Wake Up Call: Big Law Firms Beef Up International Trade Teams

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

• Big Law firms are rapidly expanding their international trade practices in response to new trade policies, hiring former government officials and top practice lawyers to meet surging client demand. Companies are increasingly seeking guidance on complex and fast-changing trade issues prompting firms like Pillsbury, Akin Gump, Holland & Knight, and Steptoe to significantly bolster their teams. (Law.com)
• The Solicitors Regulation Authority imposed a record £4 million fine on Nurul Miah, the non-solicitor former owner of Kingly Solicitors, after he misappropriated around £10 million of client funds. Kingly, a 16-branch firm, collapsed in 2020, leaving 180 staff jobless and over 90,000 client documents in limbo. The SRA uncovered hundreds of improper transfers, forged documents, and also sanctioned other leaders at the firm. (LegalCheek)
• The American Bar Association’s proposal to double the required experiential learning credits for law students has drawn criticism that it oversteps the ABA’s role and burdens schools with costly mandates that reduce curricular flexibility. The proposal, which the ABA says will better prepare graduates for practice, would mandate at least three credits in clinics or field placements, none of which could be taken in a law student’s first year. (Reuters)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• George Knighton rejoined A&O Shearman as a partner in its mergers and acquisitions practice. He joins from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
• Scott Marrah and Adria Perez joined Reed Smith as partners in its global regulatory enforcement group in Atlanta. They join from Kilpatrick Townsend.
• Lisa Howley rejoined Holland & Knight as a litigation partner in Portland, Ore. She joins from the Portland city auditor’s office, where she was general counsel.
• R. Kyle Hawes joined Womble Bond Dickinson as a partner in its business litigation practice group in Houston. He joins from Chamberlain Hrdlicka.