Camerons raids BLG to net corporate duo

CMS Cameron McKenna has rocked Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) by poaching two of its leading corporate partners.

John Cadman and Peter Hill are currently negotiating their exits from BLG. Their departures will be seen as a major blow to the firm as it attempts to rebuild its non-contentious practice ahead of the arrival of a new non-lawyer chief executive on 1 May.

In a statement BLG downplayed the departures of Cadman and Hill and claimed its commitment to corporate would continue.

Head of corporate Keith Snedden said that, while the firm was “naturally sorry to see John and Peter go”, the practice was “extremely busy, with significant opportunities for growth”. He added: “I look forward to expanding our corporate offering from what is already a first-class team.”

BLG senior partner Richard Dedman said: “Our corporate department is experiencing strong demand for its services in line with the present growth in that market. This sustained boom has prompted partner movement among many medium and large firms, particularly those in the City.

“The departure of John and Peter is part of that current churn and we remain committed to growing our corporate practice.”

Cadman and Hill are the latest in a growing line of high-profile non-contentious partner departures from the firm. The most recent was highly rated reinsurance partner Michael Mendelowitz, who quit in February for Norton Rose.

Camerons managing partner Dick Tyler said the firm’s recent spate of lateral hires, which has included Isabel Davies from Howrey, Neil Smith from Taylor Wessing and Neil James from Winston & Strawn, did not represent a strategic turnaround for the firm.

“Yes we may have made more laterals in the past few months, but there’s been no change in terms of our partner candidates,” said Tyler. “More than 70 per cent of our partner appointments are people who join us as trainees.”