Linklaters competition partner Michael Cutting is set to leave the firm to join the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal as an ordinary member. He has been a partner at Linklaters since 1995 and led the firm's competition team between 2011 and 2015. He is set to leave Linklaters in April 2018, before taking up his new role in October 2018. The firm's senior partner Charlie Jacobs said: "Michael will be greatly missed and he leaves with our utmost thanks for the outstanding contribution that he has made to the firm over the years. It is testament to the strength of our competition practice that Michael has been appointed to a prestigious role within the Competition Appeal Tribunal."

Clifford Chance global litigation head Jeremy Sandelson is stepping down at the end of 2017. He has spent two terms in the role since 2009. He will remain a partner in the practice, alongside doing other projects, which are yet to be confirmed. He told Legal Week that he does not plan to run for another leadership position, despite a report by Roll on Friday suggesting he is in line for the senior partner role once Malcolm Sweeting steps down in 2018. He said: "I am stepping down from the leadership of the practice but I have no plans to run for another leadership role."

Sandelson will be replaced by disputes partner Matthew Newick, who has spent more than 15 years at the firm based in London and Hong Kong. While in Hong Kong from 2013, he led the litigation and disputes practice across Asia-Pacific before returning to the London office in January 2017.

Watson Farley & Williams has hired litigation partner Thomas Ross from Ropes & Gray in London. His practice focuses on disputes in the financial services sector. He trained at Slaughter and May and spent time as a partner at legacy Lawrence Graham and K&L Gates, before joining Ropes as its first UK commercial litigation partner in 2015. Ropes has seen a string of exits in the past 12 months in London, including funds partner Michelle Moran who joined K&L Gates, funds partner Monica Gogna who joined Dechert, and restructuring partner James Douglas who joined Linklaters.

CMS has added to its structured finance ranks with the hire of partner Neil Hamilton in London from Jones Day. Hamilton advises clients on derivatives, securitisation and structured finance matters. His addition takes the firm's City capital markets and derivatives team to five partners. Prior to joining Jones Day, he was a partner at Paul Hastings and Clifford Chance.

Squire Patton Boggs has hired Kerry Lee, the former head of intellectual property of Walgreens Boots Alliance, as a partner in its IP and technology practice. Lee has extensive experience in contentious and non-contentious IP enforcement and e-commerce matters in relation to trademark, design, patent, copyright, domain name and other IP matters across Europe, Southeast Asia and North America.

The firm has also strengthened its Dubai infrastructure and finance practice with the hire of Shane Wilson from Gowling WLG, where he was a partner. He was previously a senior associate at Vinson & Elkins and prior to that, was an associate at Norton Rose Fulbright.

Osborne Clarke has appointed two new partners in London, adding construction litigator Rob Horne from Simmons & Simmons and banking lawyer Max Millington from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, where he was a senior associate. The firm's UK managing partner Ray Berg said: "Robert and Max are both highly regarded practitioners. Their strong sector focus and technical and commercial knowhow make them a great fit for our clients, our business and our people."

Paul Hastings has boosted its City restructuring team with the hire of David Manson from White & Case. It follows the firm's hire of restructuring partner David Ereira from Linklaters last year. The firm's chair Seth Zachary said Manson's "expertise and relationships will be an asset to our growing London restructuring practice".

Addleshaw Goddard has appointed corporate crime and investigations lawyer Michelle de Kluyver as a partner in its City litigation team. She joins from Allen & Overy where she was a counsel. Head of corporate crime Nichola Peters said: "This is a fantastic hire for the team and greatly increases our bandwidth in this space, and builds on the great work that the team has been doing."

US firm Goodwin Procter has boosted its London office with the hire of corporate partner Markus Bauman from King & Spalding. He has joined the firm as a partner in its technology and life sciences practices. Goodwin's tech and life sciences co-chair John Egan said: "Goodwin's technology and life sciences platform in the US is already incredibly strong, and we have been seeing increasing client demand for our services in the UK and continental Europe." Bauman specialises in corporate finance, including equity and debt offerings, and mergers and acquisitions.

Irwin Mitchell has made a double partner hire in its Manchester business legal services division from PwC Legal and Addleshaw Goddard. Victoria Zivkovic (pictured above right) joins from PwC where she was head of corporate in Manchester, and Adam Kaucher (pictured above left) joins from Addleshaws where he was a legal director in the Manchester corporate team. Irwin Mitchell's Manchester head Roy Beckett said: "Both Adam and Victoria have a strong track record for delivering exceptional client service and I look forward to them developing and leading a highly credible corporate offering within our Manchester office."

Blake Morgan has boosted its City banking and finance practice with the hire of partner Meera Jansen from City firm Brecher. Her practice includes providing a wide range of debt finance advice to lender and borrower clients. Blake Morgan banking and finance head Kath Shimmin said: "Meera's broad expertise and client following make her an excellent addition to our team of leading banking and finance lawyers, and will further strengthen our offering in the London market."

Ropes & Gray has appointed a new head of its Hong Kong office, seven months after then office managing partner Paul Boltz left to join US rival Gibson Dunn & Crutcher along with a team of three partners. Ropes' global co-head of special situations Daniel Anderson, who joined the firm in 2011, has taken up the role. Ropes' Asia head Arthur Mok said: "Ropes & Gray enjoys an outstanding reputation in Hong Kong for working on high-profile, complex, cross-border deals and Dan's depth of knowledge and insight make him ideally placed to lead our efforts in further developing and consolidating this."

Dentons has hired Vasilii Markov as the head of its tax group in St Petersburg. Markov joins from Deloitte where he was head of the technology, media and telecommunications practice in the tax and legal department. He has a focus on the technology sector and tax incentives in Russia, having advised the Russian government on the introduction of tax benefits. He joins Dentons alongside a team of seven tax practitioners.

Stephenson Harwood has hired Laurence Ho as a partner in its Hong Kong office. Ho, who was previously a partner with Withers, will join the firm's private wealth team and has a focus on international tax, trust and estate planning matters for high-net-worth individuals, families and estates. He has particular experience in acting on US expatriation and pre-immigration matters, and in advising individuals and families on US tax compliance.

West End firm Fladgate has hired immigration partner Kelly Whiter from PwC, where she was head of the private client immigration team. She has experience working with tax advisers and private bankers in helping high-net-worth individuals relocate to the UK.

Baker McKenzie has hired a team of three banking and finance lawyers in Stockholm, including partner Mats Rooth. The trio join from local firm Bystrom Rooth & Partners (BRP), where Rooth was one of the founding partners. Rooth specialises in acquisition finance in relation to private equity transactions. Prior to launching BRP he was a partner and head of the finance practice at Ashurst's Stockholm office. 

Pinsent Masons has strengthened in Germany with the hire of Thomas Peschke as a partner in Duesseldorf. Peschke focuses on M&A, with a particular focus on the manufacturing and technology sectors. He was previously a partner at KPMG in Duesseldorf, where he headed its Dutch desk. Pinsents opened its Duesseldorf office in 2016 and its Munich office in 2012, and is now up to a headcount of 80 lawyers in Germany.