Global law firm Shearman & Sterling announces the appointment of Michael Saarinen as a Funds partner in New York City.

Michael advises U.S. and international asset managers, investors and principals on the formation and operation of private funds, alternative investment structures, and related advisory businesses. He represents sponsors in the formation of funds across a broad range of asset classes and strategies, including buyout, growth equity, venture capital, real estate, liquid markets, credit, distressed debt, infrastructure, energy, secondaries and fund-of-funds.

Global law firm Reed Smith announces the hire of Jason Richardson as partner in its Financial Industry Group and London office.

Richardson joins from Sidley Austin where he was partner. He has over 20 years’ experience advising on a wide range of structured finance transactions with particular emphasis on commercial real estate and derivatives based transactions.

Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, announced that experienced corporate lawyer Iksoo Kim has joined the firm’s Securities and Capital Markets practice as a partner in Seoul. His arrival builds on Paul Hastings’ strong flow of corporate partner additions in New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Frankfurt, Sao Paulo and Hong Kong.

Duane Morris LLP has opened a new office in Dallas, Texas, with the addition of Trial partners Robert M. Castle III, Randy D. Gordon, Jamie R. Welton and Lucas “Luke” Wohlford. The group joins Duane Morris from Barnes & Thornburg LLP. The move further aligns Duane Morris’ domestic operations with the robust high-technology and energy sectors in Texas. The firm opened its Austin office in 2017 and its Houston office in 1999. The new Duane Morris LLP office is located at 100 Crescent Court in Dallas.

National law firm Weightmans has appointed a new partner to its London office and Corporate team.

Nick Fothergill joins the firm from Hewitsons. Also formerly of DAC Beachcroft, he is a corporate lawyer with over 20 years' experience advising on a range of matters; including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate reorganisations, commercial contracts, private equity and infrastructure transactions and general company law advice.

Global law firm Goodwin announced that Karen Chao joined the firm’s Private Investment Funds practice as partner, resident in the New York office.

“Having Karen on board further strengthens our market-leading private investment funds team as our clients around the world continue to raise and invest significant amounts of capital,” said Paul Verbesey, co-chair of the Private Investment Funds practice. “Karen’s experience and skills are particularly aligned with our clients’ needs and she will be a major asset to our existing global private equity and private funds practice.”

Dechert LLP announced that Andrew Wilkins, Ph.D., has joined the firm as a partner and Sean Coughlin has joined the firm as counsel. Both are based in Boston and join Dechert’s leading Intellectual Property group. This follows the addition of IP partners Howard Levine and Jennifer Swan in January, and further expands Dechert’s global life sciences capabilities.

Baker Botts L.L.P., a leading international energy, technology and life sciences law firm, announced today that Alexandra (Alex) Dapolito Dunn, the former Assistant Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, has joined the firm’s Environmental, Safety & Incident Response (ESIR) Section of the Litigation Department in the Washington, D.C. office.

Law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP has strengthened its finance capabilities with the appointment of Julie Romer as partner in its London office.

Romer is a debt finance lawyer with particular expertise in leveraged and acquisition finance and general corporate lending. She has more than 20 years of experience advising lenders, private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers on domestic and cross-border financing transactions, including management buyouts and buy-ins, bolt-on acquisitions, general corporate financings and refinancings and restructuring.

Schulte Roth & Zabel (SRZ) announces the addition of Jeffrey Symons as a partner in the M&A and Securities Group, resident in the New York office. He joins the firm from Jones Day, where he was a partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group.