Joanne Davis, from Shoesmiths, will head the asset finance and regulatory practice. DWF managing partner Andrew Leaitherland said of her, “Joanne is a great fit with our new national lender services team and client portfolio. Her outstanding asset finance and consumer credit regulatory experience will help us build on our impressive commercial offering.”

He added that, “Birmingham has long since been a strategic target for the firm to ensure we are based exactly where our clients need us. The city also has a great talent pool of lawyers, many with the expertise and knowledge of the market sectors in which we specialise and aim to develop in the future.”

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Hageman, who will join the magic circle firm after serving his notice period at Cravath, specialises in advising on European leveraged financings, cross-border M&A and SEC reporting and compliance by non-US companies.

Linklaters global head of banking Rob Elliott pointed to the increasingly important role of high yield as a motivating factor for the appointment.

“High yield is crucial in helping clients satisfy their funding requirements. [Hageman's] expertise in this increasingly important area of financing will bring added depth to Linklaters’ high yield practice,” he said.

“With his expertise and experience in this area, Mark will be a welcome addition to the team, and will play an important role servicing the needs of clients across Europe and the emerging markets, ” he added.

Global head of US securities Cecil Quillen added: “Covenant-intensive debt securities, particularly in relation to refinancings and restructurings in the high yield space, have been huge drivers of the European fixed income markets in 2009-10. Bank lending constraint is generally believed to be a major factor in this, especially in jurisdictions which have experienced particularly severe banking crises.”

The much-touted high yield debt market has traditionally been dominated by a select band of US law firms including Cahill Gordon & Reindel, Latham & Watkins and Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy, but a number of leading UK firms have recently made notable hires in the sector.

Last month, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer appointed Simpson Thacher & Bartlett counsel Gil Strauss, whose practice focuses on US corporate finance and securities, while last year Allen & Overy hired Milbank high yield specialist Kevin Muzilla as a partner.

Source : Legal Week

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Howes Percival has made up two partners in its annual promotions round, with both based in the firm’s East Midlands employment practice.

 Becky Hodgkins and Alex Payton joined the firm as associate solicitors in 2008. 

 Payton joined from Leicester-based Rich & Carr, while Hodgkins arrived from Eversheds’ Nottingham office.

They work with clients in the public and private sectors and high net worth individuals, focusing on areas such as unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistle blowing and equal pay.

Paula Bailey, head of the 12-strong Leicester-based employment team, said: “Both Becky and Alex are high calibre lawyers. They both came with excellent reputations, which they have only enhanced during their time at Howes Percival.”

Source : The Lawyer 

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

DLA Piper has expanded its US management team with the appointment of two new chairmen – global corporate and finance head Roger Meltzer and practice co-head Jay Rains.

They will work alongside global chairman Frank Burch, CEO Lee Miller and managing partner Terry O’Malley.

A spokesperson for the firm said: “DLA Piper is like many of the clients we represent: we’re a large, multinational enterprise.

“As such, it’s prudent for us to have a cadre of leaders in place who are schooled in the management of this complex organisation.  The addition of Roger and Jay expands the pool of firm leadership that’s experienced in managing the intricacies of our global law firm.”

New York-based Meltzer arrived at the firm in 2007 from Cahill Gordon & Reindel, where he was a member of the firm’s executive committee (8 October 2007). since joining DLA Piper he has been responsible for the rapid expansion of the firm’s corporate practice.

San Diego-based Jay Rains joined DLA Piper as part of its merger with Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich in 2005. His clients include CareFusion Corporation and Life Technologies Corporation.  

Burch, Miller and O’Malley were appointed to their current roles following the 2005 merger.

Source : The Lawyer

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

A senior partner at Pannone, Joy Kingsley is leaving the Manchester law firm after 32 years to join local rival JMW Solicitors.

Joy will leave Pannone in June and become senior partner at the £9m turnover firm from September, in what is a newly created role there.

JMW managing partner Bill Jones said: “JMW is at the forefront of championing the changes we’re experiencing with the Legal Services Act. We’re creating a corporate structure and [developing expertise] that’s not just about legal issues. It’s great to have somebody with all the ideas that Joy has to come in at this stage.”

Joy made her name as one of just a handful of female managing partners at a top 100 firm, generating growth at Pannone during her tenure from 1995 until 2008 when she handed over to former corporate head Steven Grant.

At that point she became the firm’s first senior partner, with responsibility also for private client business development.

Her move comes as Grant has announced that he will not stand for reelection at the end of year, with Emma Holt due to replace him from January 2011.

Pannone will be hold elections for the role of senior partner in the coming months.

Grant said: “Joy’s made an immense contribution to the firm and played a pivotal role in developing Pannone into an extremely successful law firm.  We wish Joy all the very best in her future venture and thank her for all of her achievements during her career at Pannone.”

Kingsley said: “I’ve greatly enjoyed my time at Pannone and have been proud to be part of its success. I decided to move elsewhere as I felt it was time for something different. I’m looking forward to joining the management team at JMW and being part of the development of a smaller but very ambitious law firm in its ascendancy.”

Source : The Lawyer

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Regional firm Howes Percival has launched its London office with the recruitment of Blake Lapthorn insolvency chief Nick Oliver as a partner.

Oliver will join the firm in August to lead the insolvency and corporate recovery department. Managing ­partner Andrew Barnes said: “Our intention is that the London office will grow in time to cover other types of work in addition to insolvency. It will also enhance our service to clients and ­provide a base for staff attending meetings or hearings.”

Source : Lawyer

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Dickinson Dees disputes head John Marshall is set to take over as senior partner following a contested election.

Marshall beat corporate partner John Flynn and tax partner George Lyall to take the post of senior partner following the election process, which took place earlier this month (19 March).

Marshall will take up his new role at the helm of the firm in April, replacing current incumbent Robin Bloom, whose second three-year term is set to come to an end.

Bloom joined Dickinson Dees in 2000 from Jacksons, where he was an employment partner, initially to establish the firm’s Tees Valley office. In 2004 he was voted in as senior partner and was re-elected in 2007.

He leaves to head up the legal function of Gibson O’Neill, which was set up by Middlesbrough FC chairman and owner Steve Gibson in 1981 and which also owns transportation company Bulkhaul and hotel, spa and golf club Rockliffe Hall.

Craig Monty will succeed Marshall as the northeast firm’s head of commercial disputes.

At the same time, Jonathan Blair has been re-elected as managing partner until September 2014.

Blair, who initially took on the position in 2008, was not due for re-election until later this year but the process was brought forward in a bid to align the management election process.

Blair and Marshall will now work closely together and will consult with the firm’s partnership on how to position the business over the next five to 10 years, as the firm reviews its international operations and national footprint.

Marshall commented: “In common with many firms like us, we have been through a challenging trading period due to market conditions. However, we are looking upwards and outwards and have ambitious plans to move the business forward.”

Blair said: “I am delighted to announce John’s appointment to the role of senior partner. He has the ideal mix of experience, dedication and passion for this role and has played an integral part in the partnership over the past 20 years, having originally joined the firm as a trainee solicitor.”

Source : Legal Week.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Grandage will join the City firm to lead its structured trade and commodity finance practice, helping to organise it across a range of jurisdictions.

The practice includes London-based infrastructure chief Martin McCann and Singapore-based partner Yu-En Ong.

Norton Rose head of banking Jeremy Edwards confirmed that Grandage would be “co-ordinating the offerings around the network”.

He added: “I believe Nick was particularly drawn by the international direction of Norton Rose and the quality and ambition of the trade and commodities team.”

Grandage, who spent five years in Singapore and Hong Kong while at Dentons, has acted for major banks including BNP Paribas, Fortis, Standard Chartered and HSBC.

Source : The Lawyer

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Steve Kuncewicz is now Assistant Solicitor at Halliwells LLP. Steve Kuncewicz was previously at Ralli Solicitors.

Partner and head of IPCT at Halliwells Jonathan Moakes said: “I am delighted to welcome Steve to the team. His expertise and enthusiasm for media and intellectual property law will benefit all of our clients and provides real synergies with some of the areas where we have been successfully winning exciting new clients. He will be a real asset as we continue to grow our client base. Steve’s arrival further strengthens our substantial team of experienced intellectual property litigators which make us the natural choice for IP disputes of all types.”

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Hazel Phillips is now Associate at Burnetts. Hazel Phillips was previously Assistant at Burnetts and Shakespeares.

Hazel is an expert in employment law, advising clients on employment contracts, disciplinary and dismissal procedures and employment tribunals. She is a regular guest on BBC Radio Cumbria, a frequent user of Twitter (Follow her at www.twitter.com/EmpLawyer.) and the author of Burnetts’ monthly employment law e-bulletin.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites