A round up of stories from the UK and around the world

Hammonds votes in new London head
Hammond Suddards Edge has elected Jane Marshall (left) to be head of the London office. Marshall succeeds Richard Burns, who will step up to the role of senior partner next year. The national firm has undertaken a management reshuffle and will unveil further changes to its structure next year. The timetable has changed in line with the new structure. Marshall would usually be expected to assume her new role in May, but the start date has been brought forward to January. Kathryn Hobbs
Dentons hires rail head from Rowe & Maw
Denton Wilde Sapte is taking on the head of rail from Rowe & Maw. Naomi Horton will join the firm's energy and infrastructure department as a partner. Dentons acts for train operators, train manufacturers, lessors and other financiers and industry players in the market. Domestic work includes acting for franchise replacement bidders for the Association of Train Operating Companies in relation to the Railtrack railway administration and advising Virgin Cross Country on its access deal introducing a new fleet of trains. Vanessa Pawsey
Charles Russell wins Le Brasseur partner
Charles Russell has gained a partner for its Guildford office from Le Brasseur J Tickle following Le Brasseur's merger with Radcliffes. Geoff Sparks, a partner specialising in PFI and information technology work, will join the company commercial department at Charles Russell. Sparks has a large client base in the South East of England. Naomi Rovnick
Name partner retires from Wilson Sonsini
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati name partner John Goodrich has announced his retirement from the firm. His 31-year tenure at the West Coast firm will finish at the end of January next year. When Goodrich arrived at Wilson Sonsini, the firm had less than 10 lawyers. It now boasts 147 partners and seven offices across the US. Goodrich's departure will leave two name partners at the firm – Larry Sonsini and Mario Rosati. Goodrich's name will continue to be in the firm's moniker. Kathryn Hobbs
Government barrister joins Burges Salmon
Burges Salmon has hired a barrister from the former Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions (DETR) to enhance its environmental law unit. William Wilson was legal manager of a number of major pieces of environmental legislation at DETR, including the current Draft Water Bill, the Water Industry Act 1999, and the Environment Act 1995. He joins Burges Salmon as a consultant. Julia Cahill
Hogarth gains IP specialist
Hogarth Chambers has been joined by Ernest Kay (right), a leading intellectual property (IP) lawyer and scientist who has worked extensively in industry. Kay will help develop the set's IP rights insurance and risk assessment work. He is also a director of LBT Services, a company which helps identify IP rights. Julia Cahill
White & Case recruits for European expansion
White & Case has gone on a hiring spree in Europe. In Germany it has taken on corporate partner Christian Jacobs and a team of associates from Hamburg boutique Huth Dietrich Hahn. The firm has also expanded in Paris with the hire of highly-rated litigator Emmanuel Rosenfeld. Julia Cahill
Clarification
In an article in the issue of 3 December entitled 'Camerons handles disposal for Haslemere', we said that CMS Cameron McKenna acted for Haslemere in a property portfolio disposal, whereas in fact Haslemere acquired the portfolio.