Legal Business

Clifford Chance names Cohen first New York managing partner amid fresh bid to crack America with Houston office opening

In the wake of Allen & Overy’s stated ambition to merge with Shearman & Sterling, announced in May, Magic Circle peers have found themselves in the unenviable position of having to demonstrate to the market that they also have a coherent US expansion strategy.

Clifford Chance (CC) did not disappoint, on 15 June naming Ness Cohen as the first ever managing partner of its New York office. Cohen, a real estate lawyer by trade, has worked at CC since 1998 and was promoted to the partnership in 2007. He has also held the positions of regional practice area leader of the Americas real estate practice and chair of the Americas personnel committee.