Global law firm Ropes & Gray announced Jan. 17 that James R. Brown has rejoined the firm’s tax practice as a partner in New York. Mr. Brown previously practiced at Ropes & Gray for 15 years. He rejoins the firm from Willkie Farr & Gallagher in New York, where he was a partner and co-chair of the tax department. More >>

Morrison & Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce that Yasuhide Watanabe, a highly regarded mergers & acquisitions lawyer admitted in New York, California and Japan (bengoshi), has joined the firm’s Corporate Group in New York. Mr. Watanabe comes to Morrison & Foerster from Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, one of Japan’s largest law firms, where he was most recently the managing partner of its New York office. More >>

Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, today announced it has bolstered its Tax Practice Group with former vice president and general tax counsel for CBS Inc. Alvan L. Bobrow. He joins Akerman as a partner from a New York law firm, where he served as the leader of a national state and local tax group. More >>

Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Robert Wessely has joined the Firm as a Partner in the Corporate, M&A, and Securities group and Cross-Border practice. He is based in the Firm’s New York office and comes to Blank Rome from Withers Bergman LLP. More >>

Leading trusts and estates attorney Amy Heller has joined the firm’s Trusts and Estates Group as a partner in the New York office. More >>

King & Spalding announced today that former partner Jennifer Daly has returned to join the firm’s New York office as a partner in its Finance practice. She was previously chief operating officer and chief compliance officer of Hunter Peak Investments, a hedge fund based in New York. More >>

Akin Gump today announced that Seth D. Slotkin, a highly regarded trusts and estates lawyer, has joined the firm’s tax practice in New York, where he will be a partner in its private client services group. Mr. Slotkin was previously a partner at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan. More >>

Prominent real estate lawyer Paul Shapses has joined Pillsbury’s New York office. A well-known dealmaker, Shapses focuses on sophisticated commercial real estate transactions, including financings, joint ventures, acquisitions and dispositions, real estate development and leasing deals. He comes to Pillsbury from Herrick Feinstein. More >>

Norton Rose Fulbright today announced that Patrick D. Dolan, an experienced structured finance and securitization lawyer, has joined the global law firm’s New York office as a partner. He comes to Norton Rose Fulbright from Dechert LLP. More >>