Leading global law firm Baker McKenzie has hired restructuring specialist Sarah Smith as a partner in the firm's Global Restructuring & Insolvency group. Sarah joins the Firm from Dechert LLP.
Sarah will work with Baker McKenzie's Global Restructuring & Insolvency group to further strengthen the Firm's offering in London, across EMEA, and beyond. She has a broad finance practice focusing principally on financial restructuring, as well as securitisation and financial services regulatory advice and the impact of bank capital requirements on the structuring of financing transactions. She is widely known in the market as an extremely experienced and technically strong lawyer with a reputation for first-class work.
Deb Dandeneau, Baker McKenzie's Chair, Global Restructuring & Insolvency, said: "Sarah's extensive restructuring experience will make her a huge asset to our team. We are excited to work with her to continue to grow and enhance Baker McKenzie's global restructuring capabilities. Sarah’s appointment further strengthens our commitment to diversity in R&I."
Ed Poulton, Baker McKenzie's London Managing Partner, said: "Given the market location and focus for restructuring services, it makes sense for us to invest intelligently in our London restructuring practice. Sarah's credentials and market profile make her a clever hire and I'm delighted to welcome her to our Firm."
The news follows other recent restructuring hires including José Luis Yus' hire as partner in charge of the Restructuring & Insolvency practice in Madrid and Joachim Ponseck and Prof. Dr. Artur Swierczok, who joined the Frankfurt team earlier in 2021.
These are in addition to a number of recent lateral appointments in London, including Ash Tiwari and Rakesh Rathod, who joined the Firm earlier this year; former UK Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham; Andrew Hedges, who joined from Norton Rose Fulbright; Oliver Jefferies from Stephenson Harwood; Stephanie Pantelidaki, who joined as Head of Financial Services Transfer Pricing in the Firm's tax practice from PwC; and Leveraged Finance partner Ben Wilkinson who joined from White & Case.
04 February 2022