Legal manoeuvres: PE lawyers’ latest moves – January 2012

PE Manager provides a round-up of the latest people moves within the private equity-focused legal community. See the links to your right for past coverage of private equity lawyer moves.

· London magic circle firm Clifford Chance has beefed up its Asia-Pacific presence with the addition of nine newly appointed lawyers. The new hires, most of which come from a corporate background, include private equity lawyer He Wei who will sit in the firm’s Beijing office. Wei has over seven years specialising in private equity M&A transactions in both international firms and Chinese domestic firms, according to a statement.

· SJ Berwin has lost private equity partner Perry Yam, who joins rival firm Reed Smith to launch a private equity practice in the US firm’s London office. During Yam’s 16-year stint with SJ Berwin, his clients included ECI Partners, Inflexion Private Equity , Nomura Private Equity and Apax Partners, according to SJ Berwin’s website. His move reflects the ongoing trend of US firms poaching European talent to launch private equity practices across the Atlantic.

· Global law firm Jones Day has elevated 45 lawyers to the firm’s partnership. Private equity lawyers to have received the nod include Brian Mulcahy, based in the firm’s Chicago office; and Patrick Stafford, based in the firm’s London office.

· Likewise global law firm Shearman & Sterling has elected nine new partners as part of its end of year promotions round. The new private equity-focused partners include Dana Kromm, based in the firm’s San Francisco office; Jeremy Kutner in London; and John Finley in New York.

· Meanwhile niche law firm Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian named six new partners before the close of the year. The crop of new partners includes Greg Volkmar, based in New York, who specialises in emerging growth companies, venture capital financing transactions and M&A transaction structures, according to a statement.

· Jeffrey Warren will head the corporate practice at Los Angeles-based law firm Palmer Lombardi & Donohue. Warren has “extensive experience” in fund formation and other areas of corporate law, according to a statement. Warren has also served as co-managing partner and general counsel of venture capital firm Eaglestone Investment Partners.

· Allen & Overy has planted its flag in Turkey with the launch of a new Istanbul office. Banking partner Charles Lindsay will move to Istanbul from London to head up the new practice. The launch was orchestrated to “capitalise on the increasing flow of work [Allen & Overy] is undertaking in Turkey”, according to a statement.

Know of any private equity lawyer career moves we might have missed? If so, email PEM editor Nicholas Donato at nicholas.d@peimedia.com