Partners from Shearman & Sterling, Jones Day and Covington & Burling are set to join three senior disputes lawyers from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in establishing a global arbitration boutique.

Freshfields London arbitration chief Constantine Partasides announced he was leaving the magic circle firm earlier this month to launch the as-yet unnamed firm, along with Paris-based disputes partner Georgios Petrochilos. Freshfields' former international arbitration head Jan Paulsson will also join the new firm, having left the magic circle outfit after 20 years in 2013.

The trio will now be joined as founders of the firm by litigator Luke Sobota who is based in Jones Day's Washington office, Covington & Burling's London-based international arbitration co-chair Gaetan Verhoosel, and international arbitration partner Todd Wetmore from Shearman & Sterling's Paris office.