Linklaters has lured a group of finance lawyers from rival law firm A&O Shearman in New York, as the London-founded firm continues to grow in the United States.
David Lucking, John Hwang, Derek Poon and Dan Guyder are joining Linklaters as partners in its finance division, where they will focus on derivatives, securitization and restructuring, the firm said on Monday.
Linklaters earlier this year hired a six-lawyer team of mergers and acquisitions lawyers from New York-founded Shearman & Sterling ahead of its combination with London-founded Allen & Overy, which created A&O Shearman on May 1.
The group was led by George Casey, who was a global managing partner at Shearman and former corporate group leader. He is now the global chairman of corporate at Linklaters. Former Shearman partner Heiko Schiwek is a global leader of Linklaters' chemicals sector.
A&O Shearman's transatlantic deal is the latest sign of UK firms' quest for growth in the United States, where top London firms have expanded in recent years through hires from competitors in existing and new offices.
Adding top lawyers in the United States is a "key priority" for Linklaters, Aedamar Comiskey, senior partner and chair of the firm, said in a statement.
The firm said in reporting its financial results earlier this year that its U.S. market revenues had increased 24%.
Other recent U.S. hires include partner Joseph Profaizer, who joined as global co-head of international arbitration from Paul Hastings earlier this month. Partner Michael Torkin joined from Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett as head of U.S. capital solutions and special situations.
Lucking, who was one of several lawyers who ran for the managing partner role at A&O Shearman and was not elected, was a co-head of global finance markets at the firm. Hwang and Poon led the firm's U.S. asset finance and securitzation practice, Linklaters said. The incoming lawyers were not immediately available for comment.
An A&O Shearman spokesperson said the firm wishes the lawyers well.
