Who Made Big Attorney Hires Over the Past Two Weeks?

With 126 notable attorney hires in the prior two-week period, we are looking at around 2,600 hires of this caliber a year.

Michael Allen

Ed. note: This is the latest installment in a series of posts from Lateral Link’s team of expert contributors. Michael Allen is the CEO of Lateral Link. He is based in the Los Angeles office and focuses exclusively on Partner and General Counsel placements for top firms and companies. Prior to founding Lateral Link in 2006, he worked as an attorney at both Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and Irell & Manella LLP. Michael graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, San Diego before earning his JD, cum laude, from Harvard Law School.

Although we usually cover the market trends from a bird’s eye view, this week we’d like to dive into the past two weeks of big attorney hires. We count 126 in total.

Thursday, September 21st, 2017

  1. Mika Majoinen appointed Kesko’s EVP, Group General Counsel and a member of the Group Management Board – GlobeNewswire (press release), (General Counsel), September 21, 2017
  2. Womble Carlyle Strengthens Retail & Restaurant Real Estate Practice with Addition of Attorney Jennifer Shea, (Womble Carlyle), September 20, 2017
  3. Sucampo Pharmaceuticals Appoints Alex Driggs as General Counsel – GlobeNewswire (press release), (General Counsel), September 20, 2017
  4. Perkins Coie Strengthens Private Equity Practice in Washington, D.C., (Perkins Coie), September 20, 2017
  5. Reed Smith Adds Experienced State Tax Litigator in Chicago, (Reed Smith), September 20, 2017
  6. Carlson Hotels General Counsel Kerry Olson Joins FaegreBD’s Franchise Practice, (Faegre Baker Daniels), September 20, 2017
  7. William P. Bresnahan II Joins Gordon & Rees as Partner in the Pittsburgh Office, (Gordon & Rees), September 20, 2017
  8. Dentons strengthens structured finance offering in Milan, (Dentons), September 20, 2017
  9. Dentons hires new Australian competition practice head from K&L Gates – Australasian Lawyer, (K & L Gates; Dentons), September 20, 2017
  10. White & Case gains EU competition heavyweight – CDR News Magazine, (White & Case; McDermott Will), September 21, 2017
  11. Robert E. Holden and Ivan R. Reich Join Jones Walker LLP – Business Wire (press release), (Jones Walker), September 20, 2017
  12. Kilpatrick Townsend Names Kristopher Reed Managing Partner of Shanghai Office – Markets Insider, (Kilpatrick Townsend), September 20, 2017
  13. Ervin Cohen & Jessup Bolsters Corporate Practice with Partner Sander Zagzebski – Markets Insider, (Latham & Watkins), September 20, 2017
  14. Stroock adds partner to Private Funds Group – HedgeWeek, (Stroock & Stroock), September 20, 2017
  15. Experienced trial and litigation attorney joins Holland & Knight – CDR News Magazine, (Clifford Chance; Holland & Knight), September 20, 2017

Wednesday, September 20th, 2017

  1. Dorsey Adds Cross-Border Deals Veteran Karen Fan – Business Wire (press release), (Dorsey & Whitney), September 20, 2017
  2. Stroock Expands Private Funds Group with Addition of Partner Eric Requenez – Markets Insider, (Skadden Arps; Stroock & Stroock), September 20, 2017
  3. Vedder Price Expands Global Transportation Finance Practice – Monitor Daily, (Vedder Price), September 19, 2017
  4. Duane Morris Announces Leadership Change at Helm – Bloomberg Big Law Business, (Duane Morris), September 19, 2017
  5. Kobre & Kim Continues Expansion With Hire of Insolvency Partner in NY – The American Lawyer, (Brown Rudnick), September 19, 2017
  6. King & Spalding Lands Former Top Bank Lawyer in NY – Bloomberg Big Law Business, (Cadwalader Wickersham; King & Spalding), September 19, 2017
  7. Business litigator joins Barnes & Thornburg – CDR News Magazine, (Faegre Baker Daniels), September 19, 2017
  8. Corporate Partner David Gershon Joins Sheppard Mullin San … – EIN News (press release), (Sheppard Mullin), September 19, 2017
  9. Gardner joins Sidley Austin – Global Trade Review (GTR), (Sidley Austin), September 19, 2017
  10. New GC for Burford Capital – CDR News Magazine, (Weil Gotshal), September 19, 2017
  11. Former US Department Of Justice Lead Environmental Lawyer Sam Hirsch Rejoins Jenner & Block In Washington, DC – LifePulseHealth, (Jenner & Block), September 19, 2017

Tuesday, September 19th, 2017

  1. Cozen O’Connor Continues to Expand National Labor & Employment Department and Denver office, Adding Jake Rubinstein, Formerly of University of Chicago, (Cozen O’Connor), September 18, 2017
  2. Hogan Lovells restructures UK operations with 90 roles cut or moved to Johannesburg and Birmingham – Legal Week, (Hogan Lovells), September 18, 2017
  3. McDermott Adds Partner to Finance and Private Equity Practices, (McDermott Will), September 18, 2017
  4. Cadwalader Strengthens Antitrust Practice with Addition of Former FTC Official Bilal Sayyed, (Cadwalader), September 18, 2017
  5. Patent Attorney Matt Kamps Joins Intellectual Property Practice, (Faegre Baker Daniels), September 18, 2017
  6. Former EU Ambassador Gardner Joins Sidley Austin – Broadcasting & Cable, (Sidley Austin), September 18, 2017
  7. Mike Hatchell’s Move to Haynes and Boone Draws Media Attention, (Haynes and Boone), September 18, 2017
  8. Erin Beatty Joins U of A Office of General Counsel – University of Arkansas Newswire, (General Counsel), September 19, 2017
  9. Katten Adds Claudine Chen-Young to Structured Finance and Securitization Team, (Katten Muchin Rosenman), September 18, 2017
  10. Pillsbury Lands ex-GE Capital Technology Lead William Bandon, (Pillsbury Winthrop), September 18, 2017
  11. Vedder Price Expands Global Transportation Finance Practice with London Partner Dylan Potter, (Vedder Price), September 18, 2017
  12. Norton Rose Fulbright adds patent litigation partner in New York, (Norton Rose), September 18, 2017
  13. Leading Structured Finance Lawyer Joins Latham & Watkins in London, (Latham & Watkins), September 18, 2017
  14. Corporate Partner David Gershon Joins Sheppard Mullin San Francisco, (Sheppard Mullin), September 18, 2017
  15. Former Lead Administrative Patent Judge Trenton Ward Joins Finnegan, (Finnegan Henderson), September 18, 2017
  16. Fasken Martineau welcomes a new partner to its Québec City office, (Faskens), September 18, 2017
  17. Wake Up Call: Uber Close to Hiring a Top Legal Executive, Reports … – Bloomberg Big Law Business, (Paul Weiss; Covington & Burling), September 19, 2017
  18. Leading Antitrust and Advertising Lawyer Jules Stuyck Joins Crowell & Moring’s Brussels Office – Markets Insider, (Crowell & Moring), September 18, 2017
  19. Matthew L. Fedowitz Joins Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney – IPWatchdog.com, (Buchanan Ingersoll), September 18, 2017
  20. Dentons Boekel adds two partners to Amsterdam practice – The Lawyer’s Daily (subscription), (Clifford Chance; Dentons), September 18, 2017
  21. Latham hires veteran structured finance lawyer – GlobalCapital, (Latham & Watkins), September 18, 2017

Monday, September 18th, 2017

  1. Uber Set to Name Expedia Alum Burke Norton as General Counsel … – Skift, (General Counsel), September 17, 2017
  2. Round Up: This Week’s General Counsel Moves – Bloomberg Big Law Business, (General Counsel), September 15, 2017
  3. Corrs construction specialist joins global firm – Australasian Lawyer, (Squire Patton Boggs), September 18, 2017
  4. Ogletree Deakins snaps up employment team – The Global Legal Post, (Montgomery McCracken; Ogletree Deakins), September 15, 2017
  5. Securities Litigation Partner Robert Weber Joins Sheppard Mullin Century City – Markets Insider, (Sheppard Mullin), September 15, 2017
  6. Dentons Rodyk lands litigation partner in SG from CC Asia – Legal Business Online, (Clifford Chance; Dentons), September 15, 2017

Friday, September 15th, 2017

  1. Experienced State and Local Tax Attorney Rejoins Holland & Hart’s Salt Lake City Office, (Holland & Hart), September 14, 2017
  2. Gordon & Rees Expands New England Presence with Rhode Island Office and Addition of Five Attorneys, (Gordon & Rees), September 14, 2017
  3. Honigman Adds Partner in Kalamazoo, (Honigman), September 14, 2017
  4. Pepper Hamilton Strengthens Services for Financial Institutions With Two Additions, (Pepper Hamilton), September 14, 2017
  5. Shook, Hardy & Bacon expands IP practice – IPPro Patents, (Shook Hardy), September 14, 2017
  6. Ogletree Deakins adds four attorneys to its Philadelphia outpost – Reuters, (Montgomery McCracken; Ogletree Deakins), September 14, 2017
  7. Global law firm adds new partner to Asia employment practice – Australasian Lawyer, (Winston & Strawn; McDermott Will), September 14, 2017
  8. Simmons continues China employment expansion with local firm hire – Legal Business Online, (Winston & Strawn), September 14, 2017
  9. Squire Patton Boggs adds construction specialist to dispute resolution team – Australasian Lawyer, (Squire Patton Boggs), September 14, 2017
  10. Squire Patton Boggs Boosts Corporate Practice With Partner Appointment – The Big UK Newsroom, (Squire Patton Boggs), September 14, 2017
  11. King & Spalding adds FRC executive director in London – CDR News Magazine, (King & Spalding), September 14, 2017

Thursday, September 14th, 2017

  1. Honigman Adds Partner in Ann Arbor Office, (Honigman), September 13, 2017
  2. Reinhart Adds Shareholder Frank Pitsoulakis to its Real Estate Practice, (Reinhart Boerner), September 13, 2017
  3. Burford Capital appoints Mark Klein as general counsel – The Global … – The Global Legal Post, (General Counsel), September 13, 2017
  4. Hogan Lovells hires New Counsel to bolster Capital Markets practice in Paris, (Hogan Lovells), September 13, 2017
  5. Neil Rajan Joins Locke Lord as Partner; Strengthens Corporate Presence in Dallas, (Locke Lord Edwards), September 13, 2017
  6. Vinson & Elkins Expands London Corporate Practice with Additions … – Markets Insider, (Clifford Chance), September 13, 2017
  7. Corrs construction specialist joins global firm – Australasian Lawyer, (Squire Patton Boggs), September 13, 2017
  8. Former General Counsel for the US Intelligence Community Joins Morrison & Foerster in Washington, DC – PR Web (press release), (Morrison & Foerster), September 13, 2017
  9. Norton Rose Fulbright boosts patent practice – IPPro Patents, (Fried Frank), September 13, 2017
  10. Sidley Austin hires former assistant US attorney and appeals chief in LA – CDR News Magazine, (Sidley Austin), September 13, 2017

Wednesday, September 13th, 2017

  1. Burford Capital appoints Mark Klein as general counsel – The Global Legal Post, (General Counsel), September 12, 2017
  2. Former General Counsel for the U.S. Intelligence Community Joins Morrison & Foerster in Washington, D.C., (Morrison & Foerster), September 12, 2017
  3. Cadwalader Expands Litigation Team with Three New Partners, (Cadwalader), September 12, 2017
  4. Michelle Obama’s chief of staff Tina Tchen joins Buckley Sandler law … – Chicago Business Journal, (Skadden Arps), September 13, 2017
  5. Jackson Lewis Employment Practice Joined by Morgan Brown Employment Attorney – Lawfuel (blog), (Jackson Lewis), September 12, 2017
  6. Norton Rose Fulbright Adds Patent Litigation Partner in New York … – Business Wire (press release), (Fried Frank), September 12, 2017
  7. Data protection specialist joins Latham in SF – CDR News Magazine, (Latham & Watkins; Wilson Sonsini), September 12, 2017
  8. Vinson & Elkins Expands London Corporate Practice with Additions of John Dawson and Federico Fruhbeck – Markets Insider, (Vinson & Elkins), September 12, 2017
  9. Former Fed CIO Scott Joins International Law Firm – MeriTalk (blog), (Squire Patton Boggs), September 12, 2017
  10. Former US Department Of Justice Lead Environmental Lawyer Sam Hirsch Rejoins Jenner & Block In Washington, DC – Markets Insider, (Jenner & Block), September 12, 2017

Tuesday, September 12th, 2017

  1. Bruce Bloomingdale Joins Dechert’s Global Finance Practice, (Dechert), September 11, 2017
  2. McDermott hires cybersecurity and privacy partner in London – CDR News Magazine, (McDermott Will; Paul Hastings), September 11, 2017
  3. McDermott Continues to Expand Private Equity Capabilities in Chicago, (McDermott Will), September 11, 2017
  4. Jeff Moorad Joins Morgan Lewis to Lead Firm’s Global Sports Industry Initiative, (Morgan Lewis), September 11, 2017
  5. Morgan Lewis Adds Top Employment Lawyer in London, (Morgan Lewis), September 11, 2017
  6. Norton Rose Fulbright expands real estate practice in Hamburg, (Norton Rose), September 11, 2017
  7. Sidley Welcomes Environmental Partner Justin Savage In Washington, DC – Pollution Online (press release), (Sidley Austin), September 11, 2017
  8. Former federal CIO Tony Scott joins law firm – Washington Technology, (Squire Patton Boggs), September 12, 2017
  9. Former DOJ White Collar Prosecutor Sarah M. Hall Joins Thompson Hine in Washington, D.C., (Thompson Hine), September 11, 2017
  10. Winston & Strawn Adds Two Partners to California IP Practice – IPWatchdog.com, (Kirkland & Ellis; Winston & Strawn), September 11, 2017
  11. Laureate Education, Inc. Announces Appointment of Chief Legal Officer – EIN News (press release), (Morgan Lewis), September 11, 2017
  12. Groundbreaking New Boutique Hires Legal Wunderkind – Above the Law, (Paul Weiss), September 11, 2017

Monday, September 11th, 2017

  1. Norton Rose Fulbright to add corporate partner in Sydney for Asia-Pacific cross-border practice, (Norton Rose), September 11, 2017
  2. Huntington Bancshares Names Jana Litsey as New General Counsel – PR Newswire (press release), (General Counsel), September 10, 2017
  3. Three IP partners join BakerHostetler – CDR News Magazine, (Baker Hostetler), September 9, 2017
  4. FCC Names Degani New Acting General Counsel | Broadcasting … – Broadcasting & Cable, (General Counsel), September 9, 2017
  5. Round Up: New Face at AIG and Boeing May Have an Opening – Bloomberg Big Law Business, (General Counsel), September 8, 2017
  6. Former DOJ White Collar Prosecutor Sarah M. Hall Joins Thompson Hine in Washington, DC – satPRnews (press release), (Thompson Hine), September 8, 2017
  7. DLA Piper Expands Restructuring Group in San Francisco – ABL Advisor, (DLA Piper), September 8, 2017
  8. Blank Rome Welcomes Former Small Business Administration Deputy GC in Washington, DC – IT Business Net (press release), (Blank Rome; Kelley Drye), September 8, 2017
  9. Wilson Sonsini disruptive team to join Cooley in Silicon Valley – The Global Legal Post, (Wilson Sonsini), September 8, 2017
  10. Greenberg Traurig expands its Central European Real Estate Team by 11 – Property Magazine International, (Greenberg Traurig), September 8, 2017

Friday, September 8th, 2017

  1. Cota Appoints Elizabeth Rushforth, Former SVP and Legal Counsel at MedeAnalytics, as Chief Legal Officer – Markets Insider, (General Counsel), September 8, 2017
  2. AIG appoints new general counsel change – Australasian Lawyer, (General Counsel), September 7, 2017
  3. Michael Best Adds Six Lawyers Amid Broader Growth Play, (Michael Best), September 7, 2017
  4. Cooley Bulks Up With Another Three Wilson Hires | Big Law Business – Bloomberg Big Law Business, (Wilson Sonsini; Cooley), September 8, 2017
  5. Acclaimed Attorney & Advocate Gary Jackson Joins Law Offices of James Scott Farrin – Benzinga, (Womble Carlyle), September 7, 2017
  6. Former FTC Chief Joins Hogan Lovells to Lead Antitrust Group – Bloomberg BNA, (Hogan Lovells), September 7, 2017
  7. PwC, KPMG & EY secure top tier legal talent while White & Case lures KWM partner – The Australian Financial Review, (White & Case; DLA Piper), September 7, 2017
  8. David S. Cohen, Former CIA Deputy Director and Treasury Undersecretary, Rejoins WilmerHale – EIN News (press release), (Wilmer Hale), September 7, 2017
  9. Michael L. Connor, Former Interior Department Deputy Secretary, Joins WilmerHale – MENAFN.COM, (Wilmer Hale), September 7, 2017
  10. Jenner & Block Strengthens Its Corporate Practice With The Return Of Aon In-House Counsel Michael T. Wolf As A … – PR Newswire (press release), (Jenner & Block), September 7, 2017

With 126 notable attorney hires in the prior two-week period, we are looking at around 2,600 hires of this caliber a year.  If you have any questions about what to expect as candidate or employer, feel free to call my colleagues at Lateral Link and Cadence Counsel with questions, as we can dive into the specifics or just help you understand general trends.  Knowing the competition, or at least benchmarking your peers, is necessary to understanding where you stand in the market.


Lateral Link is one of the top-rated international legal recruiting firms. With over 14 offices world-wide, Lateral Link specializes in placing attorneys at the most prestigious law firms and companies in the world. Managed by former practicing attorneys from top law schools, Lateral Link has a tradition of hiring lawyers to execute the lateral leaps of practicing attorneys. Click ::here:: to find out more about us.