Davis Polk promotes six to partner; one in City

Davis Polk & Wardwell has promoted six associates to the partnership, including one in London.

Corporate lawyer Jeffrey O’Brien moved to the London office in 2002 and has spent a year-and-a-half in the Madrid office before returning to the City.

O’Brien becomes Davis Polk’s ninth partner in London. Recent deals include advising Spanish gaming company Codere on three high-yield offerings and its IPO.

The other new partners are: New York capital markets lawyer Maurice Blanco, who is a member of the firm’s Latin America and Spain practice group; New York technology and IP lawyer Frank Azzopardi; corporate lawyer Mark Lehmkuhler in Hong Kong; New York tax lawyer Neil Barr; and New York-based trusts and estates lawyer Paula Ryan.

The firm will have 168 partners worldwide from tomorrow (1 July 2008). The firm always makes its promotions mid-year while most other US firms make them at the beginning of the financial year in January.