Global leaders elected at HFW

HFW has elected a new managing partner and re-elected its senior partner amid continuing growth for the global firm.

New managing partner Jeremy Shebson is a partner in the firm’s global aerospace group and a member of the global strategy board. He previously headed the Brazil practice.

His term begins on 1st April 2019 and he succeeds Marcus Bowman who is retiring from the firm after 30 years.

In accepting the role, Shebson says he is proud to be leading HFW at a time of challenges for the legal profession.

"These are increasingly challenging times for global law firms, but I passionately believe in HFW and that through effective communication, innovation, efficiency and teamwork, we can deliver positive and sustainable growth across our entire business. I would also like to thank Marcus for his hard work and significant contribution to the firm."

Meanwhile, senior partner Richard Crump is no stranger to re-election having been returned four times to the role he has now held for more than a decade.

“The firm has changed beyond all recognition over the past few years and we have ambitious plans to continue the growth and development of our practice across our core sectors, services and international offices,” he said.

HFW added 24 new partners in 2018, including nine internal promotions and 15 lateral hires across Abu Dhabi, Brussels, Dubai, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Rio de Janeiro and Singapore.

Norton Rose Fulbright enters Singapore alliance
Norton Rose Fulbright has announced a new Formal Law Alliance in Singapore with local firm Ascendant Legal LLC.

The alliance will be known as Norton Rose Fulbright Ascendant and will provide seamless access for clients to both international and local law advice.

NRF has operated an office in the city state since 1982 and currently has more than 60 lawyers. Ascendant was founded in 2016.

Although the two firms remain separate, the alliance will give NRF additional capabilities, especially in litigation and arbitration, financial restructuring and regulation and investigations.

Firms form association to advise on law firm mergers
The continued consolidation in the legal services profession has led several specialist advisory firms to form a new association.

The Association of Law Firm Merger Advisers has been formed in the UK by a group of accountants, consultancy firms, solicitors, and merger research specialists.

On its website, ALFMA says that it was founded to help firm take as much of the risk out of mergers as possible. The founding members have been involved in more that 150 successful mergers between them.