Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has hired Herbert Smith’s only dedicated private client partner just three months after the latter firm declared its ambition to grow in that area.

Rupert Ticehurst
Rupert Ticehurst, a personal tax and trusts specialist, will join BLP’s London team, which is led by Jonathan Kropman.
Herbert Smith has two other senior lawyers who serve the private client field in white-collar crime partner Robert Hunter and consultant John Wood, but it has a stated aim to expand its emerging markets coverage through beefing up its private client capability (The Lawyer, 8 November 2010).
While it is understood that Ticehurst was not an equity partner at Herbert Smith, he will join the equity at BLP. The entry point for equity at the latter is significantly lower than at Herbert Smith.
Last year the bottom rung of BLP’s equity ladder was worth £208,000 compared with £440,000 at Herbert Smith.
The hire is part of BLP’s decision to invest in a full-service tax practice, catalysed by the hire of Clifford Chance partner Michael Wistow as head of tax in 2007.
Kropman said: “Rupert’s appointment, coming shortly after the launch of our South East Asia private client practice based in Singapore, is a key step in the development of our trusts and personal tax practice.”
Readers' comments (2)
Anonymous | 9-Feb-2011 11:49 am
Do you honestly think Rupert Ticehurst is going in at the bottom of Equity? Did Herbert Smith write this story?
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Anonymous | 21-May-2011 6:57 pm
Does that mean that Rupert is going to work in Singapore or will he still be in London?
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