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Revolving doors: Nabarro makes double disputes hire, as Big Four accounting firms make legal moves

In a busy week for City hires, Nabarro and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe have added to their ranks, while accounting firms EY and PwC have added to their legal arms with partner appointments.

Nabarro has boosted its international disputes offering with a double hire in the City, with partners from Fasken Martineau. Chris Gooding and Sukhi Kaler have joined the team to strengthen the disputes offering across London, Dubai and Singapore. The pair has worked together for more than 15 years and join as Nabarro grows its international arbitration presence.

The firm’s head of commercial dispute resolution Jonathan Warne said: ‘The disputes team at Nabarro is growing and is an important element of our international strategy focused around the arbitration hubs of London, Dubai and Singapore. Chris and Sukhi bring with them a wealth of expertise and a plethora of contacts in the Middle East which will support our Dubai office. In an uncertain world, their expertise in the area of political risk also gives us an edge.’

Orrick has hired two partners for its rapidly growing London office, including Dominic O’Brien to the firm’s finance team, and Weyinmi Popo to the firm’s M&A and private equity practice and Africa team. The additions are the tenth and eleventh lateral hires the firm has made since 2014. Orrick London office head Douglas Lahnborg said: ‘Orrick has terrific momentum in London. Our global focus on the energy & infrastructure, finance and technology sectors is resonating with both clients and top-tier talent.’

EY has hired Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co’s co-chair of tech Richard Goold to lead a legal tech team to support the firm’s wider tech and fintech practice. Goold has been working in the tech and fintech markets for more than ten years and is expected to join EY in the spring. EY UKI legal services head Philip Goodstone said: ‘Our ambition has always been to grow our UK legal services practice around some of the key sectors where EY already has a wealth of experience. Richard’s appointment marks a key step towards achieving this strategy.’

Meanwhile fellow Big Four firm PwC has made two key hires with the appointment of David Farmer and Thomas Colmer. Joining from DLA Piper, where he was a partner for the last three years, Farmer joins the pension team and has experience in advising employers and trustees on all aspects of pensions law with a particular focus on advising companies about the management of their pensions liabilities. Colmer was a partner at Osborne Clarke and his practice focuses on high growth corporates, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and founders.

Squire Patton Boggs has hired real estate partner Mark Barker from DWF in Manchester. Barker has more than 25 years of real estate experience, specialising in development work with particular expertise in strategic and complex regeneration projects. The firm’s European real estate practice group leader Nick Green said: ‘In Mark we have found an individual with exactly the right blend of ambition and experience to expand our practice.’

victoria.young@legalease.co.uk