International law firm Bird & Bird appoints Henri Kaikkonen as a partner and head of the Intellectual Property practice in Helsinki.

Multinational law firm Pinsent Masons has hired its second partner in Amsterdam recruiting corporate partner and civil-law notary Alexander Spoor as it boosts its technology, science and industry (TSI) capabilities in The Netherlands.

DLA Piper has appointed private equity (PE) lawyer Gabriele Arcuri as a partner in its Corporate practice, based in Rome.

Gabriele Arcuri joins DLA Piper from a leading Italian firm, where he was a partner and has worked since 2006. He advises clients on a broad variety of corporate and commercial matters, including PE deals, M&A, corporate governance assistance on shareholders agreements and other governance topics, sale and purchase of assets as well as shares and leveraged buyout transactions.

William Bosch and former New York State Judge James Catterson, two highly regarded commercial litigators, have joined Pillsbury’s renowned litigation practice. Both join as partners from Arnold & Porter, where Bosch previously led the Real Estate Litigation practice and served as co-head of the Hospitality group. Catterson will be based in the firm’s New York office while Bosch will split time between New York and Washington, DC.

 Proskauer, a leading international law firm, welcomed Kelli Moll as a partner in its Private Funds Group, based in New York.

“Kelli is a star in the hedge space and a leader in the private funds industry, and we are so excited to welcome her to Proskauer,” said Daryn Grossman, Managing Partner of Proskauer.  “Her arrival continues to deepen our bench serving the asset management industry, from large institutional asset managers to independent managers focused on hedge, credit and growth equity strategies.”

Akin Gump announced that Deborah Festa has joined the firm as a partner in its corporate practice, resident in Los Angeles. Ms. Festa joins the firm from Milbank, where she led that firm’s West Coast securitization and investment management practices.

Sidley  is pleased to announce that Ranah Esmaili, former Assistant Director in the Enforcement Division of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has joined the firm in Washington, D.C., as a partner in its Securities Enforcement and Regulatory practice. Ms. Esmaili served as Assistant Director of the Asset Management Unit, a national specialized unit that focuses on misconduct by private funds, investment advisers, and investment companies. Ms.

Sidley is pleased to announce that Maureen Gorsen has joined the firm in Los Angeles as a partner in its Environmental practice. She joins Sidley from Alston & Bird, where she was a partner in the firm’s Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources practice.

Sidley is pleased to announce that Thomas Ward, who previously served as Enforcement Director at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), has joined the firm as a partner in the Banking and Financial Services Group in Washington, D.C.

Global law firm Reed Smith announces the hire of Timothy Cooke as partner in its Energy and Natural Resources Group and Singapore office.

With 20 years’ experience Cooke joins from Stephenson Harwood where he was partner. His practice focuses on resolving disputes concerning energy, infrastructure and projects, construction and engineering as well as other commercial disputes.