SJ movers and shakers

Orrick expands London finance and corporate teams

Orrick has announced the addition of two more partners to its rapidly growing London office, adding Dominic O'Brien to the firm's finance team and Weyinmi Popo to the firm's M&A and private equity practice and Africa team. Both partners join Orrick from Jones Day.

These additions means Orrick has recruited 11 lateral partners to its London office since 2014. Douglas Lahnborg, head of Orrick's London office, said: 'Orrick has terrific momentum in London. Our global focus on the energy and infrastructure, finance, and technology sectors is resonating with both clients and top-tier talent. Dominic and Weyinmi each exemplify our commitment to these industries.'

Recorder appointment for Cartwright King in-house counsel

Julie Warburton, an in-house counsel with Cartwright King, has been appointed as a Recorder on the Midlands Circuit in what is believed to be the first female in-house counsel to be appointed to the office.

Warburton joined Cartwright King in 2013 and forms part of its bespoke in-house chambers. Having practised criminal law for over 22 years Warburton's career at the criminal Bar has seen her deal in both prosecution and defence across the entire criminal spectrum.

Serle Court announces top chancery hires

Leading commercial and chancery set Serle Court has revealed the imminent arrival of Richard Wilson QC and Constance McDonnell who will be joining chambers from 3 Stone Buildings on 29 February 2016.

Wilson was called to the Bar in 1996 and takes silk this year, while McDonnell has recently appeared in several highly publicised High Court cases including a successful probate claim based on undue influence; another successful probate claim by charities concerning a schizophrenic testator; and defending a professional trustee against allegations of breach of trust.

Augusta Ventures expands to cope with growing funding demand

Augusta Ventures has continued its expansion with the appointment of a business development director and four associates to investigate potential investments.

The recruitment drive - which takes Augusta to 18 staff - comes in response to growing demand among law firms and their clients to secure litigation finance.

Business development director Rebekah Weiler is a New York-qualified lawyer joins from specialist broker TheJudge, where she was an associate director focused on high-value commercial litigation and arbitration cases and after-the-event (ATE) insurance broking.

The four new associates are Marianne Manongdo, who joins from the Financial Ombudsman Service; Tasnim Rahman, previously in the compliance team of Euler Hermes; Sandeep Reayt, former operations manager at Hillcroft Residential College For Women; and Grace Reohorn, who joins from The Help Agency.

Gilson Gray swoops on residential conveyancing team

Scotland's fastest-growing new full service law firm has acquired the services of a residential property team from an Edinburgh-based competitor.

Gilson Gray has hired Deborah McCathie as a partner and head of residential conveyancing. McCathie, who spent nine years at Warners, will be based primarily in the firm's Edinburgh office and is to be tasked with further expanding the expert residential property team throughout Scotland.

A number of McCathie's former Warners team also join Gilson Gray, including Emma Mackenzie, who trained at Morton Fraser, and Cheryl Anderson, a senior solicitor who started her career at Neilsons.

Leading IP firm boosts litigation practice with new hires

European IP firm Carpmaels & Ransford has expanded its patent litigation and life sciences practices with the appointment of four specialists.

David Wilson joins the firm as a partner from Herbert Smith Freehills. Life sciences and transactions specialist Jake Marshall also joins as a partner from Arnold & Porter. Senior associate Jennifer Antcliff from Actavis/Allergan joins senior associate Sarah Johnson, who arrived at Carpmaels from Hogan Lovells last year.

The new hires boost the firm's litigation practice, which was expanded in 2014 with the hire of Ian Kirby and Jonathan Day from Arnold & Porter, and Camilla Balleny and Lucy Sewter from Pinsent Masons.

Securities litigator joins Cooley

Securities litigator Patrick Gibbs has joined Cooley as a partner in the Palo Alto office from Latham & Watkins. Gibbs specialises in securities class actions and derivative litigation, SEC investigations and enforcement proceedings, and internal corporate investigations.

Already in 2016, partner Steven Tonsfeldt has joined Cooley's Palo Alto office from O'Melveny & Myers, where he was chair of its global M&A and private equity practice. His arrival was followed by partner Louise Delahunty in London, who joined from Sullivan and Cromwell.

DLA Piper bolsters Finance capability with Saudi-based partner

DLA Piper has appointed leading Saudi Arabian-based banking and finance specialist, Paul Latto, to its partnership in the Middle East. Latto joins the firm from Clifford Chance, where he had been a partner since 2013, prior to which he was with Linklaters.

Based primarily in DLA Piper's Riyadh office, Latto will continue his focus on Saudi Arabia, while also playing an active role in strengthening the firm's finance capabilities across the broader region.

Latto is the latest in a number of high-profile lateral partner hires made by DLA. In the last two months alone, the firm appointed Slaughter & May's former head of derivatives, Mark Dwyer; Baker & McKenzie's former head of capital markets, Vincent Keaveny; and also former Latham & Watkins leveraged finance lawyer Andy Kolacki in London.

These appointments follow the hire of Latham & Watkins partner, Okko Behrends, in Frankfurt in November and, prior to that, Luciano Morello, who joined the firm in Italy from Hogan Lovells.

Kennedys boosts Dublin office with partner hire

International firm Kennedys has expanded its Dublin office with the appointment of Daniel Scanlon who joins from Maples & Calder as a partner.Scanlon qualified with Mayer Brown in London in 2002 and worked in its New York office before then moving to Simmons & Simmons in Hong Kong and a stint at Mathesons in Dublin. He specialises in high-value and complex litigation. He recently lead the €1bn professional negligence case arising from the collapse of Quinn Insurance.

The latest appointment builds on recent recruitment and expansion across the firm. Kennedys recently appointed two new partners to its Birmingham office, opened a new office and two new associations in Scandinavia, expanded its capability in the US, and formed an association in Argentina.

Fieldfisher hires three partner IP team from Rouse

European firm Fieldfisher has boosted its IP group and its life sciences practice with the hire of Rouse's three-partner life sciences patent litigation team.

The team is led by Diana Sternfeld, who established Rouse's patent practice in 2001. She is joined by Nicole Jadeja, who joined Rouse from Nabarro in January 2008, and Rebecca Baines, who joined from Slaughter and May in September 2005. Both were made partners in May 2014.

Anthony Gold hires new private client head

Carrie Duncan has become the new head of private client, probate, and trusts at Anthony Gold. The appointment is seen as an important move for the firm as she brings additional technical expertise and strategic direction at partner level.  

David Marshall, managing partner, welcomed Duncan to the firm saying: 'The addition of Carrie to the private client team just adds to our overall client offering. We now have an even stronger team that complements the other specialist services we already offer.'

Duncan said: 'I’m excited to bring my experience to an already established team which I will continue to grow in line with the strategy of the firm. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop the private client services of Anthony Gold and work with the well-respected personal injury and housing departments to enhance the overall client offering.'