Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has promoted 22 lawyers to partner, including eight in London, amid a stronger promotion round for the Magic Circle firm.
This is a significant increase on last year when the firm made up just 12 lawyers globally and a mere five in the City. It is also an increase on 2017 when the firm promoted 18 lawyers globally and six in London.
The City cohort includes Tom Clark and Oliver Marsden as new disputes partners, and Roger Schofield, Aled Batey and Vanessa Jakovich as new transactional partners. The renewed commitment to London will be welcomed, particularly after the firm suffered another difficult exit with buyout star Adrian Maguire decamping to US leader Kirkland & Ellis in January.
Of the cohort, 27% – six women – were promoted, a marginal increase on last year. Global transactions received the most promotions as a practice area, with an additional 12 lawyers being made partner. Disputes, meanwhile, received five additional partners. Global transactions also received the lion’s share of the promotions in the City, with five partners being made up, compared to two in disputes. Meanwhile two partners were promoted in the US, with transactional duo Paul Humphreys and Sebastian Fein being made up in New York.
Interestingly – and a reflection of the importance of risk and compliance within a large global law firm – one of the promotions occurred outside of the core practice groups in a support field. Chief legal officer Jonathan Kembery, who oversees a team responsible for advising the firm’s 5,000 lawyers and staff on regulatory, compliance and legal matters, was also made partner.
The promotions will be effective as of 1 May 2019.
thomas.alan@legalbusiness.co.uk
Freshfields partner promotions 2019:
Antitrust, competition and trade
Ninette Dodoo, Beijing
Tone Oeyen, Brussels
Dispute resolution
Tom Clark, London
Jelle Drok, Amsterdam
Oliver Marsden, London
Moritz Pellmann, Frankfurt
Kim Rosenberg, Dubai
Global transactions
Aled Batey, London
Guillemette Burgala, Paris
Frédéric Elens, Brussels
Sebastian Fain, New York
Paul Humphreys, New York
Vanessa Jakovich, London
Marvin Knapp, Hamburg
Sabrina Kulenkamp, Frankfurt
Francesco Lombardo, Milan
Keir MacLennan, London
Cyrus Pocha, London
Roger Schofield, London
Legal
Jonathan Kembery, London
People and reward
Christel Cacioppo, Paris
Tax
Bosco Montejo, Madrid
