Linklaters has hired a pair of partners from Paul Weiss in New York, significantly bolstering both its US platform and its global sports practice.
Christopher Boehning has joined as chair of the global sports practice and US strategic disputes, while Daniel Levi joins as a partner in the firm’s litigation, arbitration and investigations group.
The pair have worked on a number of high-profile sports disputes, including supporting FIFA in matters relating to the 2026 World Cup.
Both partners are Paul Weiss lifers, with Boehning at the firm since 1994, and Levi since 1999.
Senior partner and chair of Linklaters, Aedamar Comiskey, said of the hires: ‘We are very focused on having top talent in all our markets. The recruitment of Chris and Dan is a further significant step in delivering that strategy. They are top-of-the-market partners and terrific additions to our global team.’
Chair of the Americas and global chair of corporate George Casey added: ‘Chris and Dan joining us is a clear signal of the scale of our ambition in the US. They strengthen our offering at a time when clients are looking for elite capability across practices, and build on the momentum we have created.’
Linklaters has continued to build its US offering this year, appointing Maria Zaino as chief operating officer for the Americas in February. Zaino joined from A&O Shearman, after more than two decades at legacy Shearman & Sterling. Her move reunited her with Casey, the former global managing partner of Shearman, who joined Linklaters in 2024.
The moves come as activity in the sports sector reaches a fever pitch. Earlier this week Paul Hastings launched its global sports practice, bringing over Baltimore Ravens GC Brandon Etheridge, with London partner Mark Zerdin, who joined Paul Hastings from Slaughter and May this February, to chair the practice.
Other firms making major moves in the sector this year include Simpson Thacher, which hired three sports partners in April, including new practice co-heads Michael Kuh from Hogan Lovells and Eric Geffner from Sidley Austin, as well as Latham & Watkins, which hired two partners in January, also from Hogan Lovells, bringing in Matthew Eisler, now head of sports capital, and Russell Hedman.
Last November, Davis Polk launched a sports practice, hiring senior Proskauer partner Jon Oram to lead.
For its part, Paul Weiss announced the launch of its dedicated sports practice last October, when the firm was also named the official law firm of the New York and New Jersey host committee for the 2026 World Cup.
The firm has made a number of hires in other practices across the US in recent months, bringing over ‘superstar’ restructuring partner James Sprayregen as co-head of restructuring and debt capital solutions from Kirkland & Ellis last month, as well as hiring a pair of M&A partners from Akin and Dechert across its Houston and New York offices.
