Couderts signs head of litigation

ELBORNE Mitchell partner Jonathan Clegg has joined the London office of multi-national practice Coudert Brothers as its head of litigation.

Clegg started with Couderts last week, replacing former SJ Berwin & Co lawyer Dr Julian Lew, who left to join Herbert Smith after less than three years with the firm.

Couderts' London administrative partner Steven Beharrell says Clegg was chosen to head the department because he has a solid litigation and arbitration practice in international shipbuilding, maritime and energy.

"The London litigation group, consisting now of eight fee earners, is expanding with a growing caseload of significant domestic and international disputes, including recent cases in both the House of Lords and Privy Council as well as major institutional arbitrations," says Beharrell.

He says Clegg's appointment reflects the evolution of the firm, which has hit troubled times in the past 18 months with a major exodus of lawyers from the firm, into a strengthened multinational partnership.

"Of more than 30 partners admitted to the firm in the last three years, a significant proportion have been solicitors, including partners in the London, Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore offices," says Beharrell.

"English law practitioners now make up over 15 per cent of the qualified personnel of

the firm."