Hogan Lovells hires King & Spalding partner trio to fuel its arbitration growth

Hogan Lovells hires King & Spalding partner trio to fuel its arbitration growth

Hogan Lovells, a global law firm, has recently hired three arbitration partners from King & Spalding. The new partners are based in London and Dubai and will join Hogan Lovells' existing top arbitration practice. This move is seen as a way for Hogan Lovells to strengthen its presence in the arbitration field and provide additional resources to its clients.

Emerson Holmes, a new partner at Hogan Lovells in London, is a leading practitioner in the field of international arbitration. He has extensive experience working on large infrastructure projects in various regions, including Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.

His practice focuses on representing clients in disputes related to the design and construction of various types of infrastructure projects including those involving LNG facilities, petrochemical plants, mines, off-shore platforms, and other types of infrastructure projects.

In addition to his expertise in international arbitration, Emerson also has experience advising clients in adjudications and proceedings in the English courts. The passage mentions a specific case in which he led a successful team that obtained an injunction on behalf of a client.

Dubai-based Patrick McPherson focuses on disputes related to construction, energy, and infrastructure projects across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

He has experience representing a variety of clients, including employers and developers, contractors, and engineering and design consultants, in complex and substantial claims. Patrick is admitted to the High Court of New Zealand and has previously worked as in-house counsel for a large construction company in the Middle East.

Randall Walker, also based in Dubai, focuses on disputes arising in the energy and infrastructure sectors and represents clients across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, as well as in Europe. He advises energy producers, power and mining interests, and construction and engineering clients on disputes throughout the lifecycle of a project. His experience includes oil and gas projects, petrochemical plants, and power and water projects. He also acts on large-scale infrastructure projects such as railways and roads.

Oliver Armas, global Practice Area leader of the firm's International Arbitration practice, commented: "We are delighted that our arbitration practice continues to grow tremendously – particularly in strategic markets such as London and Dubai. With their extensive experience in infrastructure, construction, and energy projects, and their well-deserved reputation as leading advocates, Emerson, Patrick, and Randall together are a great complement to our global arbitration practice, which represents clients in their most challenging matters."

Emerson Holmes commented: "I have fond memories of my time with Lovells as an associate in Hong Kong earlier in my career and I am excited to have re-joined the firm. Hogan Lovells has an unparalleled global Construction and Engineering brand and there is a unique and intriguing opportunity to collaborate even more across the globe to better serve the firm's impressive client base. I am also excited to join a team that I know has a strong culture of working together collegially to service the best interests of clients."

Randall Walker said: "We are thrilled to be joining the firm shortly after Emerson joined in London, and look forward to working again with Emerson, as well as the broader Hogan Lovells team."

Patrick McPherson added: "Construction and engineering has a hugely exciting future throughout the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, and with the support of Hogan Lovells' global team we believe this move will be enormously beneficial for clients seeking both in-depth industry knowledge and robust global capabilities."