Dentons, the world's largest global law firm, has hired an M&A partner into its UK Corporate practice. 

Dentons Zaanouni Law Firm welcomes Malek Badri as new Partner and Head of the Media, Entertainment and Sports department. Malek Badri has a notable track record encompassing different jurisdictions and maintains a uniquely blended practice across three areas: Sports & Gaming, Art, Media & Entertainment and Litigation, Arbitration & Mediation.

Global law firm Clyde & Co has announced the hire of leading insurance partner Leonardo Giani and the opening of an office in Milan, Italy, in the coming months.

The addition of a Milan office will further expand the firm’s offering in Europe, in this case its insurance practice, which includes claims and coverage services, dispute resolution, corporate insurance and regulatory advice. This will be Clyde & Co’s seventh office in its  Europe region, joining Dublin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Madrid, Munich and Paris.  

Multinational law firm Pinsent Masons has recruited financial services partner Tom McHugh based in Leeds.

Tom is an established financial services lawyer, specialising in non-contentious transactional finance work.

A&O has announced the appointment of Patrick Ploeger as partner in its investigations practice group.

Ploeger joins from law firm De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, where he was a partner in the investigations and litigation practice group since 2007.

His arrival strengthens A&O’s market leading global Investigations practice, complementing the firm’s reputation for helping clients when they are faced with sensitive criminal or regulatory investigations and proceedings, or enforcement action by domestic or foreign authorities.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP announced that Leah Malone has joined the Firm as a Partner based in the New York office, where she will lead the Firm’s ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and Sustainability Practice. In addition to Leah, the Firm recently welcomed two Counsel who are focused on certain specific ESG and sustainability areas: Matt Feehily in London and Emily Holland in Washington, D.C. They join Carolyn Houston, a Counsel who focuses on ESG and sustainability matters in the asset management space.

Paul Hastings (Europe) LLP announced that investment funds lawyer Andras Csonka has joined the firm’s Paris office as a partner in the Private Investment Funds practice.

"We are delighted to welcome Andras Csonka to the Paris office. His arrival will enable us to meet all of our clients' needs and to pursue the development of this practice in Europe and internationally," said Olivier Vermeulen, chair of the Paris office.

Catherine Scott has joined leading UK law firm Mills & Reeve to develop its food and agribusiness team.

Catherine joins the firm to lead and grow the Norwich agricultural property team. She will work across the food and agribusiness, and private wealth sectors. Catherine will work alongside private client partner, Lauren Parker, to build on the firm’s well-established landed estates practice.

Womble Bond Dickinson announced that Marcantonio Barnes has joined the firm as a partner in the Corporate & Securities Group. Barnes is an experienced corporate attorney with nearly two decades of experience handling mergers and acquisitions, complex technology transactions, and other strategic sourcing initiatives across several industry sectors for public and private companies. He joins Womble from a privately held consumer electronics company in Reston, Va., where he served as general counsel.

Charles Russell Speechlys announces the appointment of two new Partners to its Litigation and Dispute Resolution team. Partners, Richard Kiddell and Alim Khamis join the Firm’s London and Qatar offices respectively. These appointments mark 2023 as a year of significant international growth for the Firm as the implementation of its global strategy accelerates in line with client demand for a more cohesive, multi-jurisdictional international arbitration offering.