Global

English international law firm Herbert Smith has been having rollercoaster of a time over the last fortnight – first it announced the promotion of 10 lawyers to its partnership around the globe, before confirming that the economic storm has not yet passed by cutting some 51 staff from its London headquarters offices.
On the more fortunate side, the promoted lawyers come chiefly from the firm’s global corporate and disputes practices, with the majority based outside the London headquarters.
The new partners are: Joanna Addison (corporate/energy, Doha), Will Arrenberg, (tax, London), Clément Dupoirier (commercial litigation, Paris), Mark Jephcott, EU/competition, London/Asia), Christian Leathley (international arbitration, London/Madrid), Vladimir Melnikov (commercial litigation, Moscow), Robert Moore (corporate/mergers and acquisitions, London), James Norris-Jones (commercial litigation, London), Graeme Preston (corporate/technology, media and telecommunications, Tokyo), and Tomasz Wozniak (corporate/M&A, Moscow).
Meanwhile, London-based rivals Clifford Chance made up 27 lawyers to its global partnership – an increase from last year’s figure of 23 and four more than the practice’s nearest magic circle rivals. The promotions in full are: in the Americas: Jason Myers (New York, capital markets), Mark Pesso (New York, finance), Anand Saha and Christopher Willott (São Paolo, capital markets and finance respectively). In Asia Pacific: Jean Yu (Beijing, corporate), Francis Edwards and Ashvin Seetulsingh (Hong Kong, finance). Continental Europe: Quirine Eenhorst (Amsterdam, tax, pensions and employment [TPE]), Florian Mahler (Düsseldorf, finance), Jan Grabbe and Markus Muhs (Frankfurt, TPE and corporate respectively), Epifanio Perez (Madrid, finance), Alexander Anichkin (Moscow, TPE), Tim Schreiber and Thomas Weitkamp (Munich, litigation and dispute resolution and finance respectively) Diego de Lammerville (Paris, litigation and dispute resolution), Marcin Cieminski and Andrzej Stosio (Warsaw, litigation and dispute resolution and finance respectively). In London: Marie Berard (litigation and dispute resolution), James Boswell (finance), Melissa Fogarty and Caroline Sherrell (corporate). In the Middle East: Rupert Harper (Abu Dhabi, corporate), James McCarthy, Stuart Ure and Debbie Walker (Dubai, corporate, capital markets and finance respectively), and Omar Rashid (Riyadh and Dubai, corporate).

North America

Debevoise & Plimpton has named three new partners with the promotions of Michael Diz, Andrew Levine and Dietmar Prager, effective 1 July. All three are members of the firm’s New York headquarters with Mr Diz in the corporate department and both Mr Levine and Mr Pragmar in litigation.

London-based magic circle firm Linklaters has beefed up its US tax practice with the hires of Gordon Warnke and Joseph Pari, both previously at struggling New York firm Dewey & LeBoeuf. Mr Warnke is also set to head the firm’s New York office.

UK

In addition to the firm’s recruits in New York, Linklaters has moved to strengthen its competition team with a lateral hire. Simon Pritchard joins from London magic circle rivals Allen & Overy, where he has been >
a partner since 2009. Before joining A&O Mr Pritchard was senior director, responsible for mergers, at the UK’s Office of
Fair Trading.

London law firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain has promoted Paul Joseph and Andy McGregor to its partnership, bringing its overall partner count to 75. Mr Joseph is an intellectual property specialist, who trained with magic circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer before joining RPC in 2010 as a senior associate.

Recently mergered UK commercial law firm DAC Beachcroft has appointed five new partners to take the overall figure to 235. Vicki Hilton and Chris Baranowski are both in the claims solutions office based in Leeds, Mark Roach (dispute resolution) and Madeline Ball (real estate) are in the London office. Peter Allchorne completes the promotions with his appointment to at the Newport claims solutions office.
London-based firm Bird & Bird has poached competition and regulation expert Peter Willis from Scottish practice Dundas & Wilson, as it aims to develop its international EU and competition practice group.

Aircraft finance specialist Donna Ager has been appointed as a partner in the asset finance team of London-based law firm Simmons & Simmons.

Europe

Ukrainian law firm Arzinger has bumped up its western region office head Markian Malskyy to its partnership. Mr Malskyy, who has led the branch since 2009, is also the firm’s head of alternative dispute resolution.

Employment law firm alliance L&E Global has appointed Filip Corveleyn to its international practice team in Belgium, which is represented by Van Olmen & Wynant. Together with that firm’s founding partner, Chris Van Olmen, Mr Corveleyn will lead L&E Global’s Belgium employment law practice group. Mr Corveleyn – formally with Belgium firm Janson Baugniet – advises national and international clients.

Middle East

The Doha office of global law firm K&L Gates has pinched corporate and financing specialist Amjad Hussain from Eversheds’s Doha office to become a  partner in the firm’s corporate and finance practice. Mr Hussian advises on a variety of transactions with particular knowledge in the field of Shariah-compliant matters.

London firm Clyde & Co has promoted six Middle East-based associates and legal directors, taking the regional partner count to 30. Dispute resolution lawyers Richard Bell and Nassif Boumalhab have been promoted in Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively; Ben Cowling will be based in Riyadh’s construction, projects and infrastructure office; Sara Khoja is promoted in the Dubai employment department; Oliver Tebbit is in the Dubai aviation finance office, and Lauren Warren is based in Doha’s construction, projects and infrastructure department.

East Asia

Australian law firm Minter Ellison has shuffled its pack and moved former London financing head Nigel Clark to Beijing, while recruiting Nicola Marley to take his position. Mr Clark moves to Beijing to develop the firm’s finance capability in China and Mongolia. Ms Marley joins as a partner from Mayer Brown to fill the gap.