Trio of firms benefit from final BLG exodus on day of Clydes merger
Edwards Wildman, Hogan Lovells and SNR Denton have all hired partners from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) as the firm today merges with Clyde & Co.
Humphrey Douglas was BLG’s sole non-contentious energy partner and today joins SNR Denton as a partner in its energy, infrastructure and project finance team in London. Douglas, who joined BLG from CMS Cameron McKenna in 2009 and was previously general counsel at Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, has experience in upstream and midstream oil and gas work, as well as in renewables.
Hogan Lovells, meanwhile, has strengthened its litigation and arbitration practice in Asia with the hire of BLG partner Patric McGonigal. McGonigal has joined Hogan Lovells as a partner in the firm’s Tokyo office, having relocated from Singapore. Hogan Lovells now has seven partners in Tokyo.
“We see tremendous opportunities in the dispute resolution market in Japan, particularly in terms of international disputes Japanese companies are increasingly involved in Europe, North America and elsewhere in Asia,” said Hogan Lovells Asia and Middle East managing partner Crispin Rapinet.
“We’ve had a long-standing dispute practice in Japan, but Patric will be the first resident litigation partner to build up the practice there. His desire to live and work in Japan is another driver of the appointment,” said Rapinet.
Edwards Wildman has also made a hire from BLG, taking corporate partner and restructuring and insolvency head Jon Yorke. Yorke will join Edwards Wildman as a partner in the insurance and reinsurance team, and brings with him associate Matthew Fowler and a secretary.
Edwards Wildman, which was formed from the merger of Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge and Chicago firm Wildman Harrold Allen & Dixon (15 August 2011), has also hired an of counsel from Allen & Overy. Akash Sachdeva joins Edwards Wildman as a partner and will focus on IP litigation.
Edwards Wildman has made eight partner hires in London this year as part of its plan to “broaden and deepen its practice in core areas”, according to office managing partner Laurence Harris. Turnover in London rose almost 50 per cent in 2010 (28 February 2011).
BLG earlier lost its environment head to Berwin Leighton Paisner (28 October 2011) in London, while in Singapore the firm lost an insurance and reinsurance partner to Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (27 October 2011).
