Month: October 2025

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‘It’s about being where our clients need us to be’ – Reed Smith launches in Saudi Arabia

Reed Smith has today (20 October) announced its expansion into Saudi Arabia, as the firm opens in Riyadh, with EME managing partner Gregor Pryor seconded to join three new hires from local firm Mahassni & Co.

The new hires include Emad Alshaikhi, who served at Mahassni & Co as both co-managing partner and leader of the firm’s tier 2 Legal 500-ranked dispute resolution practice. He joins Reed Smith alongside a US-qualified senior associate and a government relations officer.

Casey Ryan, Reed Smith’s global managing partner, told Legal Business the office opening was client-led: ‘It’s about being where our clients need us to be, and getting to work with them on matters of import in the region, closely aligned with our sector strategy, whether that’s entertainment and media, transportation, or energy and natural resources.’

In a sign of the importance the firm is placing on its Riyadh office, its 34th around the world, Reed Smith’s EME managing partner Gregor Pryor will be seconded from London to Riyadh to help grow the office and integrate it into the firm’s global platform.

‘Like a lot of other firms, we’ve realised this is a region for growth. We’ve seen strong growth in our Dubai and Abu Dhabi offices and have clients that are active and looking to grow further in the Kingdom. It makes perfect sense for us to be there,’ Pryor, who flew out to Riyadh at the weekend, told LB.

The office will begin with Pryor and the three new hires, and Pryor said the firm would look to expand in the region: ‘We’re going to grow the business organically in Saudi Arabia. We’re starting relatively small, but we’ll be expanding and capitalising on the sectors where we’re already strong.’

Pryor, who will stay in Saudi Arabia ‘as long as it takes to get the office going’, believes the firm’s strength in sectors such as entertainment, transportation and energy dovetails with the work created by Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s ambitious strategic plan to diversify its economy and reduce dependence on oil.

Pryor believes that the plan has already had a dramatic effect on the country: ‘I’ve been in and out of Saudi Arabia throughout my career, and I’ve seen the country almost completely transformed beyond recognition. This opportunity to participate, working in such a positive environment, focused on effectively growing and transforming the business of the country, is enormously exciting.’

The launch places Reed Smith alongside firms including Pinsent Masons, King & Spalding, Akin, BCLP, Simmons & Simmons and Freshfields, in opening offices in the Kingdom this year.

The influx follows a 2023 liberalisation of regulations in the Kingdom, which permitted overseas firms to open offices without a local partner as long as various conditions are met.

Predictably, a war for talent has followed the entry of so many firms. Pryor acnowledged that the hiring battle is ‘intense’, but stated that the firm’s culture and ambition would appeal to the right profile of lawyer: ‘There’s a lot of movement and fluidity in the market, for sure. But we are appealing to people who want to stay in a business for the long term and build things.’

The office is the firm’s third in the Middle East, alongside Abu Dhabi, which opened 47 years ago in 1978, and Dubai, which opened in 2007. The firm’s Middle East headcount now stands at over 25 lawyers, including seven partners.

It is also the firm’s third office opening this calendar year, following debuts in Atlanta and Denver in January and February, respectively.

Ryan stated that the firm was in ‘growth mode’ at the start of the year, but she clarified that this growth is purposeful:

‘We’ve added just over 125 lawyers so far this year, and those hires are about strengthening our capabilities where our clients need us most. We’re not pursuing growth for its own sake. It’s strategic and thoughtful growth, focused on aligning with client demand.’

tom.cox@legal500.com

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Revolving Doors: Gibson Dunn hires Latham energy M&A partner as Kirkland PE partner heads to Willkie

Gibson Dunn has tapped Latham & Watkins for energy M&A partner Simon Tysoe, a Legal 500 leading partner in London for oil and gas.

Tysoe has moved after a decade at Latham, having previously spent almost 13 years at legacy Herbert Smith Freehills, where he became a partner in 2010. Tysoe’s recent mandates include co-leading transatlantic teams on high-profile deals for Ineos Energy and Denham Capital Management.

Gibson Dunn said in a statement that Tysoe’s hire is part of a ‘strategic expansion in the energy and infrastructure space’ following on from the July 2023 hires of London projects and infrastructure duo Ben Shorten and Trinh Chubbock from then-Shearman & Sterling.

His arrival also comes hot on the heels of the departures of Gibson Dunn’s oil and gas co-head Anna Howell and counsel Mitasha Chandok, who both joined Orrick last month, with Chandok being made up to partner in the process.

‘We are delighted to welcome Simon to Gibson Dunn,’ said London co-head Rob Carr. ‘He is a highly respected figure in the global energy M&A space, and his deep industry knowledge makes him an exceptional addition to our team.’

Meanwhile, Willkie Farr & Gallagher has hired London private equity partner Hamesh Khatkar from Kirkland & Ellis.

Khatkar, who has frequently advised Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC and private equity firm Silver Lake, has joined after four years at Kirkland, having joined the firm as a partner after more than five years as an associate at Simpson Thacher.

Gavin Gordon, chair of Willkie’s European PE practice, said: ‘Hamesh brings substantial experience advising the world’s leading sponsors and sovereign funds on all types of corporate transactions across the UK and Europe, and his practice aligns well with our market-leading London private equity team.’

Elsewhere, Milbank has launched a European real estate finance practice with the hire of Paul Hastings London partners Miles Flynn and Rehan Hanif.

Flynn has moved after 16 years at Paul Hastings, while Hanif has moved after two years, having joined in a lateral move from Kirkland in 2023.

The two have a strong working relationship and, in recent months, have co-led the Paul Hastings team that advised alternative credit manager Arini on a £186m refinancing and Oaktree on a €200m loan-on-loan warehouse facility from J.P. Morgan.

Milbank chairman Scott Edelman described the launch of the real estate practice as a ‘natural next step in Milbank’s global growth strategy’.

The firm has also been active in Singapore, hiring partner Maurice Conway into its global corporate/M&A group.

Conway has joined Milbank after four years at Kirkland, having previously had stints at Latham and legacy Allen & Overy, where he began his career. He brings experience in cross-border M&A and PE, across industries including healthcare, technology, consumer goods and infrastructure.

Back in London, Simmons & Simmons has bolstered its PE offering with the addition of London corporate partner Gemma Phillips, who has decamped from Addleshaw Goddard.

Philips, a mid-market PE specialist, has joined after seven years at Addleshaws, becoming partner in 2021. She had previously spent time at Travers Smith and PwC Legal.

Charles Russell Speechlys has recruited Matthew Griffin, Mayer Brown’s head of funds and investment management Europe.

Griffin has moved three and a half years after joining Mayer Brown from White & Case, where he also served as head of funds and investment management. ‘I look forward to working with my new colleagues to build a disruptive international funds practice,’ Griffin said. 

Morgan Lewis has strengthened its healthcare and life sciences offering with the addition of Arnold & Porter partner Jackie Mulryne.

Mulryne has switched firms after two decades at Washington DC-headquartered Arnold & Porter. She advises on a range of regulatory, policy, and compliance matters across the pharmaceutical, medical technology, cosmetics, and food sectors.

Meanwhile, the lateral market in Milan shows no sign of slowing down. Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has tapped leading Italian firm BonelliErede for a five-strong banking and finance team led by Emanuela Da Rin, a Legal 500 Hall of Famer for borrower-side banking and finance. The team also includes one of counsel and three associates.

HSF Kramer’s Milan office head, Laura Orlando, said the hires continue the firm’s strategic growth in Italy: ‘In recent years, the Milan office has steadily evolved towards a full-service model, with lateral hires and promotions reflecting this progression. The addition of Emanuela and her team is another step forward in that strategy.’

In Luxembourg, Debevoise & Plimpton has hired funds partner Veronica Aroutiunian from Loyens & Loeff.  She brings particular experience in retail and evergreen vehicles.

Meanwhile in Edinburgh, Brodies has hired disputes partner Graeme MacLeod from CMS Scotland. A CMS lifer, MacLeod has moved after 23 years and brings experience in technology, class actions and crisis management. 

Finally, King & Spalding has formally entered the Australian market with a new office in Sydney led by office managing partner Darren Gardner and including partners Damien Bailey, Jennifer Chambers, Luke Edwards and Darren Murphy.

All five partners were already at King & Spalding, with energy partner Murphy the most recent recruit having joined in July from Jones Day.

tom.cox@legal500.com

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TfL announces new £120m panel with 19 firms making the cut

Transport for London (TfL) has announced the 19 law firms appointed to its new panel, valued at £120m (excluding VAT), with the agreement set to be in place for a minimum of four years with the option to extend it by up to two years.

The legal panel was last updated in 2019, and this year keeps the same structure, dividing the work into eight separate categories: employment law, major commercial matters, rail industry matters, routine commercial and real estate matters (contentious and non-contentious), housing matters, complex property and commercial development matters, major consents matters, town and planning, and highways matters.

Addleshaw Goddard and Eversheds Sutherland came out on top this time, with seven appointments each across the eight distinct areas.

The majority of the law firms appointed this year are reappointments, including:

Five of these 12 firms were new appointments to the panel in 2019: Addleshaw Goddard, Burges Salmon, Stephenson Harwood, Pinsent Masons, and Womble Bond Dickinson.

Seven firms, meanwhile, won new appointments:

Of these, Bird & Bird has secured a position on major commercial matters, as well as Sharpe Pritchard and Mills and Reeve. Freeths and TLT were appointed to routine commercial and real estate matters, Browne Jacobson to housing, and Town Legal to town and country planning. 

Each of the new firms was appointed to one lot only.

The firms not returning to the panel are Broadfield (formerly BDB Pitmans), Dentons and DLA Piper.

TfL has undertaken a number of significant projects in the last six years, most notably the completion of the Elizabeth Line, which opened in 2022. Stephenson Harwood advised on the delivery of Crossrail, the infrastructure supporting the new line.

Recent engagement by some of the firms reappointed to the panel include Eversheds Sutherland, which advised TfL on its £2.8bn competitive procurement proceedings for new media partners last September. Global and JCDecaux were appointed, and will handle all advertising across all TfL’s transport infrastructure over the next eight years.

The following month Ashurst successfully advised TfL on its new eight-year contract to handle the operation and maintenance of the DLR, with KeolisAmey, which has run the franchise for the past decade.

Meanwhile, in July of this year Burges Salmon advised TfL on its procurement for a power purchase agreement (PPA), which was awarded to EDF Energy Renewables Limited, to build a new solar facility near Longfield, Essex, with 20% of its output guaranteed to TfL.

theresa.hargreaves@legal500.com

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Former Paul Hastings London head joins White & Case in double partner move

Paul Hastings has seen two more senior departures in London, with White & Case recruiting a tax duo including former City chair Arun Birla.

Birla, who also held the role of global second managing partner, was chair of the US firm’s London office from 2018 to October 2022.

He is moving to White & Case alongside fellow tax specialist Jiten Tank, with both of them having spent over 15 years at the firm.

Birla’s move marks another exit of a London leadership figure for Paul Hastings, on the back of London co-chair Mei Lian’s departure to Linklaters this summer.

After succeeding Birla in late 2022, Lian had co-chaired the London office alongside fellow finance partner Ross Anderson, who is now sole London chair.

Both Birla and Tank have significant experience of handling the tax aspects of cross-border M&A, private equity and finance transactions, while Tank also brings with him particular experience of securitisations.

The latest departures for Paul Hastings come after real estate finance partners Miles Flynn and Rehan Hanif joined Milbank yesterday (13 October). Flynn had spent nearly 17 years at the firm, while Hanif joined from Kirkland & Ellis in 2023. Other notable recent exits include infrastructure partners Jessamy Gallagher and Stuart Rowson, who left for Freshfields in February after just two years at the firm.

In a statement, Paul Hastings said: ‘We wish Arun and Jiten well. Revenue in London is projected to be up 20%-25% this year and 70% over the past two years. We intend to continue to build in London at the top of the market, including in UK tax.’

In the US, the firm has bolstered its tax platform with a series of laterals over the past year, including Sherrie Xie from Kirkland & Ellis in New York and Alex Farr from McDermott Will & Schulte in Dallas, as well as two partners in Washington DC – Daniel Nicholas from Weil Gotshal & Manges and real estate investment trust specialist Christopher Mangin from Vinson & Elkins.

It is understood that the firm intends to build a strong UK tax platform to complement its UK and global transactional practices.

Sang Ji, the head of White & Case’s global tax practice said: ‘Arun and Jiten bring a unique and differentiated combination of deep expertise in transactional and tax structuring, commercial acumen, strong client relationships and a stellar reputation in the market.’

White & Case also added to its London tax team earlier this year with the hire of Latham & Watkins partner Catherine Hill.

william.lewallen@legal500.com

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Revolving Doors: Proskauer, Mayer Brown and Pinsents hire in PE as A&O Shearman loses German arbitration head

Martin Graham has joined Proskauer’s private equity and M&A team in London, returning to private practice after 18 years at Oaktree Capital Management, where he was most recently a managing director.

Graham has experience leading investment teams across a range of PE strategies, with expertise in distressed debt investing, structured equity, hybrid capital, direct lending, M&A, restructuring, and more.

‘Martin understands how to manage risk and deliver results in a dynamic deal environment and will help us provide the insight and execution our clients need,’ said Steven Davis, head of Proskauer’s private equity and M&A transactions group – Europe, and head of the London office.

Across the capital, Mayer Brown has added Tessa Agar to its corporate and private equity team in London. Agar, who works with clients ranging from technology firms to healthcare companies, joins Mayer Brown from Goodwin where she spent nearly nine years and made partner in 2022.

Pinsent Masons has made a double hire this week, with ECM partner Nicholas Holmes joining from Ashurst and Dinesh Banani moving over from Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer to lead its US securities practice.

Holmes will lead Pinsent’s ECM team having previously held the same role at Ashurst. Banani, who spent six years at Sullivan & Cromwell before joining legacy HSF in 2010, has a practice that spans both equity and debt capital markets. He will work with Holmes to advise on IPOs, as well as with Pinsents’ banking and finance team to advise on US facets of international financial mandates.

Tax partner Katie Leah has joined Skadden in London, leaving Goodwin after 12 years after joining the partnership there in 2019. Leah advises on tax aspects of PE transactions, real estate and capital markets in the UK, US and on cross-border matters.

Meanwhile, Ashurst has bolstered its disputes capabilities as Harriet Jones-Fenleigh joins the London team from Norton Rose Fulbright, where her practice focused on commercial and financial disputes.

A Legal 500 leading partner in banking litigation: investment and retail, Jones-Fenleigh spent five years as a barrister at Fountain Court Chambers before joining NRF in 2013.

Morgan Lewis has added Christian Tuddenham from Jenner & Block. Tuddenham, who represents financial institutions across the globe in commercial litigation cases, deepens Moran Lewis’ disputes offering.

Morrison Foerster has strengthened its fintech offering with the hire of Joshua Kaplan, a financial services and technology partner from Wilson Sonsini. Prior to his five years at Wilsons, Kaplan held in-house roles at fintech company Checkout as well as Merrill Lynch in London.

Finally in London, Charles Russell Speechlys has hired Libby Elliott into its corporate, restructuring and insolvency team. Elliott joins from Interpath Advisory, where she was a managing director, and previously spent time as a partner at Stephenson Harwood and Dentons, before joining KPMG in 2019.

In Scotland, Tom Usher has joined Burness Paull from Macfarlanes as as senior adviser. Usher brings with him over three decades of UK and EU competition law experience.

On the continent, A&O Shearman has lost the head of its German arbitration practice after Anna Masser left the firm to establish boutique firm Manner Masser alongside fellow arbitration specialist Simon Manner, who established his boutique firm Manner Disputes last year, which is merging into Manner Masser.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has expanded its Italian offering as Emanuela Da Rin joins the firm’s Milan office to lead its banking and finance practice. Da Rin joins from leading Italian firm BonelliErede where she spent 20 years covering a broad range of mandates including debt finance, corporate and acquisition finance and restructuring. This new team, comprising of Da Rin, a counsel and three associates will support the firm’s existing finance partner in Milan, Simone Egidi.

BonelliErede has added three partners to its Milan headquaters, with the arrival of Maria Cristina Storchi, Andrea Novarese and Francesco Pirisi. Storchi  joins the firm’s M&A partice while Novarese and Pirisi both join the restructuring and banking and finance team. All three move across from  Italian firm Gatti Pavesi Bianchi Ludovici.

In the Middle East, CMS has hired Gabriella Savastano as a partner in its banking and finance practice in Dubai, where she will act on regulatory matters such as conduct of business, regulatory compliance and anti-money laundering. Savastano returns to CMS after a brief spell at Linklaters, where she was head of financial services regulation in Dubai.

Also in Dubai, Clyde & Co has hired Janet Gooi, a tax lawyer who will lead the firm’s tax offering in the region. Gooi will join Clydes as a partner from Al Tamini where she spent seven years advising PE groups, investment funds and high-net-worth individuals.

Finally, Weil has added another Latham lawyer to its Frankfurt practice as it continues to build out its PE practice, hiring two former Latham partners last week. Andreas Holzgreve, who was an associate at Latham for six years, joins Weil as a partner.

william.lewallen@legal500.com

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Revealed: The UK’s top general counsel 2025

Heavyweight GCs including HSBC’s Bob Hoyt, Vodafone’s Maaike de Bie, BT’s Sabine Chalmers and BAE Systems’ Ed Gelsthorpe are among more than 100 high profile in-house names recognised in the latest UK GC Powerlist.

The Legal 500’s GC Powerlist UK: 2025, which offically launched yesterday with a reception at Kennedys’ City headquarters, includes 122 of the most senior in-house lawyers in the UK.

General counsel, chief legal officers and heads of legal at some of the biggest and most dynamic legal teams in the country have made the grade for inclusion in this year’s Powerlist, which recognises the legal leaders who have made particularly significant contributions to their company or industry sector over the last year in the eyes of peers, the private practice partners they instruct and the L500 GC Powerlist research team.

Running legal teams that range in size from single digits to seven hundred, the Powerlist includes GCs from a range of industry sectors.

Those in the financial services sector fared particularly  well, with 20 legal chiefs from banks, asset managers and fintechs making the grade –  nearly 20% of the full list.

Among the heavyweights returning to the list are HSBC chief legal officer Hoyt, UBS investment bank and EMEA GC Simon Croxford and Group GC at Barclays, Stephen Shapiro. New additions from the financial services sector include Aberdeen GC Rushad Abadan, Volt’s CLO Stephanie Lopes and Metro Bank’s Stephanie Wallace.

Thirteen tech company legal heads have made it onto the list this year, while insurance and consumer goods are also well-represented with 12 and 10 GCs included respectively. New additions include Capita GC Claire Denton,  QBE Europe’s CLO Alexandra Smith, as well as Spencer Collins, CLO at Arm.

Women make up slightly more than half of the list, with 63 of the 122 places. They also make up just over half of the 55 new additions to the list, with the 28 new female Powerlisters including ITV GC Kyla Mullins, GC of the Sizewell C nuclear project Sharmila Sylvester and Klarna CLO Boudien Moerman.

Many of the GCs included  are from some the biggest companies in the world. Some 35 of those on the Powerlist work at companies that reported global revenues of at least £10bn in their latest financial reports, while four are from companies posting revenue of at least £50bn: Citi, PepsiCo, The Walt Disney Company and Unilever.

Sharon Blackman OBE, managing director and global head of services legal at Citi and Maria Varsellona, CLO at Unilever, also appeared on the previous UK Powerlist, but Joanne Averiss, GC Europe, Africa, Middle East and Pakistan at PepsiCo and Nicola Burns at the Walt Disney Company were new additions this year.

Forty three of the GCs work at FTSE 100 companies, 77 work at companies listed on the LSE, with the Powerlist also including GCs from companies listed on the NYSE, NASDAQ and the SIX Swiss exchange.

Other well known legal heads on the 2025 Powerlist include BP’s Michael Sosso, Carlyle’s Heather Mitchell, Centrica’s Raj Roy, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ Clare Wardle, Compass Group’s Alison Yapp, Diageo’s recently appointed head Randall Ingber, and E.ON UK’s Kirin Kalsi.

Click here to see the full UK GC Powerlist 2025, including interviews with many of the GCs on the list

theresa.hargreaves@legal500.com

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The $3bn McDermott Will & Schulte merger: four things the data tells us

The headline figures for the McDermott Will & Schulte merger speak for themselves – combined revenue of $3bn, and more than 1,750 lawyers across 27 offices in the US and Europe.

But behind those top-level numbers, Legal 500 data offers deeper insight into the rationale behind the merger, key areas of strength, and also, perhaps most importantly – what clients think. Here are five key data takeaways.

Schulte was punching above its weight in the US 

In its US homeland, pre-merger McDermott Will & Emery had 47 rankings, with seven top-tier rankings.

While Schulte was significantly smaller, with just two US offices compared to 16 for McDermott, the firm had 20 US rankings, including two top-tier rankings, including the jewel in its crown – alternative/hedge funds.

Merging with Schulte gave McDermott its London top-tier debut

And that strength in hedge funds is what Schulte really brings to the table in the UK.

While legacy McDermott had a total of 18 London rankings, ranging from corporate tax to M&A and capital markets, none were higher than tier 3.

Schulte had just four London rankings, but its top-tier hedge funds team has brought a market-leading practice to the merged firm.

Schulte was also the clients’ top choice for funds

Legal 500 data also offers unique insight into what clients think about the service they get from firms, and the figures underline the premium service that Schulte’s hedge funds team offers.

The practice is a clear leader across almost all client service metrics, receiving the highest scores for seven of the ten metrics that Legal 500 asks clients about – industry/commercial knowledge; quality of partners and quality of associates; efficiency; profile in the sector; billing transparency and value for work done.

McDermott also places among the top five highest-scoring firms for a number of metrics, including acquisition finance – value for work done, international arbitration – profile in the sector, and high yield – communication and matter management: high yield.

McDermott is bigger in Europe than you think

McDermott has 35 rankings across Europe – 17 in Germany, 12 in France, four in Italy and two in Belgium. Its best rankings include a top-tier ranking for healthcare and life sciences in France, and area in which it is also ranked in tier two in Germany.

The firm also has tier 2 rankings for tax in France and Italy, and its most prominent practitioners on the continent include two tax Hall of Famers – Niels Dejean in Paris and Carlo Maria Paolella in Milan.

alexander.ryan@legal500.com

The client satisfaction scores in this article are compiled from referee responses collected during Legal 500 research. Benchmark scoring for our other criteria (lawyer/team quality, and sector and industry knowledge) and other sub-criteria is also available. If you would like to know more, please contact ben.wheway@legal500.com.

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A&O Shearman’s hard reset: 170 partner departures and counting

More than 170 legacy Allen & Overy (A&O) and Shearman & Sterling partners have left or retired since the two firms’ merger was announced in May 2023, with more than a third of these exits taking place in the US, according to Legal Business research.

Departures tracked by LB from Companies House filings and other data show that 130 partners have left since the union went live in May 2024. This means that around one in six of those who were partners at the firm when the merger went live, have since gone.

The overwhelming majority of these are from legacy A&O, with 101 exits from the UK-headquartered firm since May 2024, plus an additional 29 from the Shearman partnership.

Figures in the LB Global 100 2024 show this represents around 16% of the c.800-strong partnership when A&O Shearman was created, with a similar percentage leaving from each legacy partnership.

Eighty partners have left since the start of 2025, three quarters of which (61) are ex-A&O. Of the additional 50 partners to have left since May 2024, 40 were ex-A&O.

Significantly, 113 partners have left since September 2024, when A&O Shearman announced that it would be cutting 10% of its global partnership. 

This equates to two-thirds of the 170 departures tracked since the merger was announced and 86% of those tracked since it went live in May last year.

This volume outpaces the 10% figure by some measure, with the exits also including a number of well-regarded partners and former practice heads, such as antitrust specialist David Higbee in Washington DC, who recently quit for Paul Weiss with two other partners.

Regional breakdown

Breaking down the exits by region shows a sharp concentration in London and the US, mirroring the footprint of the legacy partnerships.

With 34 departures since the merger completed, London has seen more exits than any other city around the world, accounting for more than a quarter of all departures since May 2024. Some 26 of these exits came from the legacy UK firm’s London HQ.

The proportion of departures rises in the US, with legacy A&O seeing 38 partners leave since the union across the pond – more than a third of its total.

Overall, there have been 55 US departures from the combined A&O Shearman since the merger – meaning the US represents 42% of all 130 exits since the deal went live.

New York has seen 31 departures, the overwhelming majority of which (26) are legacy A&O, with Washington DC seeing 17 departures – nine ex-Shearman (including Higbee), and eight from legacy A&O. The remaining exits are in other offices in the US.

Destination firms

Although individual remuneration packages are not known, at least 75 partners leaving since May last year have taken up roles at other global 100 firms, with 66 joining firms with higher average PEP than the $2.6m figure reported by A&O Shearman for the 2024-25 financial year.

The main beneficiaries have been rival UK and US firms, including Orrick, Proskauer and Paul Weiss. Other departees have joined smaller firms, gone in-house, retired or are not currently practising.

Practice area trends

Looking at the exits by practice, with 25 departures, the banking and finance practice has seen the highest number of partner exits since the merger went live, with a further nine partners leaving in capital markets.

At 17 exits, corporate and M&A has also seen a significant number of departures, with many joining US firms in Europe. Sixteen disputes partners have left, including arbitrators, while regulatory and restructuring practices have seen seven exits apiece.

A&O has never provided any practice or geographic breakdown of its planned partnership cuts.

The scale of partner exits over the period since May 2024 significantly outstrips the merged firm’s close rivals such as Freshfields and Linklaters in London and globally.

Commenting on the moves one former partner said: ‘Partner exits are always inevitable when two different firms with different ethos merge.’

A legal recruiter added: ‘There’s always a bit of internal sorting and any time there’s a merger there’s instability. A big merger like that requires at least a few years to sort out.’

It hasn’t all been exits though. Since the merger went live, A&O Shearman has also added a steady stream of new partners globally. The firm has made 25 lateral partner hires worldwide since May 2024 and has also promoted 73 to its partnership – 40 in May 2024 and a further 33 in May 2025.

A&O Shearman declined to comment.

*All infographics based on data from May 2024

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Ranking progress – how many women have made the grade to secure a UK L500 ranking this year

Women now make up 43% of all individual lawyer rankings in the UK Legal 500 Solicitors research, according to new analysis .

Seven years after the L500 set out its intention to improve gender representation in its UK rankings, the latest research includes 5,700 rankings for women across the Hall of Fame, Leading Partner, Next-Generation Partner and Leading Associate tables. 

The female rankings are included within the recently launched 2026 UK Solicitors research, which went live earlier this month, and show women now hold 46% of the individual rankings outside London and 40% of total rankings in London.

Some 270 more women were ranked in the 2026 guide compared to the 2025 guide, driven in large part by additions to the rankings outside London, which accounted for more than 180 of the additional female rankings. 

In London, the practice areas with the most ranked women include family (including the newly separated children and divorce and financial remedy rankings) and immigration, with the clinical negligence: claimant rankings taking the top spot, with women holding 82% of all individual lawyer rankings.

Several London practices saw notable improvements in the most recent research, with both the clinical negligence: defendant and Islamic finance rankings seeing a 10% increase in ranked women, compared to last year’s research. In total, 36 of the London practice areas ranked within the 2026 research now have more than 50% of individual lawyer rankings going to women.  The number of women recognised also increased significantly for premium M&A in London, with women now holding nearly 40% of the individual rankings. 

Outside London, the female to male split is now 46:54, with 11 of the 14 regions covered in the research seeing an increase in female representation. The South East comes out on top with 54% female representation within the rankings, with practice rankings across the North, the East Midlands and East Anglia all achieving more than 50% representation. 

The increase in female representation follows a concerted push by researchers to increase the number of deserving womem in the UK rankings via  law firm submissions and partner interviews.

amy.ulliott@legal500.com

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Trading places: latest US partner moves for HSF Kramer, Latham, Orrick and more

HSF Kramer has bolstered its Washington DC antitrust group with a senior hire from the US Department of Justice.

John Elias (pictured), a deputy assistant attorney general in the Antitrust Division, is making the move to private practice after nearly two decades at the DOJ, bringing with him expertise in the full spectrum of antitrust matters.

HSF Kramer US executive partner Paul Schoeman cited growing client demand for antitrust expertise, both domestically and internationally, adding: ‘John’s experience at the DOJ litigating critical antitrust matters and shaping the agency’s policies will be a tremendous asset to clients as they navigate an increasingly challenging regulatory environment.’

The hire brings the Washington DC office’s partner headcount to four, according to the firm’s website, and follows the hire of Burr Eckstut from White & Case, who joined the New York office last month as head of US technology transactions.

The move is the latest in a DC antitrust market that has been busy of late, with major recent moves including Paul Weiss’s hire of a three-partner team from A&O Shearman, led by global antitrust head David Higbee and including partners Ben Gris and Djordje Petkoski.

In another move in the practice area, Latham & Watkins antitrust partner Makan Delrahim has left the firm to become chief legal officer at Paramount Skydance Corporation, the media company formed after Skydance completed its acquisition of Paramount in August.

Delrahim joined Latham in April 2022, and previously served as an assistant attorney general in the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, from September 2017 to the change of administration in January 2021.

He will step into his role on 6 October, replacing general counsel and acting chief legal officer Stephanie Kyoko McKinnon, who will continue as GC.

The hire comes after Latham represented Skydance Media on its acquisition of Paramount.

‘We thank Makan for his many contributions to our firm and to our clients, including Paramount Skydance’, a Latham spokesperson said. ‘We wish him all the best and look forward to continuing to work with him in his new role.’

Also in the US capital, Arnold & Porter has hired Bree Raum as a senior policy advisor in its legislative and public policy practice. Raum has more than 25 years’ experience engaging with Congress and federal agencies on energy, environment, and energy transition matters, and joins from industrial gas and chemicals supplier Air Products, where she most recently served as executive director, government affairs for the Americas.

Elsewhere, Brown Rudnick litigation and dispute resolution practice group co-chairs Michael Bowe and Lauren Tabaksblat have left the firm to establish litigation boutique Brithem. The duo joined Brown Rudnick in 2020 from US national firm Kasowitz, and have experience in disputes ranging from short-selling to civil rights.

Tabaksblat said in a statement: ‘Brithem is devoted to the art of trial lawyering and using that art to make a difference. Our name is not on the door because the firm is about our clients, not us. Our first love is being courtroom advocates who deliver results for clients and make a difference.’

Also joining the firm are Quinn associates Valerie Ramos and Andrew Sutton, who join as partners, as well as former Supreme Court clerk Joseph Masterman as of counsel, and a clutch of other personnel, for a total headcount of 13 legal professionals. The firm aims to have at least 20 lawyers in Q1 of 2026.

Bowe commented: ‘Big Law is drunk on leverage and billables that deliver little bang for the buck. Smart consumers of legal services know better, want an alternative, and love supporting a firm that is also heavily committed to combating child abuse, human trafficking, discrimination, and other injustices.

‘The AI revolution will only augment our proven ability to take on big fights leanly. Today, big is not better. It’s just unnecessarily more expensive.’

Elsewhere, Orrick has officially confirmed the full details of the large collateralised loan obligations (CLO) team it has hired into multiple offices across the UK and the US. The team comprises 37 lawyers in total, including partners Mike Gonzales in Washington DC and Doug Arborlo in Charlotte, in addition to the eight partners previously reported. The Charlotte hires will see the firm open a new office in the city.

Orrick chair Mitch Zuklie said in a statement: ‘The addition of this world-class team positions our firm uniquely to advise our private credit and banking clients as they innovate on private debt solutions. It advances multiple strategic priorities, including growing our London office and scaling our finance practice with a team of remarkable quality.’

He continued: ‘We are truly excited to enter the Charlotte market, long a centre of financial innovation and home to many valued clients. We look forward to collaborating with this team to continue to build around our shared vision of the future of the debt finance market. We will look back on this move as a game-changer for our clients and our firm.’

alexander.ryan@legal500.com

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Caught on camera: the Legal Business Awards in pictures

Latham & Watkins, Linklaters and Burges Salmon were just some of the firms who went home from this Tuesday’s Legal Business Awards with a trophy to put up on display on the office mantelpiece.

Hundreds of lawyers were out in force for the ceremony, which once again took place at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, hosted by comedian Katherine Ryan – and as always, guests were dressed to impress.

From the big winners to the evening’s entertainment, and from the glamorous hosts to the dancefloor shapes, relive a selection of highlights from the night via the slideshow below (all the details of who won what, and why, are here).

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Client feedback hits record high in new Legal 500 rankings

Nearly 1,200 law firms have secured a place in the new Legal 500 UK rankings, which were revealed yesterday (1 October) after months of research into legal markets across the country.

The rankings are based on extensive legal market research across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, drawing on detailed submissions from law firms, thousands of firm interviews, and record levels of feedback from referees, with more than 180,000 referees contacted.

Response rates for London referees saw a double-digit increase this year, with rising by almost 12% to a new record high of more than 31,000.

The UK guide includes around 10,000 practice rankings, almost 50% of which are in the London. The rankings feature almost 1,200 unique firms, with almost 700 of those ranked in the London guide.

New additions this year include an energy and projects ranking for Wales, with Eversheds Sutherland recognised as the top-tier firm in that market, while the London private client chapter expanded this year, with new rankings for family: children and family: divorce and financial remedy seeing Charles Russell Speechlys, Farrer & Co and Payne Hicks Beach all securing top-tier spots in both.

As well as the practice rankings, over 13,000 lawyers achieved individual rankings, including almost 2,000 members of the prestigious of Hall of Fame.

Once again, Pinsent Masons has the most practice rankings across the UK, while CMS and the newly merged Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer are tied for the top spot in London.

Eversheds Sutherland, DLA Piper, Addleshaw Goddard, and CMS round out the top five nationally, while in London, CMS and HSFK are followed up by DLA Piper, Pinsent Masons, Norton Rose Fulbright, Clifford Chance and Eversheds Sutherland.

Pinsent Masons also secured the highest number of top-tier rankings across the UK, while Clifford Chance has maintained its position as the firm with the most tier one rankings in London.

For questions about the new rankings or to request changes, please visit legal500.com/faqs.

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Revolving Doors: Latham boosts London life sciences as Weil hires German PE partners

Latham & Watkins has hired intellectual property and life sciences partner Lydia Torne to its office in London.

Torne, who is a Legal 500 next generation partner for life sciences and healthcare, joins from Simmons & Simmons where she has been a partner since 2021, having joined the firm in 2008.

‘We’ve followed her career for some time and have been consistently impressed by her exceptional skills in global licensing,’ said Robbie McLaren, global vice chair of Latham’s healthcare and life sciences industry group. ‘Transactional activity in life sciences remains robust, with an increasingly complex mix of licensing and M&A. Lydia’s deep experience and outstanding track record further strengthen our global practice, following the recent arrival of Kate Hillier in the Bay Area.’

Torne’s expertise extends to regulatory compliance matters, clinical trials and supply chain requirements.

Dan Ornstein has joined Ashurst’s employment practice in London, after also leaving Simmons & Simmons after five years. Ornstein advises on labour disputes and employment-related litigation in courts and tribunals, with a particular focus on the financial services sector.

Prior to joining Simmons & Simmons he spent 11 years as a partner at Proskauer, where he was co-head of the international labor & employment group.

Mishcon de Reya has hired corporate partner Phil Robinson who specialises in venture capital and technology within the innovation economy. Robinson, who joins Mischon from Withers, has a practice that focuses on supporting high-growth businesses through financing rounds, restructurings, US flips and exit strategies.

He is developing a founded-focused practice designed to provide tailored support to the founders themselves and not just their companies.

Watson Farley & Williams has hired Kumar Tewari to head the firm’s real estate finance practice in London. He joins from Katten Muchin Rosenman where he spent almost eight years and was head of banking for EMEA. Tewari previously spent almost 10 years working in-house in the banking industry, completing seven years at Lloyds Banking Group.

Elsewhere in London, residential conveyancing partner Simon Main has joined Cripps from Streathers (West End), bringing with him experience in high-value freehold and leasehold acquisitions and dispositions, as well as landlord and tenant matters. Main had been at Streathers for nine years, qualifying as a partner in 2021.

Gustina Singgih has joined Charles Russell Speechlys as a corporate partner in London, as the firm aims to strengthen its cross-border corporate and commercial capabilities. Singgih trained and practised as an associate at White & Case in London before moving in-house for a decade. She joins Charles Russell Speechlys after completing five years as deputy general counsel at engineering company Babcock International.

CRS has also hired Annapaola Negri-Clementi to its Milan office where she joins as a corporate partner with a focus M&A, fintech and financial markets. She joins from Pavesio e Associati with Negri Clementi where she was a named equity-partner. Negri-Clementi also has a well-developed art practice and is a recognised name in the Italian art world.

In Germany, Weil, Gotshal & Manges has added two Latham partners to its European private equity practice. Sebastian Pauls will join as co-managing partner of Weil’s German offices, replacing Gerhard Schmidt who departs after holding the post for over two decades. He will work alongside co-managing partner Britta Grauke, who also heads the firm’s German litigation practice.

Joining the firm alongside Pauls is Susanne Decker, who joins the firm’s Frankfurt office, where she will advise international PE firms on cross-border M&A transactions.

Meanwhile in Paris, Gibson Dunn has hired Dorothée Griveaux into its infrastructure practice. Griveaux joins the firm as partner from Dentons.

Finally, Broadfield (formerly BDB Pitmans) has made several hires across London and New York.

In London, David Ramm joins from Cromwell & Moring to lead the corporate team, James Duncan joins from Winckworth Sherwood as a private equity and funds partner, and Paul Cole joins from Clyde & Co as a real estate partner.

In New York, former New York State Department of Financial Services general counsel Daniel Alter joins as a partner focusing on disputes involving virtual currency and governance, while former assistant US attorney Edward Smith joins as a partner in commercial and bankruptcy disputes, and Maya Uchima joins from Dentons’ venture technology and emerging growth companies group.

william.lewallen@legal500.com

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The path to partnership less travelled: Ashurst arbitrator Harsh Hari Haran

In the latest of a series of profiles spotlighting unconventional paths to partnership, Ashurst arbitrator Harsh Hari Haran looks back to his years practising in India and Singapore before joining Ashurst in 2018 and making partner this year

When you started your legal career as a litigator in India, did you ever imagine working for a firm like Ashurst?

To be honest, no. Since law school, my dream had been to become a senior advocate practising in the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court – senior advocates being the equivalent of KCs. But as you go through life, your perspectives change. When I was practising in Delhi and later in the Supreme Court, I at times felt dissatisfied with what I perceived to be delays in the judicial process.

To give you a flavour – the first case I argued was a first-instance appeal filed in 1987, which I ended up arguing in around 2012. But Delhi taught me a lot: You can sometimes come across counterparties who seek to abuse the judicial process and you really learn to think outside the box to try and get the best outcome for your client.

What drew you to arbitration?

In Delhi, I would drive to different courts, covering over 70km a day and spending more than three hours on the roads. I would leave the house at 7:30am and get home at 10 o’clock at night, six days a week. But in terms of actual legal work – how many letters I drafted, how many tasks I completed – my output was quite small.

After a couple of years, I started doing some domestic arbitration work, which really opened my eyes to the wider world of arbitration, and I decided that international arbitration was what I really wanted to pursue. So I began figuring out how to get there, and for me the logical next step was Singapore.

How was the move to Singapore?

I had a wonderful opportunity – and privilege – to be Tribunal secretary to the former Chief Justice of Singapore, Justice Chan Sek Keong, in two international arbitrations during my Masters. That’s when I really got my teeth into international arbitration.

Singapore was a big jump. I was in awe of some of my colleagues; how they could digest vast amounts of information in a very short period of time without missing any detail.

Moving country also led to a defining moment in life: I met my wife. She’s Italian and had also taken a leap of faith by moving out there. While we were standing in line to get our student visas, she cut in front of me. I was tempted to give her a piece of my mind, but then she turned around and I said to myself, ‘all right, maybe I’ll rein it in a bit’. Within six weeks, we started seeing each other, and we’ve been together ever since.

I loved Singapore. In my eyes, there’s no better place for a young couple to start their life together. We made great friends and I have really fond memories about my time there.

Does this mean you can speak Italian?

I did take Italian classes in Singapore and can understand a lot. But put it this way – our four-year-old speaks far better Italian than me.

Can you remember your first case in Singapore?

It was an arbitration – I was at a local firm, and we were acting against an international law firm in a construction dispute. They had filed an application for a partial award, relying on a recent judgment of the Singapore court. I was brought in at that stage with the specific task of trying to find a way around it.

Sometimes you can think as much as you want, but there isn’t a way outside the box – some things are just the way they are. That’s why I remember it – it was a very difficult task and one I knew I was going to fail at!

When did you decide that you wanted to become a partner?

Once I decided I wanted to move to London, partnership was always the goal. In any large firm, if you want to be a partner, you need to position yourself, understand what the business needs are, and identify the gap you can fill. That is what I’ve been doing for the past three years, which put me in a sweet spot to fill the role.

You also make your own luck, and there are elements that are outside of your control, but I never thought that making partner wasn’t achievable. You just need time and work, and I had both.

Do any mandates stand out from your career?

There are a few – including some losses too! If I had to pick one, I would pick the first case I handled at Ashurst. It was an adjudication, and I came up with a critical argument that involved looking at the case from a fresh perspective. We were successful and it was a significant win for the client.

When I was practising in the Delhi High Court as a junior lawyer, I did all sorts of things; any kind of civil dispute that came up – cases involving dishonoured cheques, divorce cases, and even some judicial reviews. From that you learn how to look at problems in different ways and I am grateful to my time in Delhi for that.

Have you had any mentors that have helped you along the way?

If I had to pick two, I’d choose two disputes partners here at Ashurst – Matthew Saunders and Simon Bromwich. They have been incredibly helpful and excellent mentors. They’ve not just helped me grow as a technical lawyer, but have also guided me in my ambitions, always willing to listen and chip in with good advice.

How did it feel when you became partner and how did you celebrate?

I was really delighted. I had been working towards it for a few years, and it always feels good when you end up achieving something you have worked towards. My wife, who is also a lawyer, made partner at the same time so we had a double celebration and a big party – it was a lot of fun.

tom.cox@legal500.com

The path to partnership less travelled: Freshfields disputes partner Joshua Kelly

The path to partnership less travelled: Travers Smith’s Elissavet Grout

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Latham, BT, Burges Salmon and Freshfields among winners at Legal Business Awards

BT, Latham & Watkins, Burges Salmon, Freshfields and Sidley Austin picked up some of the big prizes at this year’s Legal Business Awards, which saw a host of top legal leaders flock to London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

Award-winning comedian Katherine Ryan hosted the evening, handing out 27 prizes to firms, chambers, in-house legal departments and individual lawyers to celebrate their achievements over the last 12 months.

Legal Business editorial director Georgina Stanley introduced the evening.

This year, there were four coveted firm of the year prizes up for grabs: Boutique Law Firm of the Year, Regional Firm of the Year, International Law Firm of the Year and UK Law Firm of the Year.

Latham took the award for International Firm of the Year after an incredibly busy year that also saw it post record revenue of $7bn. Burges Salmon meanwhile picked up the award for top UK firm of the year after the Law Firm of the Year category was split into two.

Sidley picked up US firm in London of the Year.

Among the teams taking home the top practice area awards were Slaughter and May, which won in the competition category, Linklaters, which won in the corporate category, and Freshfields, which picked up commercial litigation team of the year.

Freshfields also continued its winning streak in the individual category, with managing partner Georgia Dawson picking up management partner of the year. Dawson is the first woman to take on the role in the firm’s 300-year history, and has spearheaded an aggressive growth strategy in the US.

Private practice lawyer of the year went to Des Collins, founder and senior partner at Collins Solicitors. The award recognises his work representing the victims of the highly publicised and long-running infected blood inquiry, which concluded last year. Collins worked tirelessly, offering many hours of free advice to the victims of one of the biggest scandals in NHS history.

The awards were judged by an esteemed panel of general counsel at leading companies, including VodafoneThree, DHL, Reach, Fremantle and Smith & Nephew, as well as former law firm managing partners.

BT picked up the award for in-house team of the year after an incredibly busy year defending numerous complex antitrust claims, including the collective action case Justin Le Patourel v BT, the first collective action competition case to go to trial in the UK, with damages of £1.3bn sought.

GC of the year went to Rolls-Royce’s Mark Gregory, while most transformative in-house team of the year was awarded to Low Carbon Contracts Company.

Chambers of the year was awarded to 4 New Square Chambers, with 7KBW highly commended. Barrister of the year was awarded to Jason Beer KC of 5 Essex Chambers for his role as lead counsel to the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry.

The charity partner for the event was Hand in Hand International, which helps to support some of the 400 million women and girls around the world living below the poverty line, by providing skills, education, training and resources to start their own businesses and generate jobs.

theresa.hargreaves@legal500.com