Pepper Hamilton LLP announced that Gary Apfel has joined the firm as a partner in the Financial Services Practice Group. Prior to joining Pepper, Mr. Apfel was co-chair of the Consumer Financial Services Group at Dewey & LeBoeuf in Los Angeles.

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP advised Lafarge S.A., a world leader in building materials, in obtaining UK Competition Commission approval for its proposed construction materials joint venture with Anglo American plc. The joint venture will combine both parties’ cement, aggregates, ready-mixed concrete, asphalt and contracting businesses in the United Kingdom.

International law firm Pinsent Masons has today merged with UK firm McGrigors, strengthening the firm’s restructuring team in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The combined firm, which will operate worldwide under the name and brand of Pinsent Masons, will employ over 2500 people in total including over 1500 lawyers, 500 of whom will be based in Pinsent Masons’ international headquarters in the City of London.

We are delighted to announce that Peter Willis is joining our London office as a Partner in our International EU & Competition Practice Group.

King & Spalding today announced the addition of a team of seven real estate lawyers from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer to its Paris office, the latest move in its plan of expansion of real estate and transactional capabilities in Europe.

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. (Ogletree Deakins), one of the nation’s largest labor and employment law firms, welcomes Min Suh as a shareholder to the firm’s Philadelphia office. Suh focuses her practice on immigration and employment law. Prior to joining Ogletree Deakins, Suh was a partner with Fox Rothschild, LLP in Philadelphia. With the addition of Suh, Ogletree Deakins’ Philadelphia office continues to experience substantial growth in response to client demand. Led by managing shareholder Paul Lancaster Adams, who joined the firm in January, the office has also recently welcomed Zach Glaser and Richard Harris as shareholders; Sue Kalp and Jacqueline Barrett as of counsel; and Penelope Jones as associate.

Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Henry F. Schuelke, III and Lawrence H. Wechsler will join the Firm as partners from the premier Washington, D.C.-based white collar litigation boutique Janis, Schuelke & Wechsler Law Firm. The two attorneys helped to form the firm more than 30 years ago, after having served as Assistant United States Attorneys for the District of Columbia.  Mr. Schuelke and Mr. Wechsler each bring more than 40 years of experience to the Firm in various areas of white collar criminal defense and international criminal law, and will be joined by their colleagues William B. Shields as Counsel and Ariel S. Glasner as Associate. The team will be based in Blank Rome’s Washington, D.C. office.