National firm makes senior hire from global rival

National firm makes senior hire from global rival
Corrs Chambers Westgarth has appointed Kon Mellos to its partnership to strengthen its corporate practice in Melbourne.

He joins from Herbert Smith Freehills where he founded the Australian private equity practice. The high-profile corporate and governance lawyer is well known for work with private equity investment funds, M&A and leveraged buyouts.

“Kon’s breadth of experience and deep expertise advising superannuation funds, sovereign wealth funds and fund managers on fund formation, M&A and investment transactions across private equity, venture capital, infrastructure, real estate, private debt and other asset classes, fits into our firm’s comprehensive offering for both domestic and international institutional investment clients,” said Corrs Partner and CEO John W.H. Denton AO.

Magic Circle firms hold onto trainees as Brexit approaches
With the Brexit talks underway and making slow progress, but with a legal minefield ahead, the Magic Circle firms are generally holding onto their trainees.

Slaughter and May retained the largest share this time around, 90% of its trainees; Allen & Overy has kept 85%, Linklaters 84%, and Clifford Chance 81%.

Freshfields is retaining just 66% following a 95% rate a year ago.

Kennedys takes Sedgwick team in New York
International law firm Kennedys has continued its recent expansion with the addition of a team of financial institutions lawyers from Sedgwick.

They include the former managing partner of Sedgwick New York, John Blancett, along with two partners and three associates. Blancett headed Sedgwick’s Financial Institutions practice and is considered a top insurer advocate in the United States.

The addition of the team continues Kennedys growth in the US which includes the merger with US insurance law firm Carroll McNulty & Kull (CMK) in June, adding 100 attorneys, including 41 partners, and offices in New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Austin and Miami to its global network.

Addition for Morgan Lewis dispute resolution team in Hong Kong
Morgan Lewis has added Charles Mo as a partner in Hong Kong to boost its dispute resolution, corporate investigation and compliance capabilities. He joins from Winston and Strawn.