Allen & Overy And Shearman & Sterling Announce Partner Promotions Ahead Of Merger
Allen & Overy And Shearman & Sterling Announce Partner Promotions Ahead Of Merger
In a landmark announcement, Allen & Overy (A&O) and Shearman & Sterling have revealed the inaugural partner promotions for their combined Firm, A&O Shearman. The merger, set to close on May 1, 2024, marks a significant milestone for both firms as they solidify their collaborative efforts in delivering unparalleled legal services worldwide.
A total of 40 outstanding lawyers have been elected to the partnership, drawing from the talent pools of A&O and Shearman. A&O's election saw 32 new partners, while Shearman contributed eight, aligning with the relative size and geographic footprints of the two prestigious firms. These promotions span across 15 different offices situated in 11 countries, reflecting the global reach and diverse expertise that A&O Shearman will offer to its clientele.
Khalid Garousha, interim Managing Partner at A&O, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "We are thrilled to welcome this exceptional group of lawyers to the A&O Shearman partnership. These partners will bring a wealth of expertise to our soon-to-be merged firm, providing exceptional service to our clients in the world’s most dynamic markets."
Notably, 42% of the newly promoted partners across both firms are women, in line with A&O's commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion within the legal profession.
Adam Hakki, senior partner at Shearman, congratulated the newly elected partners, remarking, “I would like to congratulate this exceptionally talented group of lawyers on their promotions. They each have an outstanding track record of delivering for our clients and the firm, and they are a fitting group to be the first new partner class of A&O Shearman. The diversity, geographical breadth and range of expertise of these outstanding professionals demonstrates the quality and depth of the combined firm around the world. I am confident they will continue to accomplish great things and will be wonderful partners in every respect.”
The elected partners encompass a wide range of legal specialties, including International Capital Markets, Corporate Law, Banking, Litigation, Tax, and more. With offices in key financial centers such as New York, London, Frankfurt, and Singapore, A&O Shearman is poised to provide comprehensive legal services tailored to the needs of clients operating in diverse industries and jurisdictions.
The partnership promotions underscore the unified prowess of A&O and Shearman, highlighting the extensive talent pool and global reach that will define the merged entity. With the merger's closure in May, A&O Shearman is poised to emerge as one of the top ten largest law firms worldwide.
The elected partners are:
From Allen & Overy:
• Lena Kiely, Puja Patel, and Derek Poon (New York) specialize in International Capital Markets and Corporate law respectively.
• Michael Sykes and Gideon Wiginton (Washington D.C.) focus on Banking.
• Tim Bates, Imogen Carr, Vanessa Morgan, Rebecca Noble, Rachel O'Reilly, Kate Pumfrey, Alex Shandro, Jason Symington, and David Weaver (London) cover areas ranging from International Capital Markets to Litigation.
• Axel de Backer (Brussels), Luke Whibley (Amsterdam), Laurie-Anne Ancenys, Charles del Valle, and Anne-Caroline Payelle (Paris), Catharina Glugla (Düsseldorf), Rauni Ahammer (Munich), Tim Drach, David Schmid, and Sebastian Schulz (Frankfurt), Baptiste Aubry, and Franz Kerger (Luxembourg) specialize in Banking, Corporate, Tax, and Litigation.
• Ishtar Sancho (Madrid, Spain) focuses on Tax.
• Arash Koozehkanani (Dubai, UAE) specializes in Litigation.
• Mohammad Andrew (Jakarta, Indonesia) specializes in International Capital Markets.
• Matthew Del Rosso, Jessica Lee, and Ayesha Thapar (Singapore) specialize in Banking and Corporate law.
From Shearman & Sterling:
• Melisa Brower, Jonathan Cheng, Joshua Ebersole, Jai Garg, Christopher Glenn, and Leila Siddiky (New York) specialize in Compensation, Governance, Antitrust, Litigation, and Mergers & Acquisitions.
• Brian Hauser (Washington D.C.) focuses on Antitrust.
• Michelle Kwan (Austin) specializes in Emerging Growth.
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