In the latest round of lateral partner recruitment, Baker McKenzie has appointed a leading restructuring and insolvency partner in London.
Sarah Smith, who joins the firm from Dechert, will be tasked with expanding Baker’s restructuring and insolvency practice in London, EMEA and beyond. She has a broad finance practice focusing mainly on financial restructuring, as well as securitisation and financial services regulatory advice and the impact of bank capital requirements on the structuring of financing transactions.
Ed Poulton, London managing partner, said: ‘Given the market location and focus for restructuring services, it makes sense for us to invest intelligently in our London restructuring practice. Sarah’s credentials and market profile make her a clever hire and I’m delighted to welcome her to our firm.’
Meanwhile, former Serious Fraud Office director David Green QC has left his position as a senior consultant at Slaughter and May to join Cohen & Gresser as a partner. Alongside partners John Gibson and Richard Kovalevsky QC, Green adds to a white-collar practice with considerable pedigree.
Green outlined some of the pull factors: ‘Cohen & Gresser brings a fresh and energetic approach to international investigations. They are a highly-specialised and close-knit team of former prosecutors and leading lawyers that can work across borders and seamlessly advise clients across jurisdictions.’
In 2019, Legal Business interviewed Green QC as part of its ‘Perspectives’ series to reflect upon his tumultuous tenure at the SFO.
Morgan Lewis has bolstered its structured finance capabilities in London with the hire of partner Merryn Craske from Mayer Brown. Working closely with local counsel, Craske assists clients with structuring and documenting multijurisdictional securitisations, primarily involving the UK, Europe, the US, Canada, and Asia.
Morgan Lewis chair Jami McKeon said: ‘Her broad transactional experience, combined with her in-depth regulatory insight in relation to UK and EU securitisation and risk retention rules, will make Merryn a valuable addition to our team and for our global clients as they navigate their international risk matrixes.’
White & Case has made a double swoop this week, with new partners in London and Brussels. In the City, capital markets specialist Anthony Colegrave has arrived from A&O, where he was counsel. Colegrave has a 15-year background in derivatives, hedging and securities lending and financial regulation.
And in Brussels the firm has welcomed M&A expert Carlo Meert from Cleary Gottlieb. Formerly a counsel at Cleary, Meert advises private equity firms and corporates on cross-border transactions, particularly M&A and corporate finance deals.
‘Carlo has advised on some of the most significant M&A and private equity transactions in Belgium over the past 15 years and is a rising star in the Belgium market,’ said White & Case’s global co-head of private equity, Thierry Bosly.
Wiggin has picked up a Magic Circle rising star, with technology specialist Marcus Bagnall joining the firm from Linklaters as a partner. Previously a managing associate, Bagnall has worked on industry-shaping arrangements including a Europe-wide tower demerger, national telecommunications infrastructure carve-outs, fibre network build and wholesale services arrangements, subsea cable systems, smart city implementation projects and significant technology procurement and outsourcing agreements.
And in Scotland, DAC Beachcroft has built out its Glasgow office via the appointment of former BTO Solicitors partner Jilly Petrie. A construction litigator, Petrie has advised insurers and construction professionals on construction and engineering disputes for over 15 years. Her work includes advising on multi-million pound claims arising out of some of the highest profile construction and engineering projects in Scotland.
Suzanne Wharton, DAC partner, commented: ‘Her appointment will be a game changer for us, as we continue to implement our ambitious plans to build our contentious construction-related offering in Scotland, as part of our on-going drive to be the global insurance industry’s legal adviser of choice.’
Russell-Cooke is targeting the high-end London property market with its latest set of hires, with partner Simon Mapstone joining the firm alongside senior associate Sarah Reynolds and associate Lara Murrell. All three join from Goodman Derrick.
Mapstone brings with him over four decades of experience advising on prime London real estate deals, with a particular focus on prestigious residential properties in the Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster markets. He commented: ‘The high-end London property market has demonstrated a marked resilience to the challenges brought by the pandemic and is now experiencing a pronounced rebound, with interested parties from the UK and around the world looking for a dependable and timeless location to invest their money and secure a desirable bolthole.’
Finally, in Germany, Simmons & Simmons has boosted its corporate practice with the hire of partner Klaus Banke from K&L Gates. Banke is a corporate M&A lawyer with many years of experience specialising on cross-border transactions, especially in a French-German context. More broadly, Banke offers clients expertise across corporate restructuring, joint ventures as well as the full spectrum of corporate law.
Stephan Ulrich, head of Simmons’ corporate M&A group in Germany, commented: ‘Klaus’ arrival at the firm is a clear signal of Simmons’ intent to further grow its Frankfurt M&A practice with a focus on cross-border transactions. With his strong network of clients across the energy, life sciences and technology fields, Klaus is already aligned to Simmons’ sector focus and will be core to our further growth in Frankfurt.’
