Clifford Chance has appointed David Byrne as its global head of business development for finance and capital markets. Byrne joins from Linklaters, where he was head of marketing and business development for the finance division.

DLA Piper has hired energy and transportation assistant Robert Gruendel in New York from US firm Curtis Mallet-Prevost Colt & Mosle.

West Coast firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has hired Romina Weiss as a partner in the firm’s New York tax team. Weiss was formerly a partner at Troutman Sanders in New York.

Davies Arnold Cooper has promoted real estate associates Ashley Dewar, Tim Johnson, Paul McCartney and Crispin Tomlinson to the partnership.

Capsticks has promoted projects lawyer Justin Alford to its partnership.

Hampshire firm WarnerGoodman Commercial has hired solicitor Daryl Cowan from the former employment team at White & Bowker following the firm’s merger with Blake Lapthorn Linnell earlier this year.

Ashton Graham Solicitors has appointed Jonathan Rands as a partner in its corporate team. He joins from Ipswich-based Gotelee & Goldsmith, where he led the corporate team.

US firm McDermott Will & Emery has hired IP partner James Hill in Orange County, California. He joins from Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear.

Barrister Paul Newman, a specialist in construction law and mediation, has left Hugh James in Cardiff to resume private practice at the bar. He has joined 3 Paper Buildings, working out of the chambers’ Bristol annex.

Insurance litigation firm Davies Lavery has hired partner Nick Bowman from Pinney Rogers to head the Chelmsford commercial and construction team. James Shrimpton and Dominic Thomas have also been promoted to the partnership. Samantha Silver, Barnaby Winkler and Kate Brook join as assistants from Fishburns, Herbert
Smith and Irwin Mitchell respectively.

HBJ Gateley Wareing has appointed eight new assistants following the completion of their training contracts. They are David Anderson, Neil Jordan, Catriona Philip, Merran Sewell, Kay Smith, Jennifer Stanley, Rachael Wilding and Sally Wood.