International commercial law firm Hill Dickinson has announced the appointment of Paddy Dwyer, who joins the firm’s Commercial TMT and IP team in its Liverpool office.

With over 17 years’ experience advising on a wide range of commercial matters, Dwyer brings significant expertise to the firm spanning all aspects of commercial law across a variety of industry sectors, including software models, outsourcing, collaborative contracting, logistics and warehousing operations, distribution, purchase and supply as well as having extensive knowledge of regulated procurement.

The Paris office of Addleshaw Goddard has appointed Neslihan Gabriel Denizkurdu as a partner within its real estate team.

Neslihan has been supporting a wide variety of players in the real estate industry, both French and international, for nearly 25 years, including investors, developers, hotel and managed residence operators, fund and asset managers, users, etc., across all types of real estate assets (offices, retail, hotels, logistics, specialised residences, housing, etc.).

Skadden is pleased to announce that it has opened its first office in the Middle East, located in Abu Dhabi’s ADGM, the financial centre in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

The office will be led by corporate transactional attorney Michael Hilton, who most recently was regional managing partner for the Middle East and North Africa at a Magic Circle firm.

Hartman joins the firm from the US Attorney’s Office SDNY and brings unmatched expertise in securities and commodities fraud litigation including accounting and disclosure fraud, market manipulation, insider trading, and fraud involving digital assets.  

Kirkland & Ellis announced the addition of five new partners led by nationally renowned litigator and trial lawyer, Allison Brown. Ms. Brown will be based in Philadelphia, where Kirkland will open a new office. The team of litigators, which includes Jessica Davidson, Geoffrey Wyatt, Nina Rose and Christopher Cox, brings deep, industry-leading experience in product liability, mass torts and complex commercial litigation.

Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP expanded its Corporate Practice with the addition of Gemma Descoteaux as a shareholder in the Dallas office and Kurt Lyn as a shareholder in the Austin office. Descoteaux joins from Sheppard Mullin, where she was a founding partner in the corporate practice group, and Lyn joins from Kirkland & Ellis.

Goodwin announced that Dr. Theodoros Konstantakopoulos has joined the firm’s Intellectual Property practice, as a partner in the New York office.

“Having experienced counsel familiar with the nuances and complexities of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board is essential,” said Elaine Blais, co-chair of Goodwin’s Intellectual Property Litigation practice. “Theodoros’s technical expertise, and impressive track record in PTAB proceedings will be an incredible asset for our clients as we continue to scale our intellectual property capabilities.”

Global law firm White & Case LLP has expanded its Global Project Development and Finance Practice and Global Energy Industry Group with the addition of Patrick Johnson as a partner in Houston.

Sidley is pleased to announce that Lisa H. Miller, former U.S. Department of Justice Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, will be joining Sidley as a partner in the Washington, DC office. She was the third-highest ranking member of the DOJ’s Criminal Division since her appointment in 2021 and brings more than a decade of experience as a government enforcer, including as a career prosecutor. Ms. Miller worked directly with Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., who joined Sidley in 2023 after serving as Senate-confirmed Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division.

Milbank LLP is pleased to announce that Lisa Laukitis has joined the New York office as a partner in the Financial Restructuring Group.

“We are excited to welcome Lisa to Milbank,” said Milbank Chairman Scott Edelman. “Lisa’s experience advising on some of the most high-profile and complex in-court and out-of-court workouts in recent years will further strengthen our market-leading Financial Restructuring Group.”