Watson Farley & Williams has hired Reed Smith Richards Butler trade and commodities partner Celia Gardiner to join its international finance group.
Gardiner, who joined Richards Butler from Landwell (now PwC Legal) in 2003, is expected to join top 50 UK firm Watson Farley at the beginning of next year.
Prior to transferring to Reed Smith’s banking department, Gardiner was in Richards Butler’s restructuring and insolvency department. All legacy partners from this division have now left the merged firm.
Her clients include HSBC, Fortis and Intesa SanPaolo and deals she has worked on span the Middle East, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.
It is understood that Gardiner will initially join Watson Farley as a non-equity partner. The firm rarely awards lateral hires equity status.
The news comes as Reed Smith’s UK managing partner Tim Foster is to step down after spending seven years in the role. He will oversee the relocation of the firm to new premises in Broadgate Tower.
The UK managing partner role will pass to energy partner Richard Swinburn at the beginning of November.
