International law firms and merger partners Herbert Smith LLP and Freehills announced today the official office opening in New York. The office opens for business today, 4 September 2012, and will initially operate as Herbert Smith New York. On 1 October 2012, the official launch date of the new firm Herbert Smith Freehills, it will become part of the Herbert Smith Freehills’ international network.
Designed to offer global assistance to international clients with US-related contentious issues, the New York office will focus solely on complex cross–border disputes work, specifically focused on the following three areas:
- International arbitration
- Anti-corruption and cross-border investigations
- Litigation capability to support the investigations and arbitration offering and to handle the US end of cross-border litigation for network clients
Prior to establishing the New York office, Herbert Smith announced last month the recruitment of 6 leading US commercial litigation partners from Chadbourne & Parke LLP to its partnership. Today the firm confirms the additional recruitment of 3 counsel, 8 litigation associates and 4 other fee-earners also from Chadbourne & Parke LLP.
Partners Thomas Riley, Gregory Loss, David Wallace, Allison Alcasabas and Joseph Falcone, associates Justin Schenck, Aaron Arthur, Annemarie DiNicola, Garrett Kamen, Michael Kelly, Benjamin Rubinstein and Nicholas Booke and counsel Danielle Pareja Langhoff and Lawrence Savell are starting in the New York office today.
Partner Philip Pfeffer, associate Maria Martinez and consultant Michael Bos will be joining the Herbert Smith’s dispute resolution practice in London.
The New York fee-earning team also includes international arbitration partner Chris Parker and associate Robert Rothkopf, who have relocated from Herbert Smith’s London office to New York to establish the international arbitration practice in the US.
Overall, the New York office opens with 6 partners, 14 fee-earners, and 9 business services members of staff. It will be headed by partner Thomas Riley, who will take on the role of the managing partner.
Recruitment to complete the anti-corruption and cross-border investigations element of the offering is continuing and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The New York office will be in temporary accommodation on 1745 Broadway, NY, NY 10019 until it moves to its permanent office in January 2013.
Jonathan Scott, Herbert Smith’s senior partner commented:
“We are delighted to announce the official opening of our New York office. Establishing an office and building a leading cross-border disputes practice in New York has been high on our list of priorities. We are very excited to extend the Herbert Smith’s, and ultimately the Herbert Smith Freehills’, network of offices in such a strategic location.”
Sonya Leydecker, head of Herbert Smith’s global dispute resolution practice added:
“We wish to offer a genuinely global service to our disputes clients. Opening in New York is a crucial element in this strategy and significantly enhances our global disputes capability. I am particularly pleased with the strength of the team we have put in place. These are all very experienced disputes lawyers, who enable us to offer a high-level capability to clients from day one.”
