Revolving Doors: DLA hires in France and the US; Simmons grows Bristol; Gibson Dunn expands in Beijing and Hong Kong

International expansion last week saw DLA Piper hire Holman Fenwick Willan’s (HFW) Paris head of tax Hervé Israël and bolster its US practice with a double litigation partner hire from Greenberg Traurig, while Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher expanded in Beijing and Hong Kong. Closer to home, Simmons & Simmons bolstered its growing Bristol presence with the hire of Osborne Clarke corporate partner Patrick Graves.

Careers counsel for aspiring lawyers: Roche’s Funke Abimbola

Roche UK managing counsel Funke Abimbola (pictured) has embraced diversity in both her widely varied in-house activity and in her equally challenging voluntary work. Recognised as a leading healthcare and life sciences lawyer, she received the 2012 Association of Women Solicitors’ in-house award and most recently saw her team shortlisted for the 2013 in-house team of the year distinctions at the Legal Business Awards and Halsbury Legal Awards.