Freshfields confirms Allen and Goetz hires from White & Case

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has voted to hire former White & Case banking partners Maurice Allen and Mike Goetz.

Last week The Lawyer revealed that the two were in negotiations with the magic circle firm following a period of intense wrangling within White & Case over strategic issues. White & Case internally announced their departures last Tuesday (11 March).

Freshfields’ hires of Allen and Goetz represent a concerted push into lender-facing work by the magic circle firm, which has traditionally lagged behind Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance and Linklaters in banking work. The duo’s key relationships include Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley.

Freshfields’ finance group in London has seen a series of departures at partner level over the last year, notably David Ereira and Brian Gray, who both left for Linklaters.

They will be joined by Freshfields’ senior associates Tazim Hall and Alex Mitchell, who have been made banking partners in the latest round of internal appointments, from 1 May.

"We have set ourselves the ambition of creating first rate banking and restructuring practices in the world’s leading capital markets which complement our market leading financial institutions group, corporate and private equity practices," said Perry Noble, joint leader, global finance group.