Celebrations for US law firms' troika after UK Queen's Counsel's annual award

Celebrations for US law firms' troika after UK Queen's Counsel's annual award

First-ever Big Four advocate on roster joined by lawyers from Quinn Emanuel, Gibson Dunn and Skadden

Advocates at four top law firms and the legal arm of a Big Four shared the rewards with prominent attorneys at the annual launch of new Queen's Counsel in the UK with representatives of three US firms on the 116-strong roster.

Duncan Watson of the Hong Kong office of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan was joined by Jeffrey Sullivan of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Daniel Gal of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom on the senior advocates' list.

Duncan Watson (37) said, "Taking silk is humbling and exciting for me personally, and a testament to the success of Quinn Emanuel's international arbitration practice." Fresh fields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Will Thomas continued the firm's long investment in advocacy while Partner at KPMG Law Amanda Brown became the first appointment from the legal arm of a Big Four accountancy firm.

Amanda Brown, KPMC tax litigation head, was the lone specialist tax disputes lawyer to take silk. An unnamed sixth solicitor was successful but next transferred to the Bar. Last year, four solicitors and two employed barristers were successful with the beneficiaries being Fresh fields, Clyde & Co., Herbert Smith Free hills, White & Case and Clifford Chance.

This year's solicitor appointments were dominated by arbitration lawyers. Acting on complex investment treaty and commercial disputes, Daniel Gal joined Karyl Nairn and David Kavanagh, his Skadden colleagues, as silks. Dual qualified in England & Wales and the US, Jeffrey Sullivan, known for his energy, construction and commercial arbitration practice, was amongst the few Americans to receive the award.

Meanwhile, Nigel Blackaby, Ben Jura to witch, Nigel Rawding, Peter Turner and Noah Rubens were joined by Thomas in making silk at Fresh fields, which now has the highest concentration of silks across the UK Magic Circle.

Among the commercial sets of chambers, the highest number of silks i.e. 5 were scored by Essex Court Chambers followed by 3 Verulam Buildings with 3 and One Essex Court and Brick Court each with 2 successful applicants.

Fountain Court tenant Laura John will join its ranks of QCs. One tenant at Fountain Court will be joining its ranks of QCs: Laura John.

Sir Alex Allan, selection panel chair, said, "We were particularly pleased that for the first year ever, the number of women appointed - 40, which amounts to 34% of the total appointed, is almost equal to the proportion of women in the relevant segment of the profession."

"The number of BAME applicants appointed, although lower than last year's record total of 22, is also almost equal to the proportion of BAME advocates in the relevant segment of the profession," he said.

A group of 17 Irish solicitors became the first members of the Law Society of Ireland to receive the Senior Counsel award in October