Law Firm Partner Moves in London - Issue 44

January - February 2018

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Welcome to the latest round up of lateral partner moves in the legal market from Edwards Gibson where we look back at announced partner-level recruitment activity in London over the past two months and give you a ‘who’s moved where’ update.

In all there was a total of 91 lateral partner moves announced in this round up – 22% down on the same period last year when the figures were artificially buoyed by the collapse of King & Wood Mallesons’ European verein.

Although fewer than the preceding two years, the number of moves in this edition corresponds almost exactly to the statistical average over the same period for the past 5 years (see graph below).

Lateral Partner Moves January - February 2018

A total of 7 firms hired three or more partners in the first two months of this year. Surprisingly, the most prolific recruiter was the traditionally ultra conservative all equity White Shoe firm Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy. Milbank snared a full half-dozen new partners – comprising a four-partner restructuring and corporate team, and a two-partner high yield US capital markets team - from fellow New Yorkers Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft and Shearman & Sterling.

Top partner recruiters in London January-February 2018

Milbank Tweed: 6
K&L Gates: 4
Charles Russell Speechlys: 4
Brown Rudnick: 3
Fieldfisher: 3
Osborne Clarke: 3
Simmons & Simmons: 3

So, an interesting, but not dramatic, start to the New Year. If law firms are feeling any uncertainty from the on-going Brexit negotiations, or the prospect of another snap general election arising from the inherent instability of the UK’s hung parliament, these figures do not appear to show it.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to discuss this article or any other aspect of the market in more depth.

Scott Gibson, Director scott.gibson@edwardsgibson.com

Sloane Poulton, Director sloane.poulton@edwardsgibson.com

Mark Coates, Senior Consultant mark.coates@edwardsgibson.com

Please click here to understand our methodology for compiling Partner Moves

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