Watson Farley & Williams is delighted to announce the opening of its new office in Tokyo, Japan, its 19th worldwide. The office will be led by WFW Partner Simon Collins, who relocates to Tokyo from Hong Kong, and newly arrived Partner Keisuke Imon. In addition to Keisuke, Counsel Shusuke Fukunaga and a team of associates and paralegals are also joining WFW Tokyo. Most of the team previously worked together for leading international law firm White & Case in Tokyo.

Multinational law firm Pinsent Masons has hired partner Gaëlle Filhol to join the firm’s international arbitration practice.

Gaëlle is a highly experienced international arbitration lawyer, and her practice focuses on complex, high value disputes in the energy, infrastructure and defence sectors. She joins as a partner in the Paris office and will be working together with existing international arbitration partner Florian Quintard.

Leading global law firm Clyde & Co has announced the hire of financial lines insurance specialist, Olivia Darlington, as a partner in the Middle East. Olivia will join the firm's global insurance practice and will be based in Dubai, UAE.

Jon Salomon, a litigator with more than 20 years of experience, has joined Dentons’ Louisville office as a partner in the Litigation practice. Jon represents clients across a wide variety of industries in complex litigation, including contractual disputes, fiduciary duties, professional negligence claims, election law, insurance coverage disputes, employment-related claims, non-compete provisions, government contracts, real estate disputes, planning and zoning issues, and taxing authority.

Allen & Overy announced that Helen Christakos has joined the firm as a partner in its U.S. Corporate practice and based in Silicon Valley. With Helen’s arrival, A&O continues to demonstrate its commitment to growth and expansion in the U.S., with a focus that includes the West Coast and its Technology practice.

Global law firm Hogan Lovells announced that Trenton H. Norris has joined as a partner in the firm’s Disputes practice in the San Francisco office. Norris, who joins from Arnold & Porter, is one of the nation’s leading practitioners in class action and consumer litigation—particularly in litigation under California’s toxics and labeling law, Proposition 65.

Eversheds Sutherland has strengthened its regulatory practice with the return of former partner Nicola Williams to the firm’s UK practice. Nicola was most recently Legal and Compliance Director and Company Secretary at Welsh Water (Dŵr Cymru Cyf).

Nicola joined Eversheds Sutherland in 2004 and was appointed partner in 2007, leading regulatory investigations and disputes for utilities clients, before joining Welsh Water a decade ago.

Fragomen, the world’s leading provider of immigration services, welcomes Srinivas “Sri” Ramineni to the firm. Ramineni and a team of lawyers, professionals and support staff joined Fragomen’s Boston office following the firm’s acquisition of the Boston and Atlanta based immigration practice Ramineni & Shepard, LLC.

Ropes & Gray announced that Jordan Altman, a highly regarded IP transactions lawyer, has joined the firm as a partner, bringing his broad deal experience to the firm’s award-winning IP transactions, M&A and private equity practices. He is based in the firm’s 500-lawyer New York office.

“Jordan is an asset to clients and a great relationship lawyer. We’re confident that Jordan will help us take our transactional practice to a whole new level, especially in the technology industry.  We’re excited to have him as our partner,” said Julie Jones, chair.

Werner Brickwedde joins Orrick from Eversheds Sunderland, where he was Head of the Corporate/M&A practice in Germany.

Werner advises companies and investors in the energy and infrastructure sector on M&A, national and cross-border transactions, joint ventures and general corporate law, as well a variety of project development matters.

He is the 10th lateral partner addition to Orrick’s global energy platform since 2022.