Wake Up Call: Ashurst Global Chief Brushes Off US Merger Chatter

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

• UK law firm Ashurst has “no plan at present” to pursue a US merger, according to global CEO Paul Jenkins. “Organic growth” is the firm’s top priority, said Jenkins, although Ashurst will “continue to look at all the opportunities to expand in the US.” (UK Legal Week)
• Reed Smith lawyers are among a wide cast of people accused of leaking offensive emails from former Las Vegas Raiders’ football coach Jon Gruden, which led to Gruden’s departure from the team and sparked at least one lawsuit. The firm, which denied involvement in the leak, at the time was advising Washington Commanders’ owner Dan Snyder in an unrelated league investigation of toxic workplace claims. (ESPN)
• Romacorp Inc., the parent company of the Tony Roma’s casual dining chain, tapped its outside general counsel Mohaimina ‘Mina’ Haque to serve as interim CEO. She replaces ex-CEO Ramon Bourgeois. (Restaurant Business Magazine)

Laterals, Moves, In-house

• Ted Huffman has joined Katten Muchin Rosenman as a partner in the class action and consumer finance litigation practice in Dallas.
• Patrick Dundas has joined Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld as a partner in the investment management practice in New York.
• David Easwaran and a team of patent agents and technical specialists have joined K&L Gates’ intellectual property practice area.
• Derek M. Winokur and Edward P. Lemanowicz have joined Milbank as partners in the New York office.
• Stephen Masley and Margaret Cascino have joined Hinshaw & Culbertson as partners with the consumer financial services team in Dallas and New Jersey.