14 June 2004

Duane Morris scoops litigation double from Kirkpatrick & Lockhart

Duane Morris’s New York office has scored two leading litigation experts from Kirkpatrick & Lockhart to lead its newly carved out broker-dealer practice. Loren Schechter and James Tricarico will co-chair the new national broker-dealer practice at Duane Morris which is aligned with the firm’s trial practice group. As well as time spent at Kirkpatrick, over […]

Kirkland & Ellis scoops Schroders head of legal

The soon to retire head of legal at Schroders is joining US firm Kirkland & Ellis as he prepares to become president of the International Bar Association (IBA). Francis Neate, who has served as group legal adviser at Schroders since 1997, will join Kirkland on 1 July. His role at the investment bank has been […]

Freshfields takes the tube for £30m

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer reaped almost £30m in fees advising on the three controversial London Underground public-private partnerships (PPPs), it has emerged. According to a report published by the National Audit Office today (17 June) the magic circle firm earned £29.2m in fees over a period of five years. Meanwhile, London Underground’s financial adviser PriceWaterhouseCoopers pocketed […]

CC West Coast faces mass defection

Clifford Chance is facing an unfolding crisis within its West Coast practice as it emerges that a group of partners is in talks to jump ship to Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe. Sources state that talks are ongoing at the moment about a group of nine securities litigation partners, all formerly from collapsed firm Brobeck Phleger […]

Lady luck fails to smile on QC juror

An unlucky barrister on jury duty has been discharged from three juries in the last eight days because he keeps bumping into colleagues. The QC was called to jury service on 6 April the day after new legislation came into force allowing lawyers and judges to be called to perform the civic duty. Over an […]

Debevoise scoops US government litigation ace

Debevoise & Plimpton has lured a leading litigation partner back to the firm from West Coast giant Morrison & Foerster. James Johnson began his career with Debevoise & Plimpton before spending 10 years working within the US Government in a variety of roles, including Under Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury. Johnson […]

CC West Coast stung by partner exit number four

Clifford Chance’s West Coast office has lost a fourth partner along with a team of litigation associates. Susan Samuels Muck will become the third former Clifford Chance partner to join Fenwick & West after Dean Kristy and Kevin Muck moved to the firm in May. Along with litigation partner Muck, seven associates are exiting Clifford […]

Freshfields Paris elects new managing partner

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has elected M&A and private equity lawyer Jean-Claude Cotoni as its French managing partner for a three year term. Cotoni succeeds Jean-Luc Michaud, who has been managing partner since 2001. Freshfields’ Paris office has 38 partners and 211 lawyers.

DMH launches City employment practice

South East firm DMH has launched a London employment team with a partner from Magrath & Co. Jessica Knight will be based in DMH’s City office, where she will work on creating a stronger London client base for the firm’s employment practice. Knight has experience in contentious and non-contentious employment law, advising on cases as […]

Mace & Jones appoints first head of property

Mace & Jones has appointed its first firm-wide head of property. Partner Karl Jackson will oversee the property department across the North West firm’s Manchester, Liverpool and Knutsford offices, heading a team of 50. Jackson explained that he will increase the property team’s cross-office cooperation, adding: “We want to demonstrate to the outside world the […]

Jenner & Block merges with IP boutique

Chicago-based law firm Jenner & Block has merged with IP litigation boutique Roper & Quigg. Roper & Quigg’s founding partner Harry Roper will lead Jenner & Block’s IP and technology team. Seven other lawyers will join Jenner as partners, two as of counsel and there are nine associates moving to Jenner. Former assistant secretary of […]

Osborne Clarke bolsters corporate with double hire

Osborne Clarke is ramping up its corporate practice with the hire of two new partners. Former McGrigors partner Moray Macpherson joined the firm on 10 June. Prior to joining McGrigors’ Macpherson was head of corporate at South East firm Bond Pearce. He will practice largely in corporate and M&A transactions, but also in private equity. […]