Former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer senior partner Will Lawes is joining Lazard as a managing director.
Lawes will join the firm’s financial advisory business, where he will advise FTSE 100 boards on strategic and financial matters.
He is the second Freshfields stalwart to leave the magic circle firm this year for a new financial role, with former City managing partner Mark Rawlinson joining Morgan Stanley in October.
Lawes was Freshfields senior partner from 2010 to 2015 when he passed on the baton to Edward Braham.
In the 2010 election, Lawes stood against chief executive Ted Burke and replaced Konstantin Mettenheimer and Guy Morton as the sole holder of the role.
Lawes was also co-head of Freshfields’ financial institutions group from 2005. He joined the firm in 1986 and became a partner in 1994.
