Jones Day’s M&A Global Chief Dougherty Leaves for Davis Polk

James Dougherty, the leader of Jones Day’s M&A practice, has left the law firm after nearly two decades to join rival Davis Polk & Wardwell.

Dougherty will join Davis Polk “in the coming weeks,” Neil Barr, the firm’s chair and managing partner, said Wednesday in an internal email viewed by Bloomberg Law.

Davis Polk confirmed Barr’s email, but declined to comment further.

Dougherty’s departure comes as Greg Shumaker takes over as the influential firm’s first new leader in more than 20 years. Shumaker officially took the top spot at Jones Day on Jan. 1.

“Jones Day has a leading global ...