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Willkie hired a tax partner from A&O Shearman to lead its Paris practice. Willkie's Paris office, founded in 1925, has about 28 partners but until recently lacked a tax partner.
De Gaulle Fleurance announced Christian Le Roux has joined as of counsel, in charge of development strategy. He is admitted to the Paris bar. He was previously secretary general of an SME for ten years and held several public-institution chief of staff roles.
Dr. Jörg Weber and Dr. Arne Klüwer join Jones Day as partners in its German finance practice.
SourceJUVE
Adrien de Hauteclocque, former chef de cabinet of the President of the Tribunal de l'Union européenne, joins Geradin Partners as senior counsel.
Mewburn Ellis promoted Andy Newland to the newly created CTO role, covering technology strategy and AI adoption. Leon Johnson, a private equity and growth equity partner at Goodwin in San Francisco, joined Zurich-based AI-native law firm Omnilex as managing partner to lead its US business. The roundup also covers Harvey, Litera and SCOREalytics appointments.
SourceLegal IT Insider
Stephenson Harwood Paris announced William Robert is joining as partner in its corporate M&A - private equity practice, together with senior associate Sabine Bensaid. He has over 20 years of experience and a healthcare-sector focus. The practice now has 10 lawyers.
SourcesLe Monde du Droit — NominationsDécideurs Juridiques — Nominations
Jasmin Grünen is moving in October from the law firm Arqis to Afileon Audit. At the audit firm of the Afileon advisory group, she takes the position of Head of Legal and Prokuristin.
SourceJUVE
Derriennic Associés announced that Nathalie de Quatrebarbes joins as partner. She founded and led the firm Quatrebarbes for over 11 years, since 2015. She practises patent law and intellectual property.
SourcesLe Monde du Droit — NominationsDécideurs Juridiques — Nominations
According to JUVE Patent research, partners Grégoire Desrousseaux, François Pochart and Lionel Martin, with their team of lawyers and patent attorneys, will leave August Debouzy for Winston Taylor in Paris. They join at the start of 2027 to establish its patent litigation practice there. Winston Taylor formed through the Taylor Wessing UK and Winston & Strawn merger, effective May 2026.
Paul, Weiss announced that Max Oppenheimer and Jamie MacDonagh will join as partners in the Private Equity M&A Group within the Corporate Department, resident in London. The firm said it recently added a team of six private equity lawyers in the U.S., including Christopher Machera. The firm has 14 M&A partners in London.
Pérez-Llorca has added Joana Mota Agostinho as a partner in its Lisbon office. She leads the new intellectual property, industrial property and technology practice there. The hire is part of the firm's growth strategy in Portugal.
SourceEconomist & Jurist
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP announced that Charles del Valle joins its Paris office as partner in the Tax department. The department covers tax structuring for private equity, LBO, M&A and restructuring transactions. He joins Philippe Grudé's team.
SourcesLe Monde du Droit — NominationsDécideurs Juridiques — Nominations
Latham & Watkins LLP announced 36 associates elected to the partnership effective January 1, 2027. With 22 counsel elected earlier this year, total new partners announced in 2026 is 58. Chair and Managing Partner Rich Trobman commented.
SourcesLaw.com — New York Law JournalPR Newswire — Personnel Announcements
Pentecoste & Associés has promoted Clara Heullant-Donat to partner a little over a year after the firm's creation. She has been at the firm since its 2025 launch. She specialises in public contracts, advisory and litigation, covering energy, transport and infrastructure clients.
BDO Abogados promoted Diego Herrero, Eric Jové, Lucía Segarra and Víctor Gisbert in Legal and Tax, and Diosdado López became partner in Outsourcing. The appointments raise the number of partners in Spain to 28. Enrique Azorín, president of BDO Abogados in Spain, commented.
Kirkland & Ellis promoted nearly 200 lawyers to partner across its global offices, including 25 in London. The firm declined to publicly announce its promotions for the second year in a row. Pirical data tracked updated titles.
SourceLegal Business
White & Case promoted 47 lawyers to partnership effective January 1, 2027. The class spans 13 practices across 21 offices in 13 countries; US-based lawyers are 40 percent, its largest US class since 2022. Middle East new partners: Reem AlBakr (Riyadh) and Yannick Whorms (Dubai).
SourcesThe Oath (Middle East)Pulse 2.0 — LawLe Monde du Droit — Nominations
Legal Business understands Weil is set to hold a virtual all-partner meeting on 20 October at 11am Eastern (4pm UK time). The firm is weighing merger options amid a spate of high-profile partner exits. Weil has yet to comment on the merger.
Weil Gotshal & Manges is pursuing a merger with another law firm and is in discussions to secure the tie-up. Its leaders have told top partners. The other firm is not named.
SourcesBloomberg LawBluesky — Big Law searchLaw.com — The American LawyerLaw.com network — Legal News (FeedBlitz)Law.com network — Legal News (FeedBlitz)Bluesky — Big Law searchAbove the LawBluesky — Big Law searchLaw.com — The American LawyerLawFuelAbove the LawLegal CheekCity A.M.
BCLP announced a £10,000 (8%) rise for London NQ lawyers, from £125,000 to £135,000, effective 1 January 2027. NQ salaries in Manchester and Southampton rise from £72,000 to £80,000 from the beginning of next year. Katten and Reed Smith also pay London NQs £135,000.
SourceLegal Cheek
Legal Cheek's Chambers Most List has Gough Square Chambers and Gray's Inn Tax Chambers at £100,000 pupillage awards, with 14 sets at £90,000. Of 51 sets, 18 raised awards and 33 kept them unchanged. The average award is around £81,000.
SourceLegal Cheek
Legal Cheek reports a Reddit discussion on 'golden handcuffs' in City law. It cites the 2027 Legal Cheek Firms Most List: NQ solicitors at the highest-paying firms earn north of £180,000, and profits per equity partner at some elite firms run £5 million to £9 million. Posters cite mortgages, private school fees and travel.
SourceLegal Cheek
The Texas Lawbook interviewed Chris Mayo, LSEG head of primary markets for the Americas, and Nick Davis, London-based Haynes Boone capital markets partner. Davis helped on the 1947 Oil & Gas $40 million London IPO and Fermi's Nasdaq and LSE dual listing. They discuss London's fit for smaller-cap Texas companies.
SourceThe Texas Lawbook
IRN Legal Reports estimates the UK wills, probate and trusts market at £3.2bn in 2026, up 6% on 2025, with 6.6% growth predicted for next year. Firms offering wills and probate fell 12% between 2022 and 2026, while firms handling contentious work rose more than 20%. David W Harris & Co analysed probate application data.
SourceLegal Futures
Reelected managing partner Soler Tappa says Madrid is "on fire" in the battle for talent. He also warns of the mistake law firms make when investing in AI. The title names him as Spanish managing partner of HSF Kramer.
SourcesLaw.com — International EditionLaw.com — International Edition
A year into the job, Konrad Gröller is binding Freshfields' continental offices into a single European offering called EU Connect.
Afianza has appointed Patricia Jaén de la Vega as Chief People Officer, responsible for HR strategy and integrating teams from acquired companies. Afianza closed 2025 with revenue of €83.2 million, up 53%, and has about 1,500 professionals in Spain. Other recent executive hires: Álvaro Martín, David Casas, Guillermo Pérez-Montero, Rafael Vázquez Romero.
SourceConfilegal
Freshfields apologized "unreservedly" for a comment about Middle Eastern investors. The apology followed a leaked email exchange between the firm's global managing partner and another senior lawyer at the firm. The emails reportedly revealed leadership plans to spin off its German-based AI unit.
Ángel Acebes Pérez is the new socio director (managing partner) of Michavila-Acebes Abogados. After more than 15 years of service, the firm begins a new stage promoted by founding partners José María Michavila and Ángel Acebes Paniagua, who remain fully linked to the firm.
SourceExpansión — Jurídico
Hill Dickinson's firm-wide turnover is £172.1m for the 2025 financial year. The firm signed a stadium naming-rights deal worth around £10m per year for Everton's new stadium. It launched a sports practice led by Richard Bush from Bird & Bird.
SourceCity A.M.
PwC's legal sector annual report says net profit rose an average 14.2% among the top 10 against fee income growth of 8.1%. Firms ranked 11 to 50 saw net profit of around 5.5%, growing slower than fee income. Top-10 market share rose 6%.
SourceLaw Society Gazette
US firms have taken lead roles as London Stock Exchange Group agrees to acquire credit market data provider Octus from Permira. The all-cash deal is valued at more than $3.5bn and was announced 22 October. It is Permira's sixth strategic exit this year.
SourceLegal Business
CMS Francis Lefebvre advised the founders and shareholders of INTECH and RMR Systems, two Autodesk Gold partners in France, on their acquisition by NTI Group, which is backed by private equity fund Axcel. NTI Group was advised by Bird & Bird. The CMS team spanned corporate, commercial contracts and tax.
Addleshaw Goddard, Pinsent Masons and Ashurst Perkins Coie have all won roles on a £75M Homes England panel.
A Connecticut state court judge blocked a mall developer's family from filing a formal offer to settle a malpractice suit against McCarter & English LLP for $9.75 million. The judge stood by a November 2025 decision to pause the case while similar litigation proceeds to trial.
The Bundesgerichtshof set aside four Dresden judgments on the transparency of Schufa scoring. The claimants get a new chance to show that contract decisions relied significantly on their score values, which could still force more insight into the scoring logic. Siegmann, Latham and GvW are named in the title.
SourceJUVE
GD Towers issued its first public bond of one billion euros. The issue came in two tranches with terms of 4.6 and 7 years. It partially refinances an existing loan under the financing platform set up in December 2025.
SourceJUVE
Weil, Gotshal & Manges, with an unnamed Portuguese law firm, is advising its longtime client CVC Capital Partners on the merger of CVC's portfolio company Panzani with Portugal-based Céréalis. Linklaters advises Céréalis. The headline puts the deal at €1.8B.
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader advised CACEIS on a strategic asset servicing partnership with Edmond de Rothschild in Luxembourg. CACEIS is to acquire Edmond de Rothschild's third-party Asset Servicing activity and its private equity and infrastructure fund Asset Servicing activity in Luxembourg. The transaction is subject to CSSF approval.
CMS Francis Lefebvre Lyon advises Garibaldi Participations on its acquisition of a stake in the capital of the Bernard Orcel group.
Danish SDG Investment Fund II K/S (SDG II), managed by Impact Fund Denmark (IFU), made a $35 million equity investment in GreenCell Mobility Private Limited. TT&A and Trilegal advised.
SourceBar & Bench
Irwin Mitchell faces payouts to 261 Court of Protection clients after its trust corporation, IMTC, was found in breach of the self-dealing rule. The judge would ratify the appointment of Irwin Mitchell Asset Management if IMTC repays client 'PW' about £22,600. The firm has not yet decided whether to accept.
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader advises UniCredit Bank GmbH on financing the second construction phase of the Kirschgärten district development in Munich, per a press release. The phase covers 384 rental apartments, about 42 percent of them subsidised housing. The financing is structured as a Green Loan under UniCredit's Social Impact Financing Programme.
SourceExtrajournal (Austria)
Simmons & Simmons advised a joint venture of Atrato Group Limited and GIC on acquiring 35 real estate assets from Carrefour in France and Spain, valued at about €290 million, in a sale and leaseback with 12-year leases. The firm also advised on the financing. Elisa Bocianowski (Paris) and Alfonso Fernández-Puebla (Madrid) led the teams.
National Bank of Greece is acquiring 30 percent of Allianz Greece, a subsidiary of Allianz SE. The two companies are also agreeing a long-term exclusive bancassurance partnership under which the bank will distribute Allianz insurance products. The headline names Hengeler in connection with the deal.
SourceJUVE
TowerBrook exits ACPS group through a sale to Meili Germany GmbH. Both businesses operate in automotive components. Loyens & Loeff advised TowerBrook on all Dutch law aspects, including the share purchase agreement, Dutch corporate and notarial workstreams, and the Dutch closing process.
SourceLoyens & Loeff — sitemap
King & Spalding advised Vision International Investment Company on the closing of a refinancing with The Saudi National Bank. Islamic finance, bank finance and corporate teams across the Riyadh, London and Dubai offices worked on it. Partners Amin Doulai and Nabil Issa led the team, with Riyadh-based partner Ibrahim Alkhudair providing support.
SourceThe Oath (Middle East)
Morgan Lewis advised Forgepoint Capital International on its investment in Hackuity, a French start-up. Bright Pixel Capital, Bpifrance and Seventure Partners, existing investors, also took part in the $19 million transaction. The Morgan Lewis team covered corporate, IP and employment law aspects.
Japan's top firms are expanding overseas. Mori Hamada is pursuing the ambition of becoming a leading Asian regional firm, with New York and London as gateways to the region.
Wolf Theiss advised JP Immobilien Gruppe on a hotel development and lease agreement for the former Lindner Hotel Vienna Am Belvedere, to operate under the Pullman brand. Wolf Theiss partner Stefan Horn (Real Estate) advised. Verkehrsbuero was advised by its in-house legal department and Bichler Zrzavy Rechtsanwälte.
SourceExtrajournal (Austria)
Jones Day advised Starquest Capital on setting up and raising the Climate Change Resilience TopUp Fund. Starquest has €50 million additional to invest; the fund's target size is €100 million, with initial closing in June. The Jones Day team was led by partner Florence Moulin, with associate Clémence Pras and tax partner Emmanuel de la Rochethulon.
Gide advised La Banque Postale and Nomura Financial Products Europe GmbH as joint lead managers on Caisse des dépôts et consignations' €400 million bond issue at 5.1417%, maturing 30 September 2045. Proceeds financed part of the acquisition of ATMB and SFTRF stakes. Clifford Chance advised the issuer.
Clifford Chance advised the Caisse des Dépôts group on a €400 million bond issue at 5.1417%, maturing 30 September 2045. Proceeds financed part of the acquisition of stakes in ATMB and SFTRF from the French State. Gide advised the joint lead managers.
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader advised the bank pool on Groupe Legout's first syndicated financing, with lines for investments, external growth and general needs. The team comprised partner Alexander Premont, senior associate Ouassila El Asri and associate Nawelle Saoui Letellier. Askesis advised Groupe Legout.
BCLP advised Skyports Infrastructure on an agreement with the Ras al Khaimah Transport Authority to develop a vertiport network, starting with 4 vertiports. The BCLP team worked across the London and UAE offices. Jones Day acted for RAKTA.
Norton Rose Fulbright advised Lesha Bank LLC (Public) on acquiring a portfolio of 33 commercial aircraft from Avolon, leased to 25 airlines. The team was led by partners Leo Fattorini (Singapore), Alex Blaney and Andrew Williams (London), with more than 20 other team members across EMEA and the US.
SourceThe Oath (Middle East)
Verwaltungsgericht Köln halted, in interim proceedings, a Bundesnetzagentur obligation requiring DB InfraGO to add a competitor clause to its usage terms. Freshfields represented DB InfraGO and Redeker Sellner Dahs represented DB Fernverkehr. Blomstein advised Italo.
SourceJUVE
Tishman Speyer has taken over the mixed-use complex "Milestone Wien Erdberg" in the Neu Marx urban development area. The seller is Raiffeisen Property Holding International, part of Raiffeisen Bank International. The transaction was structured as a share deal.
SourceJUVE
bpv Hügel advised the shareholders of Omikron, a FLEX Capital portfolio company, on the Austrian side of its combination with the COPS group. Heuking advised on the German side, per a press release. bpv Hügel's team was led by Thomas Lettau and Johannes Mitterecker.
SourceExtrajournal (Austria)
LEG Immobilien SE is selling the Glasmacherviertel in Düsseldorf-Gerresheim to a joint venture of Hines and Vastin, per a press release. Plans are for about 1,600 to 1,800 homes. Hengeler Mueller advised LEG; Thomas Lang (partner) led the team, with Frankfurt and Berlin lawyers named.
SourceExtrajournal (Austria)
Burges Salmon will pilot two sector-focused training contract pathways, one in energy and one in the built environment, with its 2029 cohort. Trainees still complete the six-seat programme. Applications open 30 October.
SourcesLegal CheekLaw Society GazetteBluesky — Big Law search
NautaDutilh launched Bluefield, its own platform for developing technology applications for legal practice. Elgar Weijtmans joins on 1 November as AI & Innovation Partner and leads the team, returning to the firm where he began his career. Niels de Jong becomes AI & Innovation Lead, responsible for software development.
SourceAdvocatie
Business Circle's RuSt corporate law forum marked its 30th anniversary in Loipersdorf. Cerha Hempel managing partner Clemens Hasenauer led the programme for the ninth time. Sessions ran on 15 and 16 October 2026, with a NEXTGen evening on 14 October.
SourceExtrajournal (Austria)
Confirmed items are announced by the firm or reported as fact by the cited outlets. Unconfirmed items are reports the firms have not confirmed. Every item links to its sources; we add nothing the sources do not say.
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