Wake Up Call: Freshfields Aims To Be a US Market ‘Top Player’

Welcome to Bloomberg Law’s Wake Up Call, a daily rundown of the top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel.

• It’s an open secret at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer that the Magic Circle firm’s main priority is being a US legal market “top player.” Freshfields’ aggressive expansion and consolidation of power in Silicon Valley and New York has turned heads internally and among commentators, who talk of its burgeoning “Americanization.” (Law.com)
• A Saudi Arabian government body called the Cabinet has passed an amendment that could ease the way of global law firms to do more business in the country. The “significant shift” will enable foreign law firms to consult during the Saudi lawmaking process. (Saudi Gazette)
• Columbia, South Carolina personal injury and criminal defense lawyer Lori Murray has found a second calling as the TikTok “straight shooter” called “LawyerLori.” Murray, who boasts almost 600,000 followers, uses her platform to post short videos on true crime matters like the Alex Murdaugh and Kyle Rittenhouse trials. (The State)
• Prisoner-turned-law school professor Shon Hopwood was arrested Sept. 24 on charges of domestic abuse after police discovered his wife, Ann Marie Hopwood, suffering numerous injuries. Hopwood, who gained fame as a CBS News’ “60 Minutes” profile subject and Georgetown Law Center professor after earlier serving 11 years in prison for robbing banks, is “currently not teaching” at the school, a spokeswoman said. (Daily Mail)

Laterals, Moves, In-house

• Erika López has joined Baker McKenzie as a private equity and M&A partner in its Chicago office. She joins from Kirkland & Ellis.
• Val Dahiya has joined Morrison & Foerster as a partner in the capital markets group in Washington, D.C.
• Michael D. Saarinen has joined Lowenstein Sandler in the investment management group as a partner in the New York office. He joins from Shearman & Sterling.
• Jim Wiehl has joined BakerHostetler as a partner with the business practice group in Dallas, Texas.
• Avi Perry has joined Quinn Emanuel as a partner in Washington, D.C.