Legal Business Blogs

Partner promotions: DLA halves London round, as HFW makes up three

DLA Piper announced today (2 May) that it has promoted 46 to its partnership across the US, EMEA and Asia Pacific, while Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) made up three to partner in its latest round.

The new partners join DLA in 28 offices, across 13 countries. The firm promoted two fewer globally than it did last year, however it only made up four in London, compared to eight promoted in 2016.

In London, the firm promoted Chris Chan in real estate, Patrick Mitchell in intellectual property and technology, Edward Shaw in litigation and regulator and Richard Skipper in finance and projects.

In the UK, DLA promoted nine, 20% of the overall round, less than the 29% it promoted last year. The firm also made up 17 to partner in the US followed by 12 across continental Europe, four in the United Arab Emirates, two in China and a further two in Australia.

Across the firm’s practice groups globally, corporate saw the largest intake of new partners with 10 promotions, followed by litigation and regulatory with nine, finance and projects with seven and employment with five. Intellectual property and technology, real estate and tax each had four promotions, while there were only two in restructuring and one in government affairs.

The DLA promotions are effective as of 1 January 2017 in the United States and 1 May 2017 for EMEA and Asia-Pacific.

Meanwhile, HFW has elevated its compliance officer for legal practice Gavin Hadfield who is based in London. Before joining HFW in 2014, Hadfield was a risk lawyer at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. London commercial and commodities lawyer Andrew Williams and Brussels based aviation lawyer Stéphanie Golinvaux have also been made up to partner in the latest promotion round. HFW also promoted four to legal director with one in Hong Kong and three in London taking up the position. The promotions went through on April 1.

georgiana.tudor@legalease.co.uk

DLA City partner promotions in full:

Chris Chan, real estate, London

Patrick Mitchell, intellectual property & technology, London

Edward Shaw, litigation & regulatory, London

Richard Skipper, finance & projects, London

HFW promotions in full:

Stéphanie Golinvaux, Brussels, aviation

Gavin Hadfield, London, risk and compliance

Andrew Williams, London, commercial