Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has built on the momentum of its recent Manhattan hiring spree with the addition of tax partner Lori Goodman from Latham & Watkins.
The move is another boon for the City giant’s lofty US aspirations after the much vaunted acquisition last October of a four-partner Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton team, led by prominent M&A veteran Ethan Klingsberg.
Goodman, whose practice focuses on compensation and benefits aspects of M&A, private equity, disclosure, and corporate governance, will be joining Freshfields’ US executive compensation and employee benefits practice. She was made up to partner in 2015.
She has advised public company clients such as Spotify Technology and The Container Store Group and financial sponsor clients including Leonard Green & Partners, Odyssey Investment Partners and Energy Capital Partners. She also advised on the 2019 Peloton IPO.
Matthew Herman, Freshfields US managing partner, said Goodman’s hire would build on the firm’s increasing M&A, activism defense, shareholder litigation and corporate governance work since its recent hires: ‘Adding Lori to the equation is critical to delivering to our clients the sophisticated legal skill and judgment they demand.’
Ethan Klingsberg, Freshfields US head of M&A, added: ‘I’m impressed by Lori’s smarts and experience. I’m further thrilled that she provides innovative structuring advice on handling of awards and incentive plans in the full spectrum of M&A transactions, whether it’s a public company merger, a takeover of a start-up, or a financial sponsor transaction.’
The hire of Goodman also sees something of a revolving door between Freshfields and Latham, the Magic Circle firm having sustained a significant blow in the City last week after influential rising star Sam Newhouse quit for the US powerhouse. It was viewed as Latham’s most significant move into the UK public company M&A space since the hire of Allen & Overy’s well-liked M&A partner Ed Barnett in 2017.
