In a significant move for the practice and firm’s technology offering, Andrew Joint, Calum Murray, Rich Folsom and Hayley Davis have all been secured as partners in the firm’s London office – with each having previously worked together.
Andrew Joint, Calum Murray and Rich Folsom join the firm from Deloitte Legal, having previously worked at tech-focused firm Kemp Little, before it was acquired by the professional services firm in 2021. Hayley Davis joins Simmons from Goodwin Procter, having worked at Kemp Little and Deloitte Legal prior to this.
Previously managing partner of Kemp Little and lead partner at Deloitte Legal, Andrew Joint is a decorated technology and outsourcing lawyer, specialising in a range of areas including cloud, digital and business transformation, software, AI and data analytics.
A partner for over 20 years, Calum Murray brings a wealth of expertise to the firm as another digital, technology and commercial specialist. Recognised with multiple client and industry awards, he is highly experienced in supporting clients to exploit all aspects of digital business opportunities.
Rich Folsom brings over 15 years of experience operating at the intersection between data, legal tech and financial services. With expertise across financial institutions (FI) and asset management and investment funds (AMIF), Rich will also bolster the firm’s crypto capabilities. He has previously secured an FT Innovative Lawyer Award for a digital product he created.
Hayley Davis joins the firm on promotion to partner, completing the specialist group. Hayley brings expertise in a wide variety of technology transactional matters across all industries, in particular digital health, with her hire adding significant depth to the firm’s health and life sciences (HLS) sector offering.
The four lateral partner hires, together with the promotion of tech specialist Sophie Sheldon to partner last year, mean that the firm’s Digital Business group has now doubled its partner count from five to ten in the space of a year.
Alex Brown, partner, head of the firm's technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) sector and head of its Digital Business Group, said: This four-strong partner hire is a game-changing moment for our Digital Business group and consolidates our position as one of the leading tech practices around. To secure multiple partners of this calibre sends a strong signal to the market and industry about the capabilities of our practice, and Simmons’ ambitions as a firm.
I’m looking forward to working closely with Andrew, Calum, Rich and Hayley, to build on our recent successes and take the practice to the next level.