A year after New York-headquartered Debevoise & Plimpton made up its first partners in London in four years the firm has promoted two more of its lawyers to its all-equity ranks.
Corporate lawyer Thomas Smith and Patrick Taylor, a member of Debevoise’s litigation department and the international dispute resolution group, have both become partners in the US firm’s seven-strong round. All five of the other promotions are in New York.
Smith, a Nottingham University graduate, is a member of Debevoise’s corporate department and the finance and private equity groups. He joined the firm in 2007 having trained at legacy Norton Rose. His practice focuses on acquisition and leveraged finance for the firm’s private equity and corporate clients.
Taylor’s practice focuses on commercial and investment treaty arbitration, acting for both sovereign and commercial clients across a range of sectors. He graduated from Cambridge University in 2001 and trained and qualified at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, joining Debevoise two years ago as international counsel.
The two London lawyers along with the five in New York will become Debevoise partners effective 1 July this year.
Last year investment management lawyer Sally Gibson and litigator Richard Lawton were appointed as partners at Debevoise, ending a four-year run with no promotions in the City.
The promotions in full
- Sarah Coyne, litigation/white collar, New York
- Uri Herzberg, corporate, New York
- Ina Popova, litigation, New York
- David Portilla, corporate and banking, New York
- David Sarratt, litigation/white collar, New York
- Thomas Smith, corporate/finance/private equity, London
- Patrick Taylor, litigation, London