CORRECTION, 9/16/13, 11:35 a.m. EDT: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the country where King & Spalding partner Mehdi Haroun was born. It is Algeria. The information has been corrected in the fourth paragraph below. We regret the error.
King & Spalding has hired a five-lawyer energy group from Herbert Smith Freehills in Paris. The team is led by the former head of Herbert Smith's North Africa practice, MEHDI HAROUN, who is now a partner at King & Spalding. PHILIPPE TROSSET and RUXANDRA LAZAR join as counsel, along with two associates.
Kenneth Fleuriet, the managing partner of King & Spalding's Paris office, says they were interested in the team because while the firm has done transactional and dispute work in Africa for a long time, they want to begin working more in French-speaking African countries, especially in the northern and western parts of the continent.
"We also hired Mehdi because he is known to members of our firm's Islamic finance practice in the Middle East, and we want to grow that practice," says Fleuriet. The team has done substantial energy work in France, Fleuriet says, particularly on renewable energy projects.
Haroun, who was born in Algeria, says he can also help further develop King & Spalding's presence in English-speaking African countries. Haroun says the team's move has been a long time coming. "There have been discussions for a year and a half—that's the time it takes to make two babies," he quips. "It's been a very long time."
In other Churn news . . .
Akerman Senterfitt has hired a team for its taxation practice group in Austin made up of shareholder ELIZABETH MORGAN and an associate. Both moved to Akerman from the Austin firm Morgan Alder, which has since closed. Morgan represents high-net-worth families and family offices in tax, estate, and business planning matters.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has brought in a former chief of the financial crimes and public corruption unit in the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of Virginia. CHARLES CONNOLLY is now a partner in the firm's litigation practice in Washington, D.C., where he will advise on a range of white-collar matters, including those related to corporate fraud and securities fraud.
LYNNE WHITE is now of counsel in Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz's Orlando office, focusing on commercial real estate matters. She left Akerman Senterfitt earlier this year and most recently had her own practice.
Buchalter Nemer has expanded its Los Angeles office with new shareholder MARK CRAMER, who specializes in complex commercial litigation and class action litigation. He last worked at Kirkland & Ellis.
Chapman and Cutler has expanded in New York with four partners from Richards Kibbe & Orbe. MICHAEL FRIEDMAN, LARRY HALPERIN, JOON HONG, and NICHOLAS WHITNEY are in their new firm's commercial lending and bankruptcy, restructuring, and workouts practices.
DONALD ROSS is now senior of counsel in Covington & Burling's New York office. He is a member of the corporate governance group, advising on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, proxy contests, and domestic and multijurisdictional corporate finance. He comes to Covington from Canadian firm Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt.
ERIC FADER has moved to Day Pitney's New York office as counsel from Edwards Wildman Palmer. He joins both the life sciences and health care practice groups.
Kelley Drye & Warren has hired two partners from Dow Lohnes to help form a new sports entertainment group in Los Angeles. ADISA BAKARI is now a partner and chair of the practice, and JEFFERY WHITNEY is a partner and vice chair of the group.
THOMAS ALLEN JR. is the newest partner in Jones Day's Dallas office after leaving Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal. As part of the issues and appeals group, he will help clients with trial briefing, direct and interlocutory appeals, motions for rehearing, and mandamus proceedings.
Jones Day has also hired MARIA CANOVAS as a partner in its mergers and acquisitions and Latin America practices. Based in New York, Canovas previously practiced at Hogan Lovells.
Former federal prosecutor MARCUS CHRISTIAN has joined Mayer Brown's litigation and dispute resolution practice and its white-collar defense and compliance group. He is now in the firm's Washington, D.C., office as a partner after ending his service as the executive assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Florida.
In San Francisco, RICHARD ZOLEZZI has become counsel in Nixon Peabody's global business and transactions practice after leaving the boutique investment bank Catapult Advisors.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman has expanded it structured finance and private equity capabilities in New York with partner PETER MORGAN. Morgan, who joined from Dentons, also has a background in leasing, lending, private equity, and fund formation work.
Reed Smith has hired two partners to its global regulatory enforcement group from Linklaters. Based in New York, JOSEPH ARMAO and PAUL ALFIERI advise on government investigations and white-collar litigation.
Schiff Hardin has hired PAULA LEIBOVITZ GOODWIN as a partner in its San Francisco office, as part of the trusts and estates group. She advises clients on estate planning and decedent estate administration, with an emphasis on tax planning. She comes to the firm from the Leibovitz Goodwin Law Group, which has closed since her move.
MICHAEL SASLAW has lateraled from Weil, Gotshal & Manges to Vinson & Elkins. He is now a partner in Dallas, concentrating on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and general corporate counseling and governance.
Winstead has brought in MARK CARLSON as of counsel to its Charlotte office. Previously with Winston & Strawn, his practice focuses on the representation of major banking institutions with respect to origination, servicing, and liquidation of commercial and residential mortgage loans.
The Churn is compiled from law firm releases and announcements. Moves based on our own reporting will note this. Please send all announcements and news releases to [email protected].
