Two partners from Shearman & Sterling, based in London, have departed from the US firm in anticipation of its merger with Allen & Overy, a prominent UK law firm. Ben Shorten and Trinh Chubbock have recently joined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s projects and infrastructure team in London, as confirmed by a statement released by the firm.
These departures foreshadow significant changes for Shearman’s London team as the merger with the much larger Allen & Overy looms ahead. Shearman currently employs roughly a quarter of the number of lawyers compared to Allen & Overy, making the consolidation a substantial event in the legal industry.
The merger between Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling was announced on May 21, with the intention of establishing one of the world’s largest law firms, boasting a combined force of over 3,900 attorneys. Shearman pursued this partnership after its merger discussions with Hogan Lovells fell through.
See also: Merger Vote by Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling Expected in Mid-July
Shortly after the merger announcement, Ashurst, another law firm, revealed that it had recruited a five-person energy team from Shearman, including Sanja Udovicic, a project finance partner based in London. Furthermore, in June, L. Kieran Kieckhefer, an intellectual property partner from California, also left Shearman to join Gibson, Dunn.
Ben Shorten, who had been with Shearman & Sterling for nearly 24 years, was a co-leader of the global project development and finance practice group. In his new role at Gibson Dunn, he will serve as the head of the project and finance team for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Trinh Chubbock, who spent five years at Shearman and was elected as a partner on March 1, focuses her energy practice on project developments, M&A transactions, and commercial contracts, as stated by Gibson, Dunn.
As the merger between Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling progresses, the legal industry anticipates further changes and adjustments within the London-based team of Shearman. The combined entity will undoubtedly wield significant influence and resources, transforming the legal landscape and reinforcing its position among the leading global law firms.
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