Three new partners in Switzerland and 116 new partners worldwide
- Olha Demianiuk, Julia Schieber and Markus Wolf have joined the partnership in Switzerland.
- Olha has joined Baker McKenzie Geneva from the Kyiv office as a partner for M&A and Healthcare & Life Sciences.
- Julia has been promoted to partner for Intellectual Property (IP) and Technology in the Zurich office.
- Markus has been promoted to partner for Banking & Finance as well as Re-structuring & Insolvency in the Zurich office.
- Worldwide, Baker McKenzie has elected 75 new partners, an increase of 22% from 2021, demonstrating clear and growing confidence in the continued success of the Firm.
- Additionally, 41 lateral partner hires have joined the partnership, strengthening the Firm's client service capabilities in key practice areas.
- Of these new partners, 37% are female.
Partnership expansion in Switzerland
Olha Demianiuk joins Baker McKenzie Geneva from our Kyiv office, where she was a partner leading the local Healthcare Industry Group. Olha has more than 17 years of experience in advising local and international clients on M&A, private equity and equity capital transactions and, in recent years, has focused her practice mainly on the healthcare sector. Together with the existing Healthcare & Life Sciences Industry Group of the two Swiss offices, Olha will continue to raise Baker McKenzie's profile in the market in this sector.
Olha commented on her move to the Geneva office:
"I am very excited to continue my career in Switzerland and to raise – along with the existing team – our profile in the healthcare and life sciences sector. I do appreciate the welcoming atmosphere in the Swiss offices and that Baker McKenzie really lives up to its global approach everywhere."
Julia Schieber has been with Baker McKenzie since 2015. During this time, she has gained extensive expertise at the intersection of IP, healthcare and transactions. As part of the Firm's global IP and Technology team, she assists clients in complex IP transactions involving the development, exploitation and transfer of IP rights. She has been ranked as a "rising star" for Life Sciences in Switzerland by The Legal 500, and for IP by Managing IP. Julia is also heavily involved in Baker McKenzie's pro bono work on children's rights.
Referring to her new role, Julia said:
"As a partner, my aim is to support the further growth of the Swiss IP and healthcare/life sciences practice and continue to advise clients at the cutting edge of research, development and technology. The entrepreneurial spirit of the Firm inspires me every day. I would like to pass on this inspiration to the next generation of young lawyers in their professional development."
Markus Wolf advises on all aspects of banking and finance and restructuring and insolvency. He has extensive experience in advising lenders, borrowers and sponsors on complex, multijurisdictional-al leveraged acquisitions and corporate, project, export and property financing transactions. Markus started his career with Baker McKenzie in 2012 as a trainee lawyer and has become a mainstay of its highly regarded Banking & Finance Practice. He also has experience in public sector (sovereign) financing. Markus regularly acts for Swiss and foreign creditors and debtors in domestic and cross-border financial restructurings and formal insolvency procedures. He is co-head of the Swiss Bank-ing & Finance Practice Group and a member of the Swiss Restructuring & Insolvency team. Further-more, Markus is a lecturer on private law at the University of St.Gallen (HSG).
Markus commented on his partner promotion:
"My future plans as a partner are to further grow our formidable Swiss Banking & Finance Practice and to help our clients navigate the complexities of domestic and international finance transactions. I am excited to be a partner with Baker McKenzie, as I highly value the culture of friendship, outstanding colleagues and the vibrancy of a truly global law firm."
Alexander Wyss, a member of Baker McKenzie's Swiss Management Committee, commented on the expansion of the Swiss partnership:
"We are happy to welcome not only three top lawyers to our Swiss partnership, but also col-leagues whose friendly nature and approachability are much appreciated by all of us. We wish them only the very best in these new chapters of their professional careers."
Partnership expansion worldwide
Worldwide, Baker McKenzie has welcomed 116 new partners to the Firm in the year ending 30 June 2022, an increase of 22% from the previous year, demonstrating clear and growing confidence in the continued success of the Firm. 75 colleagues were promoted to partner, with another 41 lateral partner hires joining the Firm in the same period.
The 75 home-grown partner promotions are across 25 jurisdictions globally, representing an incredibly diverse range of cultures and backgrounds. Of these new partners, 37% are female, which moves the Firm closer to its 40:40:20 gender diversity targets (representing 40% women, 40% men and 20% flexible, i.e., women, men or non-binary persons), although there is still more work to do.
There is a broad geographical and practice mix across this year's partner promotions, with a focus on M&A, Tax and Dispute Resolution. Baker McKenzie continues to strengthen its partner cohort in key markets including Sydney, Washington D.C. and London.
Commenting on these appointments, Milton Cheng, global chair of Baker McKenzie, said:
"Progressing to partner is a reflection of many years of hard work and highly successful client engagement. With the pandemic creating many challenges over the past two years, this promotion round provides an important opportunity to celebrate the diversity and depth of talent we have in the Firm, and the enormous contribution our new partners make. Across the world, to see our younger lawyers from such a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures make partner is one of the highlights of being a law firm leader."