Click here for Partner Moves March- April 2022
Welcome to the 68th edition of law firm partner moves, from the specialist partner team at 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.
This bi-monthly round-up contains 79 partner moves – unsurprisingly down 5% on the 83 we saw for the same period in 2021 (a record year in real terms), but comfortably above the cumulative five-year and ten-year averages - 71 and 68 respectively. In terms of laterals (partner-to-partner hires), there were 60 in total, an 8% drop on the 65 this time last year.

The most acquisitive firm this edition was international verein Squire Patton Boggs, which hired five partners (four lateral, one vertical), across white collar crime, privacy, and projects.
The two most striking moves this edition were: Boston-born Ropes & Gray’s swipe on US rival, Fried Frank, for a three-partner private equity team; and Linklaters’ raid on Houston headquartered Vinson & Elkins for a leveraged finance/ high yield trio. The Linklaters hire marks the third large-scale grab on the beleaguered London office of Vinson & Elkins over the past 9 months - which has also seen it lose similar sized private equity/ finance teams to Sidley & Austin and Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.
Linklaters is far from the only magic circle firm to hire this edition: Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance,and Freshfields welcome laterals from Skadden (international arbitration), Norton Rose (TMT), and Dickson Minto (private equity) respectively. Indeed, 2022 has seen the usually conservative magic circle cabal hire 10 partners so far.
In addition to Linklaters and Ropes & Gray, over the past two months, two other firms have taken on three partner teams: Harbottle & Lewis (TMT and data privacy from Deloitte Legal) and Osborne Clarke (energy and finance from Orrick). Simmons & Simmons also joins the list of top recruiters this edition with three hires comprising a leading real estate duo from Stephenson Harwood and a vertical hire in renewable energy from Clifford Chance. Similarly, DLA welcomed three laterals across project finance, public law, and tax from Shearman & Sterling, Bates Wells, and BCLP, respectively.
Top partner recruiters in London March– April 2022
Squire Patton Boggs |
5 |
|
DLA Piper |
3 |
|
Harbottle & Lewis |
3 |
|
Linklaters |
3 |
|
Osborne Clarke |
3 |
|
Ropes & Gray |
3 |
|
Simmons & Simmons |
3 |
|
Team hires in London March– April 2022
Harbottle & Lewis |
3 |
|
Linklaters |
3 |
|
Osborne Clarke |
3 |
|
Ropes & Gray |
3 |
|
Edwin Coe |
2 |
|
Simmons & Simmons |
2 |
|
Of interest to avid market watchers is the rare appearance in this edition of the intensely secretive Dickson Minto, which sees the c. 25 partner Scottish/ London private equity boutique lose no fewer than two private equity laterals to Freshfields and (reportedly) King & Spalding respectively.
In March 2022 Laytons ETL Global acquired real estate boutique Cannings Connolly; Edwards Gibson does not record the transfer of individual partners to their new entity on merger as a “partner move”, but for reference, this merger resulted in the transfer of only two laterals with a further five partners decamping to alternative law firm Gunnercooke.
Also of note in this edition
- Two firms hired from in-house: Dechert (from Bank of America Merrill Lynch) and Reed Smith (from Novartis)
- 37% of all hires were female
- 24% of all moves were non-partners moving into partnership
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
Previous Issues:
Partner Moves January- February 2022
Partner Moves November- December 2021
Partner Moves September- October 2021
Partner Moves July - August 2021
Partner Moves May - June 2021
Partner Moves March - April 2021
Partner Moves January - February 2021
Partner Moves November - December 2020
Partner Moves September - October 2020
Partner Moves July - August 2020
Partner Moves May - June 2020
Partner Moves March - April 2020
Partner Moves January - February 2020
Partner Moves November - December 2019
Partner Moves September - October 2019
Partner Moves July - August 2019
Partner Moves May - June 2019
Partner Moves March - April 2019
Partner Moves January - February 2019
Partner Moves November - December 2018
Partner Moves September - October 2018
Partner Moves July - August 2018
Partner Moves May - June 2018
Partner Moves March - April 2018
Partner Moves January - February 2018
Partner Moves November - December 2017
Partner Moves September - October 2017
Partner Moves July - August 2017
Partner Moves May - June 2017
Partner Moves March - April 2017
Partner Moves January - February 2017
Partner Moves November - December 2016
Partner Moves September - October 2016
Partner Moves July - August 2016
Partner Moves May - June 2016
Partner Moves March - April 2016
Partner Moves January - February 2016
Partner Moves November - December 2015
Partner Moves September - October 2015
Partner Moves July - August 2015
Partner Moves May - June 2015
Partner Moves March - April 2015
Partner Moves January - February 2015
Partner Moves November - December 2014
Partner Moves September - October 2014
Partner Moves July - August 2014
Partner Moves May - June 2014
Partner Moves March - April 2014
Partner Moves January - February 2014
Partner Moves November - December 2013
Partner Moves Sep - Oct 2013
Partner Moves July - August 2013
Partner Moves May - June 2013
Partner Moves March - April 2013
Partner Moves January - February 2013
Partner Moves November - December 2012
Partner Moves September - October 2012
Partner Moves July - August 2012
Partner Moves May - June 2012
Partner Moves March - April 2012
Partner Moves January - February 2012
Partner Moves November - December 2011
Partner Moves September - October 2011
Partner Moves July - August 2011
Partner Moves May - June 2011
Partner Moves March - April 2011
Partner Moves January - February 2011
For further information, or to discuss current trends in lateral partner recruitment, please speak to one of the Edwards Gibson consultants.
Squire Patton Boggs