Natasha Harrison, the former deputy chair of Boies Schiller Flexner, has unveiled her much-anticipated new London litigation firm, securing the bulk of her former firm’s London office for the launch.
 
In an interview in London’s The Sunday Telegraph Harrison confirmed the launch of Pallas Partners, pledging to create the ‘blueprint for a modern law firm’. It will be based in King William Street, in the heart of the City of London. An official launch is expected tomorrow (Tuesday).
 
Twelve fee earners, including five partners, have joined Harrison in quitting the office, leaving it with a team of four, according to its website.
 
The five partners, who with Harrison are set to make up the core of the new firm, are financial services regulatory specialist Tracey Dovaston, Will Hooker (commercial arbitration), Fiona Huntriss (banking and finance litigation), Matt Getz (white collar crime) and Neil Pigott, who returned to the firm in July 2020 following a stint at Nomura working on distressed special situations.

Harrison's departure was confirmed in November, when she told the Financial Times that her new firm would focus on litigation work in the financial services sector.

She told the Telegraph that when she revealed her plans to take ‘almost all’ of Boies Schiller's London office, chairman David Boies had been “really supportive”. 

Harrison had been regarded as in the running to replace Boies prior to her decision to step down from her role as deputy chair last September, citing pandemic-related logistical issues. 

Just two newly made-up partners — David Hunt and Prateek Swaika — will be left as permanent members of Boies Schiller’s London base alongside an associate. Partner Duane Loft shares his time between London and New York, according to the firm's website.  

In a statement issued on Friday, a Boies Schiller spokesperson said the firm remained 'committed' to its London office and would be 'identifying and bringing in new talent to supplement our existing strengths” as well as “cultivating a London presence that is better integrated with the firm’s core work and clients'.