LONDON, June 20, 2005— LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP announced today that it has expanded its London operation with the arrival of 34 new partners, associates and trainees, bringing the total number of lawyers in London to more than 50.
“This is a landmark day for Orrick,” said Ralph Baxter, chairman and CEO of the firm. “An outstanding group of lawyers with a platinum reputation joins our already strong team to create a top-tier London legal office. With our size and depth of talent, we will be able to achieve great things for our clients – in the UK, across Europe and in the U.S.”
The dramatic expansion more than doubles the size of Orrick’s London office. The new lawyers—including eight partners, 18 associates and eight trainees—had formerly worked at Coudert Brothers. The new partners, recognized leaders in their fields, add a diversity of expertise to Orrick’s practice. Their specialties include international banking, mergers and acquisitions, international arbitration, employment law, emerging markets and commercial property litigation.
“We have been targeting a significant push in London, and we now have all the elements in place to provide the kind of high-quality work and superior service that Orrick is so well known for around the world,” said Adrian Harris, managing partner of the London office.
Orrick, recently named as one of the most consistently high-ranking firms in The American Lawyer’s annual “Corporate Scorecard,” launched its European practice when it opened an office in London in 1998. Since then, it has opened offices in Paris in 2002, Milan in 2003 and Rome in 2004. Orrick’s European practice has now grown to more than 100 lawyers. Orrick has been lauded as one of the top five structured finance firms worldwide by Euromoney, one of the top leading global firms by Global 50 and was recognized as having one of the Top 10 defense verdicts for the past two years by the National Law Journal (U.S.).
“One of the exciting things about our new team of lawyers is how well positioned we are to work across Europe and with our colleagues in the U.S. and Asia,” said David Syed, European managing partner for Orrick. “Increasingly corporations need a range of legal expertise over a broad geographic spectrum. That’s the reality in today’s world. We have clients in France with business in Japan and investments in the U.S. and the U.K. who may be exploring an expansion in Russia, and our lawyers at Orrick are equipped to serve all those needs.”
About Orrick’s New Partners in London
Simon Cockshutt is a U.K. solicitor practicing in London. He specializes in litigation, particularly in the area of real estate, and arbitration. He is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. His litigation practice is focused in two key areas: property-focused litigation, such as residential and commercial landlord tenant matters, and general commercial actions, including disputes over construction contracts, joint ventures, share purchase agreements and general commercial contracts.
Cockshutt graduated from the University of Sheffield College of Law.
John Evans is a U.K. solicitor practicing in London. The former head of Coudert’s employment law practice in London, Evans represents employers in all aspects of employment law, including both contentious and non-contentious matters. He also represents senior employees and directors in employment-related matters and advises in partnership disputes. He has considerable experience in litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution and has been trained as a mediator.
Evans graduated from Cambridge University, Gonville and Caius College, in 1981, and the College of Law, Chester, in 1982.
Maria Frangeskides is a U.K. solicitor practicing in London. She specializes in commercial litigation and international arbitration, including international trade, commercial fraud, banking, finance, insurance, commodities trading and sale of goods, entertainment, telecommunications, shipping, professional negligence and building construction disputes.
Maria received her Bachelor of Laws, Upper Second Class Honours, from University College London in 1988 and graduated from the College of Law, Chancery Lane, London, in 1989.
Alexander Michael Janes is a U.K. solicitor practicing in London. Acting for both lenders and borrowers, he specializes in structuring international banking transactions, including acquisition and asset financing, project finance and trade finance. He has extensive experience working on projects in the U.K. and Western Europe—experience gained at the Office of the General Counsel of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development—and has worked on a variety of projects in Central and Eastern Europe, including Russia, and the Central Asian Republics.
Janes received his LL.B. from Queen Mary College, London University, in 1984.
Peter O’Driscoll is a U.S. lawyer admitted in New York and practicing in London and Moscow. He specializes in emerging market mergers and acquisitions, private equity, securities and general corporate work, as well as project finance and secured lending work.
O’Driscoll received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Oral Roberts University in 1984 and studied at King’s College of London. He received his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1987.
Anne O’Neill is a U.K. solicitor practicing in London. She advises on all aspects of commercial property work and landlord and tenant matters, with particular emphasis on shopping centre development and management and on the acquisition and development of property for housing associations, developers and investors.
O’Neill received her LL.B., with honors, from University College London in 1981.
Dean Poster is a U.K. solicitor practicing in London. The former head of Coudert’s U.K. corporate and commercial law group and a member of its worldwide TMT practice, he specializes in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate and commercial, technology, media and telecommunications and private equity/venture capital.
Poster received his LL.B. from the University of Leicester in 1987 and graduated from Lancaster Gate College of Law, London, in 1988.
Fiona Stone is a U.K. solicitor practicing in London. Her real property practice focuses on commercial conveyances, including landlord and tenant matters.
Stone received her M.A. from King’s College, Cambridge.
About Orrick
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP is an international law firm with approximately 700 lawyers in North America, Europe, and Asia. The firm focuses on litigation, complex and novel finance, and innovative corporate transactions. Orrick clients include Fortune 100 companies, major industrial and financial corporations, commercial and investment banks, high-growth companies, governmental entities, start-ups, and individuals. The firm’s 15 offices are located in New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Orange County, Pacific Northwest, London, Milan, Moscow, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, and Taipei.
