Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has welcomed 32 new partners in its latest promotions round, including 11 in London. 

The latest round is just shy of 2022’s record cohort of 34 but includes 15 women, or 47% of the total – compared to last year’s 41% and 2021’s 30%. 

Rebecca Maslen-Stannage, HSF chair and senior partner said the promotions were in line with the firm’s Ambition 2025 strategy and growth areas, including private capital, energy transition and ESG. 

“We are very proud of our new partners and congratulate them on achieving this tremendous milestone in their careers," she added.  

Like last year, the UK and Australia saw the most promotions, with 11 moving up in London, 10 in Sydney and one in Perth. 

In Europe, four lawyers were promoted in Madrid and two apiece in Düsseldorf and Paris. Finance and private capital specialists Simone Egidi also moved up in Milan, just a few months after HSF added a team from UK rival Simmons & Simmons to launch a private equity and capital markets offering in the city. 

Meantime, the sole promotion in the Middle East went to Joza Al Rasheed, who joined the firm in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in March to open an office there for the firm following changes to rules governing how international law firms operate in the Kingdom. 

The final two promotions were in Singapore and went to Victor Chiew and Salonika Kataria in the venture and growth capital/TMT M&A and private capital practices respectively. Chiew is currently on secondment at HSF’s Singapore ally Prolegis, which last month added local litigation capability with the hire of a four-strong team from Morgan Lewis & Bockius. 

In terms of practice areas, HSF’s M&A team gained the most new partners, welcoming nine, some of whose practices also covered areas including venture capital, projects and infrastructure. The firm’s international arbitration team saw three lawyers move up, while private capital and competition welcomed two each.

The remaining 16 promotions went to lawyers across as many practice areas, including commercial litigation, private equity, insurance, funds and asset management, and energy and infrastructure. 

"Our new partners are legal experts with the skills and attributes demanded of a leader today,” said HSF’s CEO, Justin D’Agostino. “They embody our confidence and ambition for the future and possess the capability to ensure our firm leads in everything we do for our clients, our people and our wider communities.”

The promotions follow a record financial year for HSF in 2021/22, when the firm saw revenue grow 6% on the previous financial year to £1.10bn against 6% growth in profit per equity partner to £1.16m.

The full list of partners

Asia
Victor Chiew, Singapore – Venture and Growth Capital/TMT M&A*
Salonika Kataria, Singapore – Private Capital

Australia
Jane Ballard, Perth – Energy and Resources
Melissa Gladstone, Sydney – Class Actions/Commercial Litigation
Elizabeth Henderson, Sydney – Venture Capital and M&A
Tom Hoare, Sydney – Private Equity
Anne Hoffmann, Sydney – Insurance and Financial Services
Michael Lake, Sydney – Construction and Infrastructure
Amelia Morgan, Sydney – M&A
Stephanie Panayi, Sydney – Competition
Adam Roberts, Sydney – Real Estate, Corporate and Acquisition Finance
Lauren Selby, Sydney – Head Office Advisory
             
EMEA
Joza AlRasheed, Riyadh – M&A/Projects**
Cyril Boulignat, Paris – M&A
Simone Egidi, Milan – General Finance, Project Finance and Projects, Private Capital
Marcos Fernández-Rico, Madrid – Private Capital
Alejandra Galdos, Madrid – Insurance
Catrice Gayer, Düsseldorf – International Arbitration/Construction and Infrastructure
Dr Christian Johnen, Düsseldorf – M&A
Paul Morton, Paris – Energy and Natural Resources
Guillermo Uriarte Senén, Madrid – Energy and Infrastructure

UK
Hannah Ambrose, London – International Arbitration and Public International Law
David Bennett, London – Health and Safety/Product Liability
Beatriz del Rey, London – Portfolio Acquisitions and Distressed Debt Transactions
Jon Ford, London – Contentious Financial Services Regulatory
Shaun Lee, London – M&A
Charlie Morgan, London – International Arbitration and Digital Transformation
Grant Murtagh, London – M&A/Insurance
Shantanu Naravane, London – Funds and Asset Management
Natalia Rodriguez, London – Competition 
Emma Stones, London – M&A/Infrastructure
Gareth Sykes, London – Corporate Governance

*Currently on secondment with Prolegis LLC, HSF's Singapore alliance partner
**Managing partner of the Law Office of Joza AlRasheed and will be the managing partner of HSF's Riyadh office.