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Jin Hee Kim, Allen & Overy
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Allen & Overy has expanded its New York finance offering with the hire of a counsel from U.S. firm Cahill Gordon & Reindel.

Jin Hee Kim joins the Magic Circle firm's New York office leveraged finance practice as a partner.

She spent just over two years at Cahill, where she joined from fellow U.S. heavyweight Cravath Swaine & Moore in 2017.

A&O U.S. leveraged finance co-head Michael Chernick said in a statement: "Jin Hee brings over a decade of experience counselling clients in the leverage finance industry and will be an asset to the continued growth of our practice. As the regulatory landscape continues to evolve and transaction financing becomes more complex, we are glad to continue adding subject matter expertise talent to our team."

A&O has made incremental progress in growing headcount in its New York base.

Last year, the firm added senior M&A partner Stephen Besen from Shearman & Sterling, while in 2017 it hired finance partner Lawrence Berkovich from Ashurst.

The Magic Circle firm is aiming to improve its fortunes in the U.S. via a transformational merger with U.S. firm O'Melveny & Myers.

Talks between the two firms have rumbled on for more than a year, with some market commentators questioning whether the slow pace could affect the outcome.