People moves
Mayer Brown has promoted David Chadwick to the position of head of the insurance and reinsurance practice in London.
David Chadwick
Move of the week
He takes over from Karen Abbott, who is leaving Mayer Brown after 25 years at the firm. Chadwick, who joined Mayer Brown in 1998, has a particular focus on contentious insurance matters, including political risk disputes. Chadwick said: “The insurance and reinsurance practice has achieved considerable success over recent years and I’m delighted to be leading such a talented group. Our focus remains to ensure we offer clients the very best service and, in doing so, reinforce our reputation both for disputes-based work and in relation to regulatory and transactional issues.”
UK
LONDON
Debenhams Ottaway has appointed Ian Hopkins as CEO. He joins from Warners Solicitors, where he was managing director. Having worked as a practising solicitor for 10 years, he was appointed as managing partner at Leo Abse & Cohen in South Wales before moving to Warners.
Travel insurance litigation solicitor Michael Gwilliam has joined Everatt & Company as a partner. He joins from Vizards Wyeth, where he was a partner and head of the firm’s travel and tourism department for more
than 10 years.
McGuireWoods has announced that Carl Nisser has been appointed counsel in its London office. Nisser joins from SJ Berwin, where he was a consultant. His practice areas include M&A, hedge funds and private equity.
South
Veale Wasbrough Vizards has welcomed Tracey Eldridge-Hinmers as an associate.
She joins the firm from Ormerods and will be based between its Bristol and London offices. Her practice area focuses on education.
Stephens Scown has hired Ian Newcombeto head its private client team. He joins from BP Collins, where he was managing partner and head of wills, trusts and probate.
Michelmores has promoted three of its solicitors to the role of associate. Shahid
Jamil is a solicitor and barrister who joined the firm’s business group from the banking department of Linklaters, Karen Eagle works in the private client department, where she specialises in residential and commercial property work, while Lucy Smallwood has been promoted to associate in the commercial property team.
NORTH
Wrigleys Solicitors has recruited consultant Richard Johnson and solicitor Angus Hunter Smart. Johnson has practised in Leyburn and Hawes in North Yorkshire for more than 40 years and retired last year from the family firm of Johnsons Solicitors, where he was senior partner. Hunter Smart joins from Forsters, where he was an associate in the private client department.
MIDLANDS
Stephensons Solicitors has recruited Gillian Davies as a solicitor in its family law
team. She joins from Lyons Wilson, where she as also a solicitor advising on prenuptial agreements as well as disputes between unmarried couples involving children and finances.
Lanyon Bowdler has taken on company and commercial solicitor Richard Murrall as a partner. He joins from Talbots, where he headed the business services team. He has experience advising on share and asset sales and purchases, reorganisations and share schemes.
Scotland
Maclay Murray & Spens has appointed project finance specialist David Cruickshank as an associate and head of its renewable energy practice. He joins from Barclays Capital, where he was director of the global loans team.
Europe
Orrick Hölters & Elsing has announced that Jutta Schneider will join the firm as a partner in its tax group, resident in Frankfurt. Previously a partner at Clifford Chance and its German legacy firm Pünder Volhard Weber & Axster, Schneider has experience advising on German and international finance as well as corporate-related tax matters.
Asia and Middle east
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has announced that Audrey Sokoloff will join Alan Schiffman as co-head of Skadden in the Asia-Pacific region. Sokoloff, who already heads the Asia-Pacific real estate and investment finance practice, will retain her role as Tokyo head.
US
Thompson & Knight has announced the expansion of its corporate and securities and energy practice groups with the addition of Lawrence Hall as a partner in the firm’s Dallas office. Hall, formerly a partner at Conner & Winters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, focuses on corporate, energy and finance.
OFFSHORE
Maples and Calder has announced the appointment of eight new partners. Five of them – Matthew Crawford, John Dykstra, Jarrod Farley, Michael Richardson and Joannah Bodden Small – are based in the Cayman Islands office. Of the other three, Phillip Ireland is based in Dubai, Colm Rafferty in Dublin and John Trehey in Hong Kong. Crawford has broad litigation and insolvency experience, Dykstra specialises in structured finance, Farley and Richardson focus on advising open- and closed-ended investment funds and Bodden Small is expert in asset and acquisition finance. Ireland has broad experience in British Virgin Islands and Cayman corporate and investment funds, Rafferty’s specialism is company law and corporate finance, while Trehey has expertise in a range of areas, including commercial litigation and security enforcement.
