On the move

Move of the week

This adds to the eight-strong ­aviation and ­aerospace team HFW has already taken from BLG, gaining an office in São Paulo in the process. Chumas will join HFW on 1 ­November, when the Clyde & Co-BLG ­merger is expected to go through. HFW head of ­shipping George Eddings said: “[Chumas] has an excellent ­reputation in the shipping ­market and we’re very pleased that he wishes to develop his practice with us at HFW.”

UK

LONDON

Browne Jacobson has appointed associate Michelle Leonard to its construction and property risk team in London. Leonard joins from Taylor Wessing’s real estate disputes team, where she was also an associate.

Nabarro is expanding its commercial IT team with the hire of Field Fisher Waterhouse ­partner Belinda Doshi. She joins Nabarro as a partner, specialising in technology, outsourcing and privacy law.

Hogan Lovells has hired public ­procurement lawyer Kate Rees. She joins as a ­consultant from Pinsent Masons, where she was a partner.

South East

Hewitsons has taken on Bernadette O’Reilly as a partner in its private client team.

She joins the Cambridge office from SJ Berwin in London, where she was a senior associate ­advising on trusts, tax, charities, probate and ­succession-planning issues for UK and ­international clients.

Midlands

Irwin Mitchell has appointed associate Omer Simjee to its Birmingham employment team. He joins from Pinsent Masons, where he was also an associate.

Nottingham firm Rothera Dowson has ­promoted transport solicitor Lucy Wood to ­associate. Wood has been with the firm for five years.

Simpson Millar has appointed its first-ever head of catastrophic injury in the shape of ­partner Warren Collins, who joins from Davies Arnold Cooper, where he was also a partner and set up the firm’s catastrophic injury claims department in 2006.

Thompsons has named partner Samantha Hemsley as national co-ordinator for serious injury, focusing on the Midlands and the North. Her counterpart James Davies will look after the South of England and Wales.

Europe

Herbert Smith has promoted two senior ­associates to of counsel in its Paris disputes group. Clément Dupoirier and Jonathan Mattout took up their posts at the beginning of October.

Clifford Chance London partner James ­Butters is transferring to Paris to boost the firm’s acquisition finance and corporate debt practice. He specialises in cross-border debt financings and other forms of structured and corporate debt, in particular M&A financing and private equity sponsor-led leveraged buyouts.

Benelux firm Nauta Dutilh has launched an IP and technology practice with the hire of in-house counsel Vincent Wellens and a team of lawyers from communications company P&T ­Luxembourg. Wellens was the EU regulatory and competition counsel at P&T.

K&L Gates has made its second Brussels ­partner hire in a month, taking Taylor Wessing partner Jeroen Smets to boost its corporate ­practice. The US firm previously hired McKenna Long & Aldridge competition partner Flavia ­Distefano, the first lateral hire for the office since its ­establishment in February this year.

Asia

Simmons & Simmons has added Allen & Overy senior associate Abdulali Jiwaji as a ­partner in Hong Kong. He focuses on advising financial institutions on ­contentious matters.

Eversheds’ Hong Kong office has hired ­veteran China employment lawyer Winnie Ng from Minter Ellison. Ng, who was head of Minter Ellison’s China employment practice, will fill the same role at Eversheds. The news comes after the departure of litigation partner Ronald Sum, who left Eversheds to join US firm Blank Rome’s Hong Kong office as a partner. 

The Bar

Hardwicke has taken on juniors Peter Petts, Jonathan Titmuss and Simon Allison from 42 Bedford Row. They all join Hardwicke’s property and private client division. Petts focuses on ­property-related professional negligence ­matters, Allison on landlord and tenant matters, and Titmuss on licensed property and residential landlord and tenant disputes.

Trinity Chambers barrister Carl Gumsley has been appointed as senior magistrate for the ­Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the South ­Sandwich Islands and the British Antarctic ­Territory. He is a member of Trinity’s criminal, mental health and regulatory practice groups.

Offshore

Pinel O’Shea has recruited senior associate Hannes Botha from Mourant Ozannes in Jersey.