Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills announced today the promotion of 26 new partners to its global partnership. This is the firm’s largest promotion round since its merger in 2012. The gender balance of the new partners is 50:50.
This includes the first partner promotion in the firm’s Pro Bono practice. Brooke Massender, Head of Pro Bono, is being promoted to the firm's partnership. The firm is also promoting the second partner in its Alternative Legal Services practice, following the first such promotion in 2017. Lisa McLaughlin, a Director, is being promoted to partner.
The promotions take effect on 1 May 2020. The new partners are focussed on supporting the firm's clients across its core practice areas and key global industry sectors. The new partners and their principal areas of practice are:
Asia
- Corporate: Isaac Chen, Beijing – Capital Markets and M&A
- Disputes: Jojo Fan, Hong Kong – Commercial Litigation
- Corporate: Jamie McLaren, Singapore – Corporate M&A
- Disputes: Gitta Satryani, Singapore – International Arbitration
Australia
- Finance: Steven Catanzariti, Sydney
- Disputes: Chad Catterwell, Melbourne – International Arbitration
- Real estate: Melanie Debenham, Perth
- Corporate: Kam Jamshidi, Melbourne – Corporate M&A
- Employment, Pensions and Incentives: Shivchand Jhinku, Sydney – Employment
- Pro bono: Brooke Massender, Sydney
- Corporate: Nicole Pedler, Sydney – Corporate M&A
- Disputes: Christine Tran, Sydney – Class Actions
Europe
- Corporate: Iria Calvino, Madrid – Public Law, Regulatory, Environmental
- Finance: Armando Garcia-Mendoza, Madrid
- Finance: Stefanie Herkert, Frankfurt
- Disputes: Martin Le Touzé, Paris – FSR, Banking, Insurance
- Finance: Vadim Panin, Moscow
- Corporate: Evgeny Yuriev, Moscow – Corporate M&A
UK
- Finance: Helen Beatty, London
- Corporate: Hayley Brady, London – TMT
- Corporate: Casey Dalton, London – Tax
- Disputes: Michael Hunt, London – Tax
- Corporate: Tom Marshall, London – Infrastructure
- Alternative Legal Services: Lisa McLaughlin, Belfast
- Disputes: Kate Meakin, London – Corporate Crime & Investigations
- Corporate: Aaron White, London – TMT
Mark Rigotti, CEO, commented:
"I would like to congratulate our 26 new partners on this achievement and welcome them to the global partnership. It is more important than ever to have a partnership of diverse skills and talents, to help our clients navigate an increasingly complex business and legal landscape. Our new partners’ expertise and experience is crucial and will help us provide our clients with insightful support and advice in these challenging times.”
Justin D’Agostino, CEO Elect, added:
“These outstanding lawyers have shown a real commitment to our firm’s culture and values. While COVID-19 continues to create uncertainties and challenges, we remain focused on taking steps to navigate its impact while looking to the future – and promoting partners is an important part of this. These promotions reflect our long-term commitment to investing in our people and our focus on continuing to bring through talented partners to build the sustainable success of our firm.
Our new partners are all hugely talented lawyers who demonstrate our ongoing investment in our business, including our Pro Bono practice. I am particularly delighted that half of our new partners are women, a clear demonstration of the firm's ongoing commitment to gender diversity within the legal profession.”