Ex-Stephenson Harwood team quits Dundas for Osborne Clarke
Former Dundas & Wilson partner John Pike, who left the firm after less than a year, has resurfaced at Osborne Clarke, as a number of other lawyers also leave the Scottish firm’s London office.
John Pike
Pike left Dundas in October 2012 (4 October 2012), having joined as part of a five-strong team from Stephenson Harwood in January of the same year.
Pike, who used to be Stephenson Harwood’s chief executive and specialises in UK real estate investment, development, asset management and project financing, has now joined Osborne Clarke as a partner following a short career break.
Pike has brought a team of banking lawyers with him to Osborne Clarket. Richard Hathaway and Pauline Ho both join Osborne Clarke as associates in the finance team, while Ben Truman, who was an associate at Dundas, joins as a partner. All three were members of Pike’s team at Stephenson Harwood. Partner Ted Harrison is the only member of the five-strong Stephenson Harwood team to remain at Dundas.
Separately, Dundas real estate partner Nick Padget has also resigned and will join Osborne Clarke. Sources close to Dundas said they expect further fee-earners to make the same move.
In a statement, Osborne Clarke London head Andrew Saul said: “These hires are great news and there’s more to come in London during 2013. We expect to hire 10 new partners in the UK for the third year running. We now have 47 Partners in the City, which makes London our largest office by partner numbers.”
Meanwhile, another London-based Dundas partner, Paul Graham, is also leaving the firm, to join Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW). Graham joins FFW as a partner in its technology and outsourcing practice. He had been at Dundas since 2007. FFW’s technology and outsourcing practice has 20 partners and advises Facebook and the BBC.
Sources close to Dundas have said that the firm is managing its partnership, with underperforming members being asked to leave. At least two partners, whose names are known to The Lawyer – neither of whom are mentioned in this story - have been asked to leave the firm in recent months.
In a statement, Dundas co-managing partner Caryn Penley said: “We’ll not be commenting about specific individuals. However, as your feature on the firm in November clearly indicated, it’s important that we, as managing partners, manage the business. This is exactly what we’re doing. We’re focusing on growth through reinforcing our pre-eminent position in Scotland and investing in our key areas of strength in London. Accordingly some partner departures are inevitable.”
