US firms grow London partnerships by nearly 10%

US law firms grew their partner count in London by nearly 10% during 2011, evidence that they are gaining a larger slice of the European legal services market. Legal Week conducted a survey to find that the total partner count at the 45 responding US and transatlantic firms in London increased by 91 in the year to January 2012, to 1,199. The increase includes both lateral partner hires and internal partner promotions. Macfarlanes senior partner Charles Martin said: “Hiring from US firms in the funds area in the City has been little short of a frenzy over the last year. We are operating in an extremely competitive market and US firms are just changing the shape of the competition.” Legal recruiter Siobhan Lewington from Fox Rodney Search said: “We have seen strong hiring from US firms in the City over the last year as part of their globalisation strategy and as they look to capitalise on London as an access point for European and other international growth.”

US firms grow London partnerships by nearly 10% legalweek.com Fri, Mar 16, 2012