In a double blow to Mishcon de Reya, its commercial partner Paul Millett is leaving to join Finers, while its part-time banking consultant and former partner Stephen Davis is moving to Stephenson Harwood.
Millett, who is still negotiating his departure date, said he could not comment on the reasons for his move, but added: “I am looking forward to being able to make a contribution at the firm.”
Davis, one of Mishcons' highest billers, stepped down from the firm's equity earlier this year and became a part-time consultant working two-and-a-half days a week at Austrian bank RZB Austria. He will remain at RZB and work as a part-time consultant at Stephenson Harwood. “I do a lot of work for banks, so it suited me to be located in the City,” he said.
Millett said the commercial team was “now back up to the size we were before the problems we had a year or so ago”, when four Mishcons commercial/entertainment partners, including the head of the department, left at the end of 1995 after a dispute.
Former Clyde & Co equity partner Patrick Heffernan joined Mishcons earlier this month as a salaried partner. He said he was bringing his high-profile clients, Aer Lingus and Nokia with him.
But Clyde & Co corporate partner David Hall said other lawyers at the firm already acted for these clients on other areas of business and would continue to do so.
Other departures from Mishcons include litigation partner Karen Sanig's assistant Deborah Silver and senior assistant Campbell Kennedy. The firm's accountant Max Rassoff and head of personnel Carol Hoodless are also leaving.
