Global law firm Reed Smith today announced that Sam Webster will join as partner in its Global Corporate Group in London in January. The news highlights the group’s continued expansion in Europe, following the recent hire of life sciences partner Iqbal Hussain in London and tax partner Martin Bünning in Frankfurt. Webster, who is joining the firm following 15 years at Mayer Brown, has extensive experience working with large corporates and financial investors across a broad range of sectors including energy & natural resources, real estate, financial services and technology. More >>

Eversheds Sutherland has bolstered its commercial practice with lateral Partner hire, Simon Lightman. Simon, who joins the global legal practice’s London-based commercial team from law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, will be working closely with Eversheds Sutherland’s head of technology group, Partner Simon Gamlin. More >>

Latham & Watkins is pleased to announce that Steve Curtis will join the firm’s London office as a partner in the Finance Department. Highly regarded in his field, Curtis’ practice focuses on a broad range of structured finance transactions, with particular expertise in the regulated utility, infrastructure and real estate sectors and in complex corporate securitisations. Curtis joins Latham & Watkins from Clifford Chance. More >>

International law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP today announced that Neil Devaney will join the Firm as a partner to play a leadership role in its market-leading Business Finance & Restructuring practice. Neil is a restructuring partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, and he has extensive cross-border finance, restructuring and insolvency expertise. His practice is focused on advising clients on complex, high-value debt restructurings. Neil also handles bespoke financing arrangements in stressed, distressed and special situations. More >>

Gide is strengthening its Projects practice, and Energy & Natural Resources sector expertise, with the addition of Colin Graham as energy and infrastructure partner in its London office. Colin’s practice covers corporate and commercial projects and M&A work, with particular specialisation in international Oil & Gas, LNG, Power and Resources. Colin has worked on major gas value chain project developments in recent years, including as project counsel for all aspects of the Shah Deniz phase II development, the Trans-Adriatic, Trans-Anatolian, Trans-Asia, Nabucco, South-East Europe and IGI-Poseidon gas pipelines including gas transportation, sales, operations codes and treaties. Colin Joins the firm from Watson, Farley & Williams LLP in London. More >>

Leading global law firm Baker McKenzie has hired highly regarded private equity partner Justin Hutchinson from Kirkland & Ellis, as part of the Firm’s continued efforts to drive growth across its transactional practices and increase the Firm’s bench-strength in London – one of the key centres for further investment alongside New York and China. More >>

International law firm Simmons & Simmons announced today the recruitment of banking specialist Kirsty Barnes, who will be joining as partner in our international banking practice on 12 November, based in London. Her arrival follows the recent appointments of James Taylor, Jens Golz and Michaela Sopp who joined teams in London, Frankfurt and Munich earlier this year, boosting the firm’s international banking and finance offering. Kirsty joins the firm from Gowling WLG where she was a partner and head of banking and finance in the UK. More >>

Linklaters today announced that Chris Smale will be joining as a partner in the London Tax practice. Chris is currently a partner at Kirkland & Ellis where he focuses on Private Equity and Corporate tax work. More >>

Latham & Watkins is pleased to announce that Patrick Mitchell has joined the firm’s London office as a partner in the Entertainment, Sports & Media Practice. Mitchell works exclusively in the sports and entertainment sectors, advising a wide variety of sports governing bodies, media companies, corporates, and investors on high-end commercial transactions. Mitchell joins Latham & Watkins from DLA Piper’s London office. More >>

Rob Patterson, an energy lawyer who represents clients in complex transactions across the globe, has joined Haynes and Boone, LLP as a partner in the London office. Rob previously worked at Vinson & Elkins for about two decades, serving as a partner in the firm’s Energy Transactions & Projects Practice. More >>