Latham & Watkins has hired the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) director of mergers Jonathan Parker and White & Case Israeli head Joshua Kiernan in a continuation of hires in London.
Parker joins the firm in London as a partner in its antitrust and competition practice, having been appointed by the CMA to the newly created post of the director of mergers at the end of 2014.
While at the department, Parker led reviews on over 30 UK merger cases, including Ladbrokes’ proposed combination with Gala Coral, Iron Mountain’s tie-up with Recall Holdings and Celesio’s takeover of Sainsbury’s pharmacies.
Parker joined the CMA from Allen & Overy, where he was a senior associate for over six years. His arrival takes Latham’s EU competition practice to 20 partners and counsel, with the firm having also hired Elisabeta Righini, legal adviser to former Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia, to the firm’s practice group in Brussels.
London managing partner Jay Sadanandan said the investment the firm has made in its M&A and private equity capability has “increased our share of complex, cross-border transactions in London”, adding Parker will be able to enhance the firm’s existing merger control capability in London.
In the past two years, the firm has made a number of key corporate hires, including Clifford Chance private equity partners Kem Ihenacho and David Walker, as well as Tom Evans and Carlyle Group in-house counsel Tom Alabaster.
The most recent corporate hire is White & Case’s Israeli head Joshua Kiernan, who also joins in London as a capital markets partner. As well as leading the Israeli practice, Kiernan was also co-head of the firm’s technology industry group.