A&O Shearman’s securities litigation practice is a little lighter. As of today, New York-based partner Agnès Dunogué has moved firms, opting to continue her career at Freshfields.
Freshfields’ co-head of securities and shareholder litigation Mary Eaton said of the move, “I’ve had the privilege of litigating in the same securities space as Agnès for a number of years. She will be a key driver in the next phase of the team’s growth in the US.”
Bloomberg Law, who broke the story of the lateral move, couches it in terms of the battle between U.K.-based firms (both Freshfields and A&O originated across the pond):
The move is the latest instance of the multinational law firms with roots in the UK fighting for top talent in key US markets. UK-founded Freshfields has been fighting for US dominance by recruiting from competitors, hiring Latham & Watkins M&A partner Matthew Goulding to launch an office in Boston earlier this year.
Freshfields’ leaders are looking to Dunogué, who has served as outside counsel to Uber Technologies Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co., to counsel the firm’s public company and financial clients on how to navigate disputes with stockholders.
Which is certainly fair analysis. But there’s also a flood of seasoned litigators running from the Biglaw firms that capitulated to Donald Trump, inking deals that cumulatively promised $940 million in a pro bono payola war chest to conservative clients and causes, rather than stand against the president’s bullying and defend the rule of law. And, wouldn’t you know it, A&O Shearman is one of the infamous nine Biglaw firms that kissed Trump’s ring (over strenuous objection from the rank-and-file attorneys at the firm). While Freshfields signed the amicus brief supporting fellow Biglaw firm Perkins Coie in their fight against Trump.
Litigators at the capitulating firms have been impacted more than their corporate brethren — after all, if a firm is unwilling to defend itself in court (with a slam dunk of a case, fwiw) against the government, well, what faith do clients have that those firms can and will vigorously defend them?
But lateraling partners are often discreet when making their moves, and rarely spill the deets on what’s *really* behind the departure. And Dunogué’s statement on the move is expectedly tame, “The opportunity to add my expertise and experience into a successful, and still growing, practice makes it an exciting place to join and make an impact.” Still, Dunogué is part of a litigation partner trend — one we don’t expect will end any time soon.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @Kathryn1@mastodon.social.
The post Another Biglaw Firm That Capitulated To Donald Trump Loses A Litigation Partner To A Firm That Decidedly Did *Not* appeared first on Above the Law.
A&O Shearman’s securities litigation practice is a little lighter. As of today, New York-based partner Agnès Dunogué has moved firms, opting to continue her career at Freshfields.
Freshfields’ co-head of securities and shareholder litigation Mary Eaton said of the move, “I’ve had the privilege of litigating in the same securities space as Agnès for a number of years. She will be a key driver in the next phase of the team’s growth in the US.”
Bloomberg Law, who broke the story of the lateral move, couches it in terms of the battle between U.K.-based firms (both Freshfields and A&O originated across the pond):
The move is the latest instance of the multinational law firms with roots in the UK fighting for top talent in key US markets. UK-founded Freshfields has been fighting for US dominance by recruiting from competitors, hiring Latham & Watkins M&A partner Matthew Goulding to launch an office in Boston earlier this year.
Freshfields’ leaders are looking to Dunogué, who has served as outside counsel to Uber Technologies Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co., to counsel the firm’s public company and financial clients on how to navigate disputes with stockholders.
Which is certainly fair analysis. But there’s also a flood of seasoned litigators running from the Biglaw firms that capitulated to Donald Trump, inking deals that cumulatively promised $940 million in a pro bono payola war chest to conservative clients and causes, rather than stand against the president’s bullying and defend the rule of law. And, wouldn’t you know it, A&O Shearman is one of the infamous nine Biglaw firms that kissed Trump’s ring (over strenuous objection from the rank-and-file attorneys at the firm). While Freshfields signed the amicus brief supporting fellow Biglaw firm Perkins Coie in their fight against Trump.
Litigators at the capitulating firms have been impacted more than their corporate brethren — after all, if a firm is unwilling to defend itself in court (with a slam dunk of a case, fwiw) against the government, well, what faith do clients have that those firms can and will vigorously defend them?
But lateraling partners are often discreet when making their moves, and rarely spill the deets on what’s *really* behind the departure. And Dunogué’s statement on the move is expectedly tame, “The opportunity to add my expertise and experience into a successful, and still growing, practice makes it an exciting place to join and make an impact.” Still, Dunogué is part of a litigation partner trend — one we don’t expect will end any time soon.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @[email protected].
