Mishcon opens in NY for transatlantic litigation drive

The firm has hired a team of litigators from Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton headed by fraud specialist Jim McGuire, the founding partner of the US firm’s New York office and a former partner at White & Case.

McGuire will be joined by partners Mark Berube and Tim McCarthy and a group of around seven associates. The new office will house a total of 15 staff.

The office will open its doors tomorrow (19 ­January). It is the first time ­Mishcon has had an office outside Central London.

Managing partner Kevin Gold said the base was being launched in response to the increasingly global nature of fraud and the growing amount of regulatory work Mishcon was handling.
“There’s been a rise in the level of regulation globally,” said Gold. “A presence in two of the leading financial centres is exactly what clients of the expanded firm need.”

Gold said the initial ­contact with McGuire was via Mishcon partner Kas Narouzi, who met McGuire more than a year ago.

“There were obvious ­synergies between what we do and Jim’s practice, which has a focus on the Gulf and Europe,” said Gold.

McGuire has experience in securities, money ­laundering and antitrust.

“Mishcon’s reputation precedes it,” said McGuire. “Our practices and client bases have many synergies, but two really stand out - our business focus and our internationalism.”