Nearly 23% of the 44 lawyers making partner at DLA Piper in its 2015 round have been promoted in its corporate practice as the firm seeks to create a stronger M&A base and boost cross-border work.
With the firm having placed a greater emphasis on its corporate practice and integrating its client base across its international network, 10 corporate lawyers across 10 offices made the grade. While the firm bolstered its corporate ranks in London, Melbourne, Cologne and Rome, the remaining six corporate promotions were made in the US. The increased focus on the corporate practice is also hoped to boost profitability.
Nine lawyers were made up in the UK across five of its offices. Four of these came in London, where litigators James Carter and Tony Payne were made up alongside corporate lawyer Melanie James and restructuring specialist Neil Riley. This marks a rise on the number of UK lawyers made up in recent years, with seven British lawyers joining the partnership in 2014 and just four in 2013.The other major focus geographically was the US with 20 of the 44 new partners residing there.
The size of the round took a slight dip, down one on 2014 and, as well as corporate, saw promotions made in its finance and projects, intellectual property (IP) and technology, litigation and regulatory, and real estate practices.
London-based Simon Levine (pictured), global co-CEO of DLA Piper, said: ‘The quality of our people is crucial to our ambition to be the leading global business law firm advising the leading mature and emerging companies wherever they do business.’
San Diego-based Jay Rains, global co-CEO, added: ‘Our ability to develop the next generation of talent is a key component of our global strategy and a linchpin of our ongoing growth and service delivery to clients.’
Full list of DLA Piper’s 2015 partner promotions by office:
Australia
Melbourne
Joel Cox, Corporate
Sydney
Astrid Beemster, Real Estate
China
Hong Kong
Ashley Bell, Litigation & Regulatory
Shanghai
Lillian Duan, Real Estate
France, Paris
Karine Disdier-Mikus, IP and Technology
Jonathan Rofé, IP and Technology
Germany
Cologne
Jan Eltzschig, Corporate
Frankfurt
Torsten Pokropp, Finance & Projects
Christian Schoop, Litigation & Regulatory
Italy
Milan
Alessandra Garzya, Employment
Christian Montinari, Tax
Rome
Giulio Maroncelli, Corporate
Japan, Tokyo
Lawrence Carter, Employment
Thailand, Bangkok
Benjamin Hirasawa, Real Estate
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Katie Montazeri, IP and Technology
United Kingdom
Birmingham
Gareth Stokes, IP and Technology
Leeds
Matthew Duncombe, IP and Technology
Barney Smedley, Restructuring
London
Melanie James, Corporate
James Carter, Litigation & Regulatory
Tony Payne, Litigation & Regulatory
Neil Riley, Restructuring
Manchester
Joseph Frew, Finance & Projects
Sheffield
Vikki McKay, Real Estate
United States
Baltimore
Brendan Kennedy, Litigation & Regulatory
Chicago
Allen Ashley, Finance & Projects
David Bamlango, Finance & Projects
Mariah DiGrino, Real Estate
Shari Helft Lennon, Real Estate
Houston
Steven Torello, Corporate
Aaron Fountain, IP and Technology
New York
Nickie Cheney, Corporate
Victor Levy, Finance
Mark Deckman, Litigation & Regulatory
Northern Virginia
Thomas Hendershot, Corporate
Philadelphia
Brian Benjet, Litigation & Regulatory
Sacramento
David Richardson, Corporate
San Diego
Tiffany Miller, IP and Technology
Robert Williams, IP and Technology
Brooke Killian Kim, Litigation & Regulatory
Seattle
Andrew Ledbetter, Corporate
Short Hills
David Schwartz, Corporate
Washington DC
Randi Bernstein, Finance
Samuel Knowles, Litigation & Regulatory
tom.moore@legalease.co.uk
