International law firm DAC Beachcroft has announced the appointment of Real Estate Partners Gerald Kelly and Jim Roberts.

Gerald and Jim join DACB from Macfarlanes, bringing significant development expertise, with particular experience in the housing sector, supporting institutions, funds and private equity. They are joined by Legal Director Rachael Ashton, also from Macfarlanes.

Holland & Knight welcomes James McGuire as a partner in the Firm’s Public Policy & Regulation Group in Dallas. Most recently, Mr. McGuire served as regional counsel for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 6, covering five states and 66 federally recognized Tribes. Mr. McGuire also served as acting deputy general counsel for Environmental Media and Regional Law Offices, the highest career legal role in the EPA.

Leading global law firm, Baker McKenzie has hired Marie Leppard as a partner in its London Antitrust & Competition Practice from boutique competition firm, Euclid Law.

Marie brings a wealth of experience advising clients on EU, UK and multijurisdictional merger control, foreign direct investment, cartel investigations, abuse of dominant position, as well as antitrust compliance.

Vinson & Elkins announced that Nicole Castle has joined the firm as a New York-based partner in the firm’s Antitrust Practice.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP announced that Adam Aderton has joined the Firm’s Washington, D.C. office as a Partner in its Government and Internal Investigations Practice and as a member of the Litigation Department.

Pillsbury has announced the arrival of Corporate partner Samuel Ng in Hong Kong. Ng, who joins from DeHeng Law Offices, is a highly experienced securities lawyer with over 20 years of expertise in capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, private investments and regulatory compliance. His arrival follows close on the heels of Pillsbury’s successful transition of its local office to that of a Hong Kong solicitors’ firm.

Morrison Foerster is pleased to announce the arrival of Scott Behar as a partner in the Mergers + Acquisitions Group in the Transactions Department, based in the New York office. Behar brings to the firm nearly two decades of experience representing high-profile public and private technology clients in a variety of U.S. and cross-border transactions, including mergers, investments, stock and asset acquisitions, and divestitures.

Continuing to expand its roster of former US government officials, Morgan Lewis welcomes Brandon Figg as a partner in the firm’s structured transactions practice in the Washington, DC office. An accomplished private and public sector lawyer, Brandon most recently served as senior special counsel for the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Division of Corporation Finance.

DLA Piper is pleased to welcome Mike Walsh as a partner in the National Security and Global Trade Practice, where he will advise clients on navigating the dynamic international trade and tariff environment. He will be based in the firm’s Washington, DC office and will support the Regulatory and Government Affairs Practice.

Winston & Strawn announced the addition of Andrew Jacobs to the firm’s New York office. He joins the firm’s Transactions Department as a partner in the Finance Practice.