US litigation leader Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges is set to become the latest US firm to open an office in London after hiring restructuring partner Richard East from Kirkland & Ellis.
East had been expected to join New York firm Weil Gotshal & Manges but it is understood the talks broke down at the last minute, with East now set to leave Kirkland for Quinn Emanuel this week.
East told Legal Week: “This opportunity from Quinn came up pretty late in the day, but it was such an exciting offer that I could not turn it down.”
East will start at Quinn Emanuel on Monday (28 April). The Los Angeles firm is yet to secure office space in London but aims to have 15 lawyers on the ground within six months.
East added: “This is not simply a case of transplanting the US office over here; it will be very much a UK practice. I am the first piece in the puzzle - but not the last. We will be looking to bring in one or two senior partners soon.”
East’s hire will give Quinn Emanuel its first European office. The Los Angeles firm is relatively unknown in the UK but has a strong reputation for corporate litigation and has around 375 lawyers across the US and its sole international office in Tokyo.
More on this story from law.com
Profile of Quin Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges from The American Lawyer
