KWM tight-lipped on administration

The European arm of King & Wood Mallesons did not call in administrators on January 9, the original deadline by which it was expected to do so, a spokeswoman from the Chinese arm of the business told pfm.

It emerged late on Friday the European banking and corporate team were seeking to operate under the KWM name as part of the China business in London. The troubled law firm has delayed the appointment of administrators allow more time for this deal to be completed, reports indicate.

Spokeswomen in both the China and London offices declined to comment on the matter.
KWM Europe filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators on 22 December. It had 10 business days in which to either do so, or to file another notice of intention.

Partners from across the firm’s practice groups continued to secure alternative employment. KWM’s co-head of investment funds in Paris, Nathalie Duguay, is reportedly joining Wilkie Farr & Gallagher as an asset management partner.

Duguay’s co-head of funds in Paris, Arnaud Davis, is reportedly in talks with international US-based firm Reed Smith. The role under negotiation is unclear.
Simmons & Simmons, a law firm headquartered in London, is also reportedly hiring three KWM partners in its private equity and banking and finance departments. Private equity funds partner Cindy Valentine and banking and finance partner Jen Yee Chan are set to join the firm later this month.

They are being joined by Cameron Roper, a managing associate and supervising associate, Oleksandr Pankiv.