BLG's corporate losses mount as AIM partner quits for Stikeman

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) corporate partner Jonathan Deverill is joining the London office of Canadian firm Stikeman Elliot.

Deverill's hire takes Stikeman up to six partners in London and 16 lawyers in total. Deverill's practice focuses on AIM listings and M&A.

Stikeman London managing partner Derek Linfield said: "Jon's coming in as a partner to assist us with our AIM practice. Getting Canadian companies listed on AIM is a big part of our business."

The Canadian AIM market is hotting up and Deverill will help Stikeman compete against firms such as Memery Crystal, Charles Russell and Canada's McCarthy Tétrault.

Despite the hire Stikeman will keep the London practice small. Linfield said: "We're not going to grow extensively."

Deverill joined BLG in 2002 as a senior associate from Slaughter and May. He is the latest in a long line of non-contentious partners to leave the firm. Last year BLG lost outsourcing trio Simon Shooter, Chris Holder and Christian Bartsch to Bird & Bird.

BLG corporate and commercial head Keith Sneddon said: "We've enjoyed having Jonathan here. The Stikeman Elliot opportunity is Jonathan pursuing links he's got with Canada. I think we may find ourselves working together in the future."