SJ movers and shakers

Horwich Farrelly rebrands and hires new chief

Insurance industry firm Horwich Farrelly has announced the appointment of its new chairman, John O'Roarke. An acknowledged heavyweight in the insurance sector, O'Roarke spent the last decade at LV= and, before that, at RBS Insurance. Currently managing director of LV= General Insurance, O'Roarke takes up the new role ahead of his departure from the insurer later this year.

Kennedys Americas expansion continues

Kennedys has continued its international expansion into the Americas with two key appointments, allowing it to practise US law for the first time.

Florida-qualified Neil Bayer and Florida and Pennsylvania-qualified Dan Sanders will oversee the firm's US advisory capability from Kennedys' Miami office.

In a further development, Kennedys continues to strengthen its reach into the Latin American (re)insurance market by forming an association in Argentina with local firm Alberto Bunge & Asociados (ABA). This complements Kennedys's existing associations in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico.

DLA Piper expands in Africa

DLA Piper Africa has announced that Angolan firm ADCA has become a member with effect from 1 December 2015, bringing the total number of law firms in the group to 15. Based in Luanda, ADCA is a full service law firm with 16 lawyers and partners in total. The firm is in partnership with firm ABBC, in Lisbon, Portugal, with whom DLA Piper has an existing relationship.

Baker & McKenzie hires former Canadian Cabinet Minister

Peter MacKay PC QC, the former Canadian attorney general and minister of justice, will join Baker & McKenzie as a partner in Toronto. MacKay is returning to the practice of law and will advise on a range of matters, including government and regulatory enforcement and compliance matters. He will also provide strategic advice to Canadian companies doing business globally and international companies doing business in Canada. His appointment is effective 1 February.

Walker Morris expands expertise with senior appointment from DWF

Walker Morris has expanded its corporate group with the appointment of new partner Daniel O'Gorman. He joins from DWF where he was national head of the equity capital markets group. O'Gorman brings over 18 years' experience of working in the City having previously spent ten years at Travers Smith.

ULaw secures exclusive training deal with Fieldfisher

The University of Law (ULaw) has been chosen as the sole provider of legal training for international firm Fieldfisher for the next three years following a competitive tender. Fieldfisher's new trainees will begin studying for the graduate diploma in law and legal practice course with ULaw in August 2016 at the University's London Moorgate centre.

Bryan Cave London makes 13th lawyer hire by in the past 12 months

Bryan Cave has announced that associate Ping He has joined the international firm's transactions client service group from Dechert. Fluent in Mandarin, she practises in the area of corporate law and has a market focus on China, having gained considerable experience of advising clients who are expanding into China from previous commercial and legal roles. She is the thirteenth lawyer hire by Bryan Cave's London office in the past year.

TLW make Headway for brain injury survivors

TLW Solicitors is celebrating after becoming an approved member of the Head Injury Solicitors Directory 2016 for national charity Headway - the brain injury association. The affiliation recognises the North East based law firm as showing expertise in dealing with brain injury compensation claims whilst working within Headway's personal injury lawyers code of conduct.

Gold standard for Bevan Brittan

Bevan Brittan has been awarded the Investors in People gold standard - joining the top 7 per cent of similarly accredited organisations across the UK. The standard is only given to firms who can demonstrate excellence in developing and supporting their people. The firm needed to meet more than 162 individual standards that included leadership, commitment to the business strategy, personal development, and social responsibility.

Druces strengthens restructuring and insolvency team

Business and private wealth firm Druces has hired David Wright from the London office of Gowlings. Wright will act as consultant on a broad range of restructuring, insolvency, and fraud matters but will have a particular focus on developing the firm's multi-jurisdictional work, especially in the US and Europe.

Hodge Jones & Allen confirms disease team hire from Slater & Gordon

Hodge Jones & Allen has strengthened its industrial disease team with the appointment of senior associate Andrew James. James brings with him over 30 years of experience in personal injury, with 25 of those focussing on industrial disease and asbestos disease cases. He joins Hodge Jones & Allen following four years at Slater & Gordon. Prior to this, James spent time with Thompsons, Rowley Ashworth, and Fentons.

SAS Daniels welcomes nine new appointments after a record year

North West firm SAS Daniels has announced nine new appointments over the past three months as part of ambitious plans for 2016 and to support record growth in 2015. The new appointments include two partners, three associate solicitors, one solicitor, two assistant solicitors and an HR consultant. The appointments will work across four service areas: employment, property, corporate and commercial, and family.

The new appointments include Paul Tyrer, associate solicitor, corporate team; Clare Bromley, HR consultant; Angela Moores, partner, family team; Sarah Jones, assistant solicitor, family; Neil Powell, partner, commercial property team; Scott Tams, associate solicitor, commercial property team; Stewart Smith, associate solicitor, commercial property team; Emily Clarke, solicitor, commercial property team; and Amy Dickens, assistant solicitor, residential property.

BonelliErede poaches strong corporate team of nine

BonelliErede is starting the New Year with a key appointment: Massimiliano Danusso, who joins the firm as a partner in the banking and finance practice and is also taking over the role of managing partner of the London office. Danusso joins from Allen & Overy, where he acted as managing partner of the Italian offices and head of the Italian international capital markets practice.

Also joining the firm is a team of eight lawyers who have previously worked with Danusso. The new working group will be headquartered in London, though some of the team members will be based in Rome and Milan.