The summer lull is over with a spate of new laterals for firms including multiple hires at DLA Piper, Simmons & Simmons and Fieldfisher, while US firm Winston & Strawn recruited in the City and Bristows and Weightmans both added to their benches.
DLA led a transfer spree in South Africa with a nine-lawyer hire, including four partners. The firm adds former Webber Wentzel partner Peter Bradshaw as its new head of corporate, along with corporate partners Marita van der Walt and Nada van Dyk and two associates. It also hired finance and projects partner Jackie Pennington from Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr along with two associates. DLA also added and a new director, Janine Simpson, to its competition practice.
The firm launched its own South African office in October 2015 after ending its 10-year alliance with Cliffe Dekker. South Africa managing partner Johannes Gouws said: ‘The calibre of the lawyer that have joined us clearly demonstrates the strength of DLA Piper’s brand locally and internationally. Our South Africa office is very much open for business with a strong client offering centred on our corporate and finance capabilities.’
In Paris, Simmons & Simmons boosted its financial market practice with lateral hire Nicolas Duboille from Granut Avocats and partner Agnes Rossi from King & Wood Mallesons. The firm recently appointed Simonetta Giordano to its Paris branch, previously of counsel at Clifford Chance.
Fieldfisher was another to strengthen the bench in Europe, with three new partners in its Germany offices. The firm added two lawyers from DLA in Cologne to its Düsseldorf office. Marcus Kamp was a counsel at DLA and Marcus Iske a senior associate, and both join as partners. The firm also adds Oliver Süme as an IT partner in Hamburg, who has acted as president of the European Internet Service Providers Association.
In the City, Winston & Strawn rehired Michael Stepek, who spent 17 years at the firm until 2005 before moving to legacy Hogan & Hartson and then to Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld in 2010. Stepek is an international arbitration partner, having worked across the major global arbitration centres.
UK firms also added to the hiring spree. Bristows added Anna Cook as a partner in its commercial and technology disputes team. Cook had been working as a consultant to Bristows, and was previously a partner at RPC. While Weightmans signed Cassandra Auld as a partner into its Glasgow real estate team. She was formerly a senior associate at Pinsent Masons.
matthew.field@legalease.co.uk