Orrick scoops Jones Day's UK corporate chief

The London office of US firm Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe has hired Jones Day's London head of corporate Hilary Winter.

Winter is an equity capital markets and corporate M&A lawyer, and joins Orrick's London office.

Orrick's London head Martin Bartlam, who also joined Orrick from Jones Day, said: "[Winter] represents a significant addition in the growth of these key practices in London."

Winter's practice focuses on advising corporations, sponsors and nominated advisors on IPOs and secondary fund raisings, as well as corporations on M&A and general corporate.

Orrick focuses on litigation, finance and corporate work, and has offices in Europe, the USA and Far East.

Winter's hire is part of a European expansion plan formulated after the failure of merger talks with US rival Dewey Ballantine in January last year (The Lawyer, 8 January 2007).

As reported by The Lawyer (7 March 2007), the firm has formed a European advisory committee to examine its London and European expansion in the wake of the failed talks, with the London office likely to be the focal point of the new strategy.

The strategy will target a broad range of practice areas for expansion, including corporate, finance, funds and restructuring.

Winter said: "Orrick's presence in emerging companies and technologies presents excellent synergies with London's role as a centre for funding and investment in these developing companies."

Winter and Bartlam were both previously lawyers at English firm Gouldens, which merged with Jones Day in February 2003. Bartlam joined Orrick the following year.