Legal Business

Revolving doors: Clydes and Hunton & Williams make local hires while Squire Patton Boggs brings a team into its Paris office

Posted on |
Strategic recruitment Clyde & CoHunton & WilliamsSquire Patton Boggs
legal-business-default

Last week saw Clyde & Co expand its employment and personal injury practices with hires from DWF and Hill Dickinson, while Hunton & Williams grew its City energy and infrastructure practice. In Paris, Squire Patton Boggs expanded its international disputes practice with a double partner hire as well as a team of associates.

In the insurance space, Clyde & Co expanded its employment and personal injury team in Manchester. The firm recruited personal injury partner Jason Bleasdale from Hill Dickinson where he led the casualty litigation and disease claims team, in a bid to broaden the firm’s offering to personal injury clients. Bleasdale brings with him over 20 years’ experience in defending employer’s liability and disease claims, and is ranked as a leading individual in The Legal 500 for his expertise in industrial disease, professional disciplinary, and regulatory and environmental cases.

Bleasdale trained at Hill Dickinson, qualifying in 1993, becoming partner in 1998 and an equity member 2001. He said: ‘Disease is increasingly complex area of law so legal teams in this area and related fields need to have real depth and technical experience to meet clients’ needs.’

Clydes also hired Mark Hammerton, who joins from DWF, to develop its north-west practice and work closely with the firm’s City partners to advise large national and regional employers. Hammerton leaves DWF’s employment practice after nearly three years having previously been a partner at Eversheds. He specialises in TUPE, HR aspects of outsourcing/insourcing and M&A.

In London, Hunton & Williams has grown its energy and infrastructure practice with the hire of finance partner Stuart Hills from Fasken Martineau. Hills will focus on banking and finance, primarily project finance and acquisition finance, across Africa and Eastern Europe.

He has worked at Fasken Martineau for the past five years, before which he was partner at US firms Weil, Gotshal & Manges from 2008 to 2010, and O’Melveny & Myers from 2004 to 2008. Prior to this, he worked at Magic Circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer for eleven years after qualifying in 1995. Hills has advised oil and gas, mining and metal, and publicly listed companies across issues covering acquisitions, developments, company sales and financing projects.

Hills joins fellow project finance partner Andrew Thomas – also from Fasken Martineau – who joined Hunton & Williams in October 2014. He said: ‘I am really pleased to join such a successful and well-respected team at Hunton & Williams. The energy and infrastructure sector in Africa and Eastern Europe is growing rapidly providing lots of opportunities.’

London energy partner, Ryan Ketchum, added: ‘As foreign-sourced private sector investments into Africa approach the $100bn per year mark, an ever-increasing number of companies are recognising the significance of the investment opportunities in these markets. Stuart’s extensive experience in debt and equity finance in West Africa and other emerging markets makes him a perfect fit for the team.’

Over in Paris, Squire Patton Boggs expanded its international disputes practice with a double partner hire. Partners Carole Sportes and Valérie Ravit join the firm along with three associates.

Litigator Sportes has particular expertise in insurance, product liability – particularly pharmaceuticals – and transport including aviation. She returns to Squire Patton Boggs’ Paris office where she was formerly an associate. Ravit has experience in insurance, re-insurance, industrial risks and environmental litigation. She also has advised in international arbitration, particularly in the field of re-insurance.

The arrival of Sportes and Ravit takes the total number of lawyers based in the Paris office to 40, 12 of which are partners. In the past year, Squire Patton Boggs has added 30 lawyers to its international disputes practice, following Ben Holland, who joined from Covington & Burling in October 2014.

Christopher Wilde, office managing partner of Squire Patton Boggs in Paris, said: ‘We are excited to see Carole return and to welcome Valérie and these highly-experienced associates to the firm. Their arrival significantly boosts our depth of resource and know-how from a dispute resolution perspective in Paris and also offers significant synergies across the firm globally, in key industry sectors such as insurance, pharmaceuticals and aviation.’

jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

H1 2014/15: Clydes maintains revenue growth with 5% boost at half year

Posted on |
Financial results 2014/15 Clyde & Co
legal-business-default

Clyde & Co has posted a 5.3% increase to £178m in turnover for the first half of 2014/15 financial year as the firm has kept up its international ambitions with several office launches.

Although an increase on last year, the performance was affected by currency fluctuations that worked against the dollar resulting in a rise considerably lower than the first-half of 2013/14 when revenues shot up 16.5% to £169m. At the time, the firm attributed the increase to a combination of underlying growth and improvements in working capital management.

It also comes in a season which has seen some firms post strong increases for the half year with Osborne Clarke recording revenue growth of 17%, Stephenson Harwood up 12%, RPC 16% and Addleshaw Goddard up 11%.

At the end of the financial year 2013/14, Clyde & Co’s turnover rose 8% to £365.1m, while profit per equity partner grew 3% to £599,000, that consolidated impressive results the previous year which saw the firm’s turnover increase 17% to £336.6m for 2012/13.

The firm has made some ambitious moves to break more ground internationally and over the last six months has opened an office in southern California, a fully integrated office in Riyadh with association firm Abdulaziz Al-Bosaily and a fourth Australian office in Brisbane. These followed the launch of two offices in South Africa in May, with the hire of a five-lawyer, four-partner team from Linklaters’ local ally, Webber Wentzel.

jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

Bakers takes three partners from DLA as it merges in Mexico while Clydes hires three to launch in Brisbane

Posted on |
Strategic recruitment Baker McKenzieClyde & CoDLA Piper
legal-business-default

Baker & McKenzie has hired three partners from DLA Piper’s Mexico City office as the latter combines with a local outfit to extend its offering, meanwhile Clyde & Co has launched in Brisbane after taking three partners from Sparke Helmore.

DLA Piper is combining with Mexican firm Gallastegui y Lozano (GyL) in Mexico City under the name DLA Piper Gallastegui y Lozano. In total, seven GyL partners will join with business, telecoms, pharma and M&A specialist Eduardo Gallastegui taking on the role of managing partner.

The combined Mexican firm will house 23 lawyers in total with other partners joining including Maria Eugenia Rios, Gerardo Lozano, Jorge Benejam, Gabriela Alaña, Marcelo Paramo and Cecilia Azar.

However, DLA Piper’s Mexico City office, which opened in 2012, has lost three partners to Baker & Mckenzie with corproate/M&A partners Carlos Valencia and Tatiana Escribano and real estate and infrastructure partner Miguel de Erice joining along with a four-strong team of lawyers.

Meanwhile, Clyde & Co has launched its fourth Australian office – Brisbane – with the hire of three partners from local firm Sparke Helmore.

Partners Matthew Pokarier, Jacinta Long and Maxine Tills join the firm with Pokarier heading the Brisbane practice. The new team will focus on all classes of insurance, but particularly professional, directors’ and officers’, product and general liability, as well as commercial litigation.

Clyde & Co confirmed it is looking to hire a further 20 lawyers in Brisbane this year, in a bid to boost headcount in Australia to over 100. Clyde & Co Australia managing partner John Edmond said: ‘Our opening in Brisbane sees the achievement of our Australian strategy of a four-office national spread.’

Clyde & Co launched in Australia in October 2012 with offices in Sydney and Perth with the acquisition of a specialist insurance team from Australian firm Allens.  In September 2013, the firm opened a Melbourne office, and added infrastructure, transportation and international trade expertise.

jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

Chinese walls?

Posted on |
Litigation Clyde & Co
legal-business-default

 MARKET VIEW – ARBITRATION 

Following a high-profile internal squabble, the CIETAC is going global. Yu Jianlong, the institution’s secretary general, tells Clyde & Co partner Patrick Zheng why Hong Kong was its first port of call

Patrick Zheng, Clyde & Co: With a growing number of arbitral institutions around the world, why should a party use the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC)?

Yu Jianlong, CIETAC: Founded in 1956, CIETAC is the oldest international arbitration institution in China. With more than half a century’s development, it is also among the busiest arbitral centres in the world. We recommend that a party uses CIETAC arbitration due to the fact that it offers a number of advantages. Firstly, the CIETAC rules are similar to those of all the major arbitration institutions, thereby offering parties the most autonomy possible. In addition, we have over 300 foreign arbitrators from more than 40 jurisdictions; in international or foreign-related cases, parties may agree on the nationality of the arbitrators. Secondly, CIETAC is independent of any government agencies in China, and CIETAC arbitrators do not represent any parties. Thirdly, most CIETAC cases are concluded within six months after the tribunal is constituted, meaning that our arbitration fees are relatively low compared to other major international arbitration institutions. Finally, CIETAC offers the unique combination of arbitration with mediation – a combination which not only resolves disputes, but also renews positive business and personal relations between parties.

Legal Business

News in brief – September 2014

Posted on |
Litigation Clyde & CoDentonsSquire Patton Boggs
legal-business-default

Squire Patton Boggs loses 23-strong team in Middle East

Squire Patton Boggs saw the departure of five partners and 18 supporting lawyers from its Middle East offices after tensions arose as the recently merged firm integrated its regional affiliates. The exits came as legacy Patton Boggs’ Khalid Al-Thebity was appointed managing partner of the Riyadh office.

Clydes settles whistleblower case

Clyde & Co has settled its dispute with former partner Krista Bates van Winkelhof out of court after she alleged she was forced to leave after blowing the whistle on the managing partner of its Tanzanian associate firm and announcing her pregnancy. The case involved a landmark Supreme Court decision which held that members of an LLP could be considered workers.

Legal Business

Clydes hires Kennedys aviation heavyweight as it builds practice

Posted on |
Strategic recruitment Clyde & CoKennedys
legal-business-default

Clyde & Co has hired Kennedys’ aviation liability and insurance star David Johnston with further lateral hires expected.

Johnston specialises in Asia-Pacific aviation liability and insurance matters and has handled some of the recent major Asian air disasters. Johnston represents insurers and airlines on regulatory issues, commercial disputes and transactions as well as high profile aviation cases.

Clyde & Co is understood to be expanding its aviation practice with a further two partners expected to join shortly, extending its capabilities.

At Kennedys, Johnston was on standby to advise the Malaysia Airlines’ insurance company, Allianz Insurance, for any potential claims arising against the airline after the Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 crashed into the southern Indian Ocean.

Johnston has also handled other major air disasters including the Korean Air MD-11 accident in Shanghai, Singapore Airlines SQ006 in Taipei, the Air China accident in Busan, the Garuda Solo, China Northern Airlines Dalian and China Eastern Yunnan Baoutou accidents, and the Airblue accident in Pakistan in 2010.

Johnston previously headed the Singapore office at Gates and Partners from 2007, before it merged with Kennedys in June 2013 to form the specialist aviation team, Kennedys Aviation, which comprised 60 people including 20 partners. Before Gates and Partners, Johnston was a partner at Barlow Lyde & Gilbert – which merged with his new firm Clyde & Co in November 2011.

Jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

Ex-Clydes partner settles whistleblowing case

Posted on |
Litigation Clyde & Co
legal-business-default

After a long-running dispute between Clyde & Co and former partner Krista Bates van Winkelhof, the firm has finally settled the whistleblowing case outside of court.

The settlement comes after Bates van Winkelhof alleged that she was forced to leave Clydes after she ‘blew the whistle’ on the managing partner of the firm’s Tanzanian associate firm – claiming that he was paying bribes to win clients. This also coincided with her announcing her pregnancy. Clydes ‘vehemently denied’ all claims at the time.

Mishcon de Reya partner Joanna Blackburn represented Bates van Winkelhof, alongside Matrix Chambers’ Tom Linden QC. Clydes was led by the firm’s partner Nick Elwell-Sutton, who instructed Kobre & Kim barrister Andrew Stafford QC – previously of Littleton Chambers – and Chris Quinn.

A statement from Clyde & Co said: ‘The case has now been settled. Neither party will be making any further comment.’ The case itself was not brought through to any independent tribunal.

The precedent-setting case spurred much reaction earlier this year over whether partners of limited liability partnerships (LLPs) are entitled to whistle blower protection. In May 2014, the Supreme Court ruled that partners who expose malpractice in their own law firm will be protected by whistleblower legislation.

The ruling overturned a previous Court of Appeal decision in September 2012 which ruled that members of LLPs are not considered ‘workers’ under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA), and, therefore, that Bates van Winkelhof could not pursue a whistleblowing case against Clydes because she did not enjoy the relevant protection under English law.

Bates van Winkelhof had first brought the complaint against Clydes under the ERA, on the basis that her expulsion from the partnership was detrimental because she had made protected disclosures.

Jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

Clydes continues to grow ME practice while Jones Day hires in Singapore

Posted on |
Strategic recruitment Clyde & CoJones Day
legal-business-default

Following a string of international lateral hires over recent months, Clyde & Co continues to bolster its team in the Middle East with Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) Islamic finance specialist Adil Hussain joining the firm.

Hussain will join Clydes as head of Islamic finance in Abu Dhabi in a bid to grow its regional Islamic finance offering. His arrival takes the firm’s Abu Dhabi partner numbers to seven and regional partner numbers to 39. He will work closely with Clyde’s finance and corporate practices, and in particular with Dubai-based banking and finance partner, Adrian Low, and corporate and finance partner Abdulaziz Al Bosaily in Riyadh.

Having been based in the MENA region for over eight years, including spending three years in Riyadh, Hussain has experience of acting for local and regional banks on structuring and developing Islamic finance products, and on transactional matters for corporates and banks. Some of his key clients include ABC Islamic Bank, BBK, Emirates NBD Bank, Al Baraka Islamic Bank Bahrain, Bank of London and the Middle East, and May Bank Bahrain in relation to Al Bayan Group Holding Company’s debut syndication in the regional debt market. Hussain joined HSF in November 2009, before which he was executive vice president and general counsel at Gatehouse Bank since April 2008.

Hussain said: ‘The Islamic finance industry has experienced dramatic growth in recent years and is predicted to double in industry size by 2017. With the development of the market, I see a lot of potential, both from a regional perspective and an international point of view. I look forward to working alongside the existing Clyde & Co team to build upon its current client offering and strengthen the firm’s international reach.’

Niall O’Toole, regional board member and head of Clyde & Co’s MENA corporate practice, added: ‘Adil’s experience will further strengthen the capabilities of the Abu Dhabi office and our regional transactional offering. His arrival is another indicator of our ongoing investment into the region and our commitment to our clients in providing specialist services.’

The hire follows the trophy partner hire of Eversheds’ regional chairman Christopher Jobson who joined as a partner in Abu Dhabi last month.

Meanwhile, in Singapore, US firm Jones Day has hired private equity partner Mae Shan Chongin from rival firm White & Case, to grow its private equity and M&A practices in Southeast Asia. Chongin has experience of advising private equity and corporate clients and investment banks and hedge funds on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, buy-outs and corporate reorganizations. Some of her clients include CHAMP Private Equity, CLSA Capital Partners, Challenger Emerging Markets Infrastructure Fund, Hermes GPE, Nestlé Waters and PT Pertamina.

Jones Day’s partner-in-charge of the Singapore office Sushma Jobanputra said: ‘We are delighted that Mae will be joining us in Singapore. Mae’s international experience will add strength and depth to our team as we continue to grow our private equity and M&A practices in Southeast Asia and further enhance our ability to provide Singapore law advice to our clients.’

Chuck Hardin, co-chair of Jones Day’s private equity practice, added: ‘Mae is an excellent lawyer, and her cross-border experience adds more depth to our strong private equity capabilities throughout the world. Her experience in emerging markets in South and Southeast Asia, and more broadly throughout Asia, will be of great value for our clients involved in transactions throughout the region.’

Jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

Clyde & Co’s ambitious strategy for China and global arbitration behind double trophy partner hire

Posted on |
Strategic recruitment Clyde & Co
legal-business-default

Clyde & Co’s ambitious Greater China strategy has been credited with the trophy hire this week of Clifford Chance’s (CC’s) co-head of China litigation and arbitration Patrick Zheng to head its Beijing office, as in the Middle East Eversheds’ regional chairman Christopher Jobson joined as a partner in Abu Dhabi.

The hires form part of the top 15 UK firm’s wider long-term strategy to grow its international arbitration capability, particularly within the emerging markets.The firm confirmed it sees China as a growing region for international arbitration, especially because of its ability to work closely with neighbouring arbitration centres in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Zheng, who joins as managing partner in Beijing, specialises in international arbitration and China-related litigation. At CC he co-headed the international arbitration and disputes group across Greater China since January 2011. Prior to this, he worked at legacy firm Herbert Smith, and served the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) for eight years, where he handled over 300 cases. His key clients include HSBC, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Citigroup, Sun Hung Kai Properties and Cartier.

Clyde & Co now has four offices in China, after it became one of the first international law firms to launch in South West China via a joint venture agreement with West Link Partnership in Chongqing under the name Clyde & Co West Link JLV. The recently launched office acts as a hub for foreign investment, advisory and employment work for Western China and service domestic clients on outbound investment and dispute resolution services.

The firm’s Beijing office is its third office in China, which opened in May 2013, to focus on outbound investment in the natural resources, energy and infrastructure sectors, asset and project finance and international arbitration and disputes.

Ik Wei Chong, Clyde & Co partner and chief representative in Shanghai, said: ‘We have made significant progress in implementing the firm’s strategic development plans in Greater China; over the last eighteen months we have extended our network to include Beijing and Chongqing, in addition to our existing presence in Shanghai and Hong Kong, and we are continuing to expand in line with the firm’s core areas and sectors of focus. Patrick’s arrival will enhance our international arbitration offering to our Chinese client base and is indicative of the calibre of partners attracted to the vision and strategy being implemented by Clyde & Co and the platform it offers, both in the region and internationally.’

Zheng’s arrival follows the announcement this week that Jobson has joined the firm in Abu Dhabi. Jobson, a litigation and arbitration lawyer who has spent the last 10 years working across the region, based out of Abu Dhabi and Doha, brings the region’s dispute resolution group to 13 partners and over 40 associates.

Middle East head of dispute resolution and MENA Board Member, Chris Mills, added: ‘Chris has a long history with Clyde & Co, having spent the early part of his career working in our Dubai and Hong Kong offices. His well respected practice and strategic outlook strongly complements Clyde & Co’s regional strategy and direction, a key part of which involves our dispute resolution practice. We very much look forward to working with him as we engage on this next phase of growth.’

Clyde & Co’s Abu Dhabi office was established in 2004, with Jobson’s arrival now taking local office partner numbers to six, out of a regional total of 40.

Clyde & Co has also announced a number of international lateral hires over recent months as the firm expands its global international arbitration network, including Brian Dunning in New York and Prakash Pillai in Singapore. The firm currently has 60 international arbitration partners globally, the majority of which are based in London, followed by the Middle East, and then evenly distributed across the Asia Pacific and Continental Europe.

jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk

Legal Business

California dreaming: Clyde & Co expands US practice

Posted on |
US Clyde & Co
legal-business-default

Clyde & Co announced today (9 June) that it is expanding its West Coast US practice, opening an office in southern California led by Joe Walsh, formerly a partner at local firm Keesal, Young & Logan.

Walsh, who will focus on the marine and energy markets, advising clients on general maritime and admiralty law matters, specialises in casualty investigations, crisis management, environmental compliance, and oil and chemical pollution matters.

The office will be located in Newport Beach, California. Walsh will be joined by marine partner Frances Keeler, also from Keesal, Young & Logan, where she was of Counsel.

Senior partner James Burns said: ‘Opening an office in Orange County is a further step in our expansion in the US. Our San Francisco office with fifty attorneys focuses primarily on insurance, aviation and litigation. Through Joe and the new office we have an ideal opportunity to expand our West Coast offering in the marine and energy market, one of the firm’s core sectors. Our long heritage in shipping speaks for itself and we look forward to welcoming Joe to our already substantial international marine group.’

New York-based maritime partner John Keough added: ‘Joe’s experience in maritime casualty and pollution response, in tandem with our current marine team, will provide our marine and energy clients throughout the firm’s international network with a superior response capability.’

Clyde & Co entered the US with a launch in New York and Los Angeles in 2006, followed by New Jersey in 2010. In January, the firm was hit with a 15-strong team walk out in the US, including three litigation partners.

The California opening follows the announcement in May that the top 20 firm is launching two offices in South Africa, with the hire of a five-lawyer, four-partner team from Linklaters’ local ally, Webber Wentzel.

The new offices will be based in Cape Town and Johannesburg, headed by Daniel Le Roux, who currently heads Webber Wentzel’s insurance and legal liability practice.

caroline.hill@legalease.co.uk