The global law firm Jones Day has announced that Celeste M. Brecht has joined the Firm as a partner in its Business & Tort Litigation Practice and is based in the Los Angeles Office.

International law firm Trowers & Hamlins has recruited Mark Churchman to its Corporate team in London.

Mark has broad experience advising institutional private equity, infrastructure, and real estate investors and large corporates on a range of corporate law matters, including domestic and cross-border M&A, management incentive plans, joint ventures, co-investments and general corporate and commercial advisory work.

Mark joins Trowers from Vinson & Elkins RLLP.

Tim Nye, partner and head of Corporate at Trowers & Hamlins, commented:

Withers has expanded its international Withers tech practice to the US with the hire of a new team of life sciences and venture capital focused attorneys in Boston, consisting of three partners and a patent specialist, working alongside Boston-based Withers tech attorney Andrew Gay.

DLA Piper announced that Michelle Lara has joined the firm’s Employment practice as a partner in San Diego.

Paul Baker has joined the London office as a partner. He focuses on complex financial disputes and investigations, particularly contentious asset management work.  He also provides specialist reputation management advice to global organizations regarding their online and print media strategies, particularly in crisis situations. These include advising on matters involving defamation, malicious falsehood and harassment arising from social media publications.

The firm welcomes Dr. Haiyan Tang as a partner in the firm’s Shanghai office.  Haiyan is well known for her experience in helping multinational and China-based companies navigate sensitive Chinese and U.S. government enforcement, investigation, and compliance matters, and complex cross-border litigation and arbitrations.  Dr.

Dominic Roughton has joined the firm as a partner in the London office. Dominic practices international arbitration, litigation, and public disputes. He specializes in the energy and mining sectors, particularly in Asia, where he practiced for 12 years, Africa, the CIS, and the Middle East. He also has expertise in the state-to-state arena, especially maritime boundary disputes. He sits as an arbitrator and has acted as counsel in the ICC, LCIA, SCC, SIAC, JCAA, and CIETAC Arbitrations.

Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, P.A. continues the strategic expansion of its Trial Practice and Litigation Practice with the addition of Joe Mamounas as a shareholder in its Miami office. Mamounas’ practice is focused on domestic and international arbitration, corporate fraud and compliance, and complex business disputes. He joins Greenberg Traurig from the Miami office of another international law firm.

Law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP has strengthened its international employment capabilities with the appointment of Soazig Préteseille as partner in its Paris office.

Préteseille is a French qualified employment lawyer, with more than 15 years of experience advising French and international companies on all transactional and litigation aspects of employment law. She was admitted to the Paris Bar in 2002, and is fluent in English, German and Romanian. Préteseille, who has spent the majority of her career at international law firms, joins the firm from Reinhart Marville Torre.

International law firm Bird & Bird strengthens its Dispute Resolution practice in London with the appointment of international arbitration specialist Nick Peacock as partner and head of its London arbitration group.