SJ movers and shakers

Hodge Jones & Allen strengthens its personal injury team

Hodge Jones & Allen has continued to strengthen its personal injury team with the hiring of solicitors Emma Lythell and Steven Violet.

Violet joins HJA after seven years at Silverbeck Rymer, while Lythell joins from Universa Law. The new recruits will primarily focus on employers' liability and occupiers' liability claims following an ongoing increase of HJA's work in these key practice areas.

Anne Sanders, a partner and head of personal injury at HJA, said: 'This addition of new talent comes at a time of significant growth for the firm. Emma and Steven are both impressive litigators and their appointments are further evidence that our personal injury practice is going from strength to strength. We very much look forward working with them.'

Baker Botts hires former NASA engineer as IP partner

Baker Botts has announced the hiring of David B Weaver, who joins the firm's Austin, Texas, office as a partner.

Weaver is a nationally recognised trial lawyer with a depth of experience in all aspects of trial work. His practice focuses on complex technology and patent litigation, as well as litigation regarding digital media, software and copyright, trade secrets, licensing disputes, semiconductors, and energy. Weaver is a former assistant US attorney and a former engineer for NASA's Johnson Space Centre in Houston.

The firm has also announced that Stephen Weissman, the deputy director of the Bureau of Competition of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is to rejoin the firm as a partner.

Weissman started his career in 1994, and from 2002 to 2011 was a partner with Howrey. In 2011, he and a number of antitrust partners joined Baker Botts where he was a partner until 2013, when he accepted his appointment to the FTC.

Beaumont expands legal offering with wills and probate service

Beaumont Legal has unveiled Libby Holding as its latest recruit, joining the firm as head of wills and probate.

The Yorkshire firm has tripled in size since 2013 and has one of the largest conveyancing practices in the country. The appointment of Holding, a solicitor and non-practising barrister, to develop the department marks a dramatic expansion for the firm.

Nick Masheder, the firm's managing partner, said: 'Our conveyancing business has been a huge success over the last few years and we're keen to expand our offering with additional areas of specialism. Libby's appointment is a key element for our continuing growth plans.'

DLA Piper advise on Australia's largest IPO of 2015

DLA Piper has advised Link Group on its initial public offering (IPO), the largest IPO of the year in Australia, with a market capitalisation of AU$2.3bn. DLA Piper's team was led by its head of private equity, Grant Koch, and equity capital markets specialist partner Catherine Merity.

The team also comprised senior associates Tim Perry and Rosa Sayer, as well as lawyers Abhinav Yarrapotu and Rube Uthayakuma, and involved specialists across multiple practice groups in the UK, Germany, New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Canada, France, Italy, South Africa, and the Middle East.

Linklaters bolsters New York antitrust practice

Linklaters has revealed that senior antitrust lawyer Douglas Tween has been elected as a partner in its global competition/antitrust practice. He will be based in New York and Washington, DC.

For 15 years Tween was a trial attorney in the antitrust division of the US Department of Justice (DoJ). He joined Linklaters from Baker & McKenzie, where he was most recently chair of the firm's white collar practice group and head of the firm's New York litigation department.

Clifford Chance makes major hire to its corporate practice in Germany

Clifford Chance has strengthened its global corporate practice with a prominent addition to the German team.

Anselm Raddatz has joined from fellow Magic Circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, where he was a partner in the corporate/M&A practice and co-head of the global energy and natural resources group. He will be based in Clifford Chance's Düsseldorf office.

Raddatz will become the co-head of the firm's corporate practice in Germany alongside Thomas Krecek. He will also become a member of Clifford Chance's global corporate leadership group (GCLG).

Withers advises Newlat on acquisition of Heinz baby food plant

International firm Withers has advised Italian food producer Newlat on the acquisition of a manufacturing plant in Ozzano Taro, Italy, from Heinz.

The deal includes a co-pack arrangement for Newlat to manufacture infant milks and nutrition products, including the Kraft Heinz-owned Plasmon, Nipiol, Aproten, Dieterba, and Bi-Aglut brands, which Kraft Heinz will continue to sell.

The Withers team was led by special counsel Sharon Whitehouse, based in the firm's Milan office, and comprised members of its corporate and IP teams from London and Milan, including corporate partner Ben Simpson, IP partner Kenny Mullen, and associates Claire Pardo, Tom Noad, and James Neal.