has moved away from trade mark licencing and disputes work. IP head Simon Clark is joining with his team, while fellow partner Ian De Freitas moves to Farrer & Co.

Technology is a key sector focus for PwC as their legal business continues its impressive growth streak, this month hiring Andrew Giverin and Jason McQuillen, two of the co-founders of boutique Radiant Law.

PRIVATE CLIENT/TAX

In one of the biggest team moves of the year, Gowling WLG’s 4 partner, 10 associate City private client team has moved to Forsters.

There were some interesting moves in tax litigation in this report, with the standout move being Liesl Fichardt swapping for Quinn Emanuel.

Bird & Bird also invested in tax disputes, hiring PwC partner Andy Brown alongside 4 other lawyers, including associate Julian Balson who joins as a partner.

Paul, Dan and the Team

020 7332 2680

Deacon Search is an independent legal recruitment boutique focusing exclusively on partner moves in London. If you are a law firm interested in discussing a potential assignment or an individual partner or team considering a move, please contact us.

Partner Consultants:

Paul Dan

Scott Norah Sarah

Partner Research & Market Intelligence

Danielle Gemma Agi

The individuals listed in the tables below are movers reported between 11th January 2017 and 22nd May 2017. They are all partners who moved to or from a London office, unless otherwise stated.

1. Corporate/Private Equity/Equity Capital Markets

Name From To Discipline

Jane Ireland Ashfords Boodle Hatfield Corporate

Capital Markets Bobby Schrader Berwin Leighton Paisner Barclays US Securities

Jon Snade Corporate

Watson Farley & Nick Fothergill DAC Beachcroft Corporate Williams

Allen & Overy Capital Markets Cameron Half (Counsel) US Securities

Alistair Hogarth PwC DWF Corporate

Stephenson Harwood Guy Morgan Fox Williams Equity Capital Markets (Senior Associate)

Clyde & Co Katten Muchin Paul Rosen Corporate (Legal Director) Rosenman

Sean Page Locke Lord Corporate

Peter Dickinson Mayer Brown Mitie Corporate

Alvaro Membrillera Simpson Thacher Paul Weiss Corporate (US)

Corporate Alex Latner Berwin Leighton Paisner Playtech Equity Capital Markets

Mark Sanders King & Wood Mallesons Reed Smith Corporate

Laura Brunnen King & Wood Mallesons Reed Smith Private Equity

Reed Smith Martin Bowen King & Wood Mallesons Private Equity (Senior Counsel)

Philip Richards Freshfields Rio Tinto Corporate

Orrick Steve Barnett Shoosmiths Venture Capital (Of Counsel)

David Parkes King & Wood Mallesons Simmons & Simmons Corporate

Richard Youle White & Case Skadden Arps Private Equity

Katja Butler White & Case Skadden Arps Private Equity

Dentons Private Equity Christopher Rose (London/ Moscow) (London/Moscow) Venture Capital

2. Finance

Name From To Discipline

Allen & Overy Beth Collett Housing Finance (Counsel)

Allen & Overy Tamer Bahgat Ashurst High Yield (Senior Associate)

King & Wood Mallesons Agnes Abosi Brown Rudnick Finance (Managing Associate)

Rob Bradshaw Kirkland & Ellis Dechert Finance

Freshfields Nick Hayday Dentons Debt Capital Markets (Counsel)

Structured Finance Dougall Molson Freshfields Derivatives

Sidley Austin Seetal Modi Fladgate Finance (Associate)

Michael Crosby Orrick Gordian Knot Finance

Emma Russell Carey Olsen Haynes and Boone CDG Fund Finance

Ashurst Zoe Connor Haynes and Boone CDG Fund Finance (Senior Associate)

McDermott Will & Peter Crichton CMS Finance Emery

O’Melveny & Myers Jennifer Kafcas McGuireWoods Finance (Of Counsel)

Morton Fraser Ross Caldwell Finance (Scotland)

Chris Harrison Morgan Lewis Pillsbury Finance

Trevor Wood Mayer Brown Pillsbury Finance

Jonathan Mellor Ex Allen & Overy Simmons & Simmons Debt Capital Markets

Debt Capital Markets Simon Ovenden Cleary Gottlieb Simmons & Simmons Equity Capital Markets

Clifford Chance Amer Siddiqui Simmons & Simmons Securitisation (Senior Associate)

Finance Paul Hibbert Baker McKenzie Weil Gotshal & Manges Real Estate Finance

Structured Finance Chris McGarry Ropes & Gray White & Case Securitisation

Structured Finance Angus Duncan Cadwalader Winston & Strawn Securitisation

3. Insolvency/Restructuring

Name From To Discipline

Louise Bell Olswang Enyo Law Insolvency Litigation

Pinsent Masons Carl Allen Restructuring (Senior Associate)

Insolvency Stewart Perry Clyde & Co Fieldfisher Insolvency Litigation

King & Wood Mallesons Dan Wheatley Kerman & Co Insolvency (Counsel)

Sean Lacey Freshfields Kirkland & Ellis Restructuring

Mourant Ozannes Mark Griffiths Kobre & Kim Insolvency Litigation (Counsel)

Sarah Mook Goldman Sachs Linklaters Restructuring

James Douglas Ropes & Gray Linklaters Restructuring

McDermott Will & Alan Gar Simmons & Simmons Restructuring Emery

David Leibowitz Berwin Leighton Paisner Mishcon de Reya Insolvency Litigation

Mark Knight Kirkland & Ellis Pillarstone Restructuring

Andrew Lockerbie TLT Shoosmiths Restructuring

Linklaters Jennifer Brennan Sidley Austin Restructuring (Managing Associate)

4. Financial Services/Funds

Name From To Discipline

Debevoise & Plimpton Simon Witney King & Wood Mallesons Private Equity Funds (Special Counsel)

Linklaters Financial Services Celyn Armstrong Dentons (Counsel) Regulatory

Financial Services Chris Finney Cooley Fox Williams Regulatory

Financial Services Daniel Csefalvay Linklaters Latham & Watkins Regulatory

Jones Day Financial Services Christopher Dearie MJ Hudson (Associate) Regulatory

Rob Mailer King & Wood Mallesons Morrison & Foerster Investment Funds

Arnold & Porter Kaye Outer Temple Financial Services Tim Aron Scholer Chambers Regulatory

Financial Services Adrian Brown King & Wood Mallesons Reed Smith Regulatory

Financial Services Rosali Pretorius Dentons Simmons & Simmons Regulatory

5. Real Estate

Name From To Discipline

Taylor Wessing Real Estate Finance Habib Ullah Addleshaw Goddard (Dubai) Islamic Finance

Kate Silverman TLT Blake Morgan Social Housing

King & Wood Mallesons Helen Murcott DAC Beachcroft Real Estate (Counsel)

Four Seasons Hotels and Matthew Pohlman Goodwin Procter Hotels Resorts

Danielle Martin Reed Smith Greenberg Trauig Real Estate

Pervaze Ahmed Blake Morgan Howard Kennedy Residential

Adrian Barlow Pinsent Masons Irwin Mitchell Real Estate

Nick Smith Thor Lion Marriott Harrison Real Estate

Joanna Lampert Berwin Leighton Paisner Mishcon de Reya Real Estate Litigation

Linklaters Paul Lucas Proskauer Rose Real Estate Finance (Counsel)

Herbert Smith Freehills Helen Hagan Simmons & Simmons Real Estate Finance (Of Counsel)

Clifford Chance Ruby Giblin Winckworth Sherwood Social Housing (Senior Associate)

Tim Fogarty RPC Winckworth Sherwood Real Estate Litigation

Andrew Kinsey Rosenblatt Winckworth Sherwood Real Estate

6. Planning

Name From To Discipline

Hogan Lovells Victoria Du Croz Forsters Planning (Counsel)

7. Construction

Name From To Discipline

Julia Court King & Wood Mallesons Addleshaw Goddard Construction

Brown Rudnick International Arbitration Virginie Colaiuta Pinsent Masons (London & Paris) Construction Litigation

Construction Nik Haria Rosenblatt Solicitors Edwin Coe Construction Litigation

International Arbitration Gordon Bell Reed Smith Gowling WLG Construction Litigation

Construction Ben Mellors Beale and Company Holman Fenwick Willan Construction Litigation

James Stewart Laytons Howard Kennedy Construction

Howard Kennedy Construction Myles Levy Joelson (Senior Associate) Construction Litigation

Construction Stuart Nash Edwin Coe Rosenblatt Solicitors Construction Litigation

Construction Litigation Emily Monastiriotis Bond Dickinson Simmons & Simmons Professional Indemnity

8. Project Finance/Projects/Energy/Commodities

Name From To Discipline

Shearman & Sterling Energy James Comyn Andrews Kurth (Abu Dhabi) Corporate

Capital Markets Richard Price Shearman & Sterling Anglo American Mining

Brachers Erol Huseyin Norton Rose Fulbright Energy (Kent)

Energy Litigation David Hesse Curtis Mallet-Prevost Clyde & Co International Arbitration

Energy Litigation Peter Stewart Curtis Mallet-Prevost Clyde & Co International Arbitration

Veale Wasbrough Procurement David Hansom Clyde & Co Vizards Projects

Agnieszka Klich Chadbourne & Parke Covington & Burling Project Finance

Covington & Burling Ben Donovan Chadbourne & Parke (London & Project Finance Johannesburg)

Project Finance David Miles Ex Allen & Overy Covington & Burling Islamic Finance

CMS Richard Streeter Eversheds Sutherland Renewable Energy (Senior Associate)

Karim Mahmud Jones Day Eversheds Sutherland Oil & Gas

Shane DeBeer Dechert Fieldfisher Energy

Procurement Jessica Kohler Capsticks Healthcare

Cadwalader Adam Topping Holman Fenwick Willan Commodities (Special Counsel)

McDermott Will & Elisabeth Moseley Clyde & Co Emery Corporate Energy (Counsel)

Chadbourne & Parke Energy Andrei Baev Reed Smith (Moscow) Project Finance

Squire Patton Boggs Henry Davey Herbert Smith Freehills Corporate Energy (Consultant)

9. Commercial Litigation/International Arbitration/Corporate Crime

Name From To Discipline

Jones Day Commercial Litigation Justin Weare Blake Morgan (Associate) International Arbitration

Public International Law Dominic Roughton Herbert Smith Freehills Boies Schiller & Flexner International Arbitration

Thomas Williams Curtis Mallet-Prevost Boodle Hatfield Commercial Litigation

Ian Hargreaves King & Wood Mallesons Covington & Burling Fraud

Wendy Miles, QC Boies, Schiller & Flexner Debevoise & Plimpton International Arbitration

Michelle Bradfield Dentons Dechert International Arbitration

Richard Twomey Pinsent Masons DWF International Arbitration

Commercial Litigation Anna Caddick Olswang Facebook Media Litigation

Commercial Litigation David Butler Ex Harneys Fox Williams Fraud

Ben Morgan Serious Fraud Office Freshfields Corporate Crime

Hogan Lovells Michael Darowski Gowling WLG International Arbitration (Of Counsel)

Financial Crime Claire Lipworth FCA Hogan Lovells Financial Services Litigation

Jason Yardley White & Case Jenner & Block Commercial Litigation

Clarissa Coleman Addleshaw Goddard K&L Gates Commercial Litigation

Martin Davies Quinn Emanuel Latham & Watkins Commercial Litigation

Commercial Litigation Ian Felstead Olswang Latham & Watkins Media Litigation

Ogier Andrew Wanambwa Lewis Silkin Commercial Litigation (BVS)

Jones Day McDermott Will & Damian Watkin International Arbitration (Of Counsel, Dubai) Emery

Commercial Litigation Nicola Bridge King & Wood Mallesons Mishcon de Reya Fraud

Jo Rickards Kingsley Napley Mishcon de Reya Corporate Crime

Banking Litigation Genevieve Quierin Humphries Kerstetter Mishcon de Reya Competition Litigation

Chris Warren-Smith Norton Rose Fulbright Morgan Lewis Corporate Crime

Melanie Ryan Norton Rose Fulbright Morgan Lewis Corporate Crime

Simon Airey DLA Piper Paul Hastings Corporate Crime

Simons Muirhead & Fraud Susan Monty Seddons Burton Financial Crime

Financial Services David Pacey FCA Shoosmiths Litigation

Commercial Litigation Josh Wong DLA Piper Signature Litigation International Arbitration

10. Insurance/Reinsurance/Healthcare

Name From To Discipline

Ross Baker Bond Dickinson BLM Professional Indemnity

Francis Mackie Weightmans Browne Jacobson Insurance

Colin Peck Weightmans Browne Jacobson Insurance

Gemma Brannigan Capsticks Clyde & Co Healthcare

Rod Freeman Hogan Lovells Cooley Product Liability

K&L Gates Frank Thompson Eversheds Sutherland Insurance (Senior Associate)

Jane Weakley Irwin Mitchell Fieldfisher Personal Injury

Neil Trayhurn Triton Global Hill Dickinson Insurance

Triton Global Dragos Stoica Hill Dickinson Insurance (Senior Associate)

Andrew Pieri Browne Jacobson Keoghs Insurance

Clyde & Co Naomi Vary Sedgwick Political Risk (Legal Director)

Insurance Litigation Paul Spibey Mills & Reeve Shakespeare Martineau Professional Indemnity

11. Shipping/Aviation

Name From To Discipline

Jim Morris Irwin Mitchell Ashfords Aviation Litigation

Hogan Lovells Bird & Bird Robin Hallam Aviation Finance (Consultant) (Consultant)

CDB Aviation Lease Rob Murphy Freshfields Aviation Finance Finance

Robert Lawson QC Quadrant Chambers Clyde & Co Aviation Litigation

Andreas Silcher TMS Cardiff Gas Haynes and Boone CDG Shipping

Freshfields William Coleman Holland & Knight Aviation Finance (Counsel, Dubai)

Freshfields Victoria Koob Holland & Knight Aviation Finance (Senior Associate)

Arnold & Porter Kaye Philip Perrotta K&L Gates Aviation Finance Scholer

Arnold & Porter Kaye Sidanth Rajagopal K&L Gates Aviation Finance Scholer

Deug Rong Lee Clyde & Co Kennedys Shipping Litigation

Dean Norton Clyde & Co Ship Finance

12. Employment/Pensions

Name From To Discipline

Jane Kola Gowling WLG ARC Pensions Law Pensions

King & Wood Mallesons Brahams Dutt Badrick Cerys Williams Employment (Counsel) French

Bob Cordran Marriott Harrison Dorsey & Whitney Employment

Samantha Murray- Hewitson Moorhead Howard Kennedy Employment Hinde

Dorsey & Whitney Juliet Carp Kingsley Napley Employment (Special Counsel)

Daniella McGuigan DAC Beachcroft Ogletree Deakins Employment

Marcus Fink Ashurst PwC Pensions

Carolyn Brown Howard Kennedy RSM Legal LLP Employment

Dan Schaffer Herbert Smith Freehills Slaughter and May Pensions

Daniel Isaac Withers Wallace Employment

13. IP/TMT/Data Protection/Commercial

Name From To Discipline

Berwin Leighton Kate Brimsted Reed Smith Data Protection Paisner

Andrew Danson K&L Gates Bird & Bird Gaming

Charles Russell Robert Bond Bristows Data Protection Speechlys

Simon Clark Berwin Leighton Paisner Bristows IP

Ian De Freitas Berwin Leighton Paisner Farrer & Co IP

Katten Muchin Alan Meneghetti Locke Lord Commercial Rosenman

IP Christopher Hayes IBB Solicitors Lewis Silkin IP Litigation

Alex Denoon Denoon Legal Marriott Harrison Lifesciences

Julian Hitchcock Denoon Legal Marriott Harrison Lifesciences

Arty Rajendra Rouse Legal IP Litigation

Mark Foreman Rouse Legal Osborne Clarke Trade Marks

Kate Macmillan Collyer Bristow PwC Data Protection

Andrew Giverin Radiant Law PwC Technology

Jason McQuillen Radiant Law PwC Technology

Technology Bill Molloy Fasken Martineau Shoosmiths IT Litigation

Michael Burdon Olswang Simmons & Simmons Patent Litigation

IP Tony Morris Marriott Harrison Swan Turton Media

Media Chris Hanson DLA Piper Wiggin Film Finance

14. Competition

Name From To Discipline

Allen & Overy Peter Harper Eversheds Sutherland Competition (Senior Associate)

Scott Campbell Stewarts Law Hausfeld & Co Competition Litigation

Covington & Burling Kenny Henderson Stewarts Law Competition Litigation (Of Counsel)

15. Private Client/Family

Name From To Discipline

Anthony Thompson Gowling WLG Forsters Private Client

Catharine Bell Gowling WLG Forsters Private Client

Nicholas Jacob Gowling WLG Forsters Private Client

Daniel Ugur Gowling WLG Forsters Private Client

Ian Cook 1 King’s Bench Walk Irwin Mitchell Family

Berwin Leighton Paisner Marilyn McKeever New Quadrant Partners Private Client (Associate Director)

16. Tax

Name From To Discipline

Osborne Clarke Berwin Leighton Mark Brailsford Finance Tax (Senior Consultant) Paisner

Bird & Bird Andy Brown PwC Tax Litigation (non-lawyer)

PwC Julian Balson Bird & Bird Tax Litigation (Associate)

McDermott Will & David Adler Bryan Cave Tax Emery

Michael McCormack Cooley DAC Beachcroft Tax

Fiona Walkinshaw Ex Deloitte Enyo Law Tax Litigation

Neal Todd Berwin Leighton Paisner Fladgate Tax

Arnold & Porter Kaye Daniel Lewin MJ Hudson Tax Scholer

Liesl Fichardt Clifford Chance Quinn Emanuel Tax Litigation

Jeremy Cape Dentons Squire Patton Boggs Tax

Mergers/Office Openings

Norton Rose Fulbright and Chadbourne & Parke are merging in the second quarter of 2017. Chadbourne has global revenues of £163m, while Norton Rose Fulbright’s global revenue is in the region of $1.156bn. GQ Employment Law, a UK 16-partner boutique employment firm, is joining US law firm Littler Mendelson. The 1,200-lawyer firm now boasts one of the largest specialist employment practices in Europe. The shipping practice of Swinnerton Moore joined Hill Dickinson in February 2017. Founding partners Tony Swinnerton and Lewis Moore have joined Hill Dickinson’s City office. UK-based Euclid Law, a boutique competition law specialist, has merged with Brussels-based Edge Legal. Smaller City firm Maxwell Winward and national firm Mills & Reeve merged in March 2017. Browne Jacobson is set to merge with construction and insurance law firm Beale and Company, a deal that will create a UK top 50 firm with turnover of £82m. Kennedys is set to merge with US insurance firm Carroll McNulty & Kull on the 1st June, becoming Kennedys CMK.