On Wednesday morning, the law firm of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP announced via a press release that Stephen Jagusch has joined the London office of the firm as a partner. Jagusch previously worked at Allen & Overy’s Global Chair of the firm’s International Arbitration Practice. Jagusch will hold the same role at Quinn Emanuel.
Jagusch has worked in dozens of international arbitration cases across the globe in major arbitral centers. He has also advocated against and for many sovereign entities and sovereign states regarding disputes under bilateral investment treaties and the Energy Charter Treaty.
Allen & Overy was given notice of the switch by Jagusch in April of 2012 and was put on “gardening leave” by the firm. “We are very pleased that Stephen has finally joined us,” said Quinn Emanuel Managing Partner John Quinn. “We are building an elite international arbitration practice. Stephen will be the centerpiece of it.”
Jagusch stated, “I share John Quinn’s vision for developing a preeminent international arbitration practice. I think that Quinn Emanuel provides the ideal platform to do that.” He also said, “I am looking forward to being at a firm that focuses solely on business disputes and is not saddled with the many conflicts of interest of a big transactional firm.”
Quinn Emanuel is scheduled to open an office in Paris on January 7, which is going to be chaired by Philippe Pinsolle, the former partner at Shearman & Sterling. John Quinn noted that the expansion of the firm internationally is not done just yet. “We will be adding more partners and senior level talent in other arbitration centers in the coming months.”
Over the previous 12 months, Quinn Emanuel has added seven new partners to its international arbitration group, including Jagusch. One of Jagusch’s colleagues at Allen & Overy, Anthony Sinclair, joined Quinn Emanuel in August. Tai-Heng Cheng joined the firm in New York back in June from New York Law School, where he had been working as a tenured professor of law.
David Orta, from Arnold & Porter, joined the firm’s Washington, D.C. office in April. Ivan Marisin joined the firm in December of 2011 from the Moscow office of Clifford Chance
The co-managing partner of the Quinn Emanuel office in London, Richard East, said, “London is the epicenter of international arbitration. Having an advocate of Stephen’s stature is a big step for us in London.”