Brown Rudnick seals Bear Stearns City hire

Brown Rudnick has become the latest in a string of firms to profit from the collapse of Bear Stearns with the hire of the former managing director principal and solicitor from the stricken bank.

Sonya Van de Graff will join the US firm's City arm as a partner in the bankruptcy and corporate restructuring group.

She represents hedge funds, corporations, investment banks and other financial institutions involved in the distressed and restructuring markets.

Brown Rudnick CEO Joseph Ryan said of Van de Graff's appointment: "Her broad finance experience, particularly in relation to distressed and insolvent situations, complements the work of our London team in advising clients on distressed investing matters."

This year the firm made up its first UK partners, with corporate finance associates James Shaw and Adrian Yeandle being promoted.

Earlier this year Brown Rudnick expanded its UK private equity capability with the hire of Nabarro partner Roger Gregory and insolvency specialist Louise Verrill from Addleshaw Goddard.

Earlier this week, as reported in Legal Week, Bingham McCutchen hired Kenneth Kopelman and Gerald Russello - both former Bear Stearns lawyers.

In July Simmons & Simmons hired Bear Stearns managing director and head of European equities legal, Allan Yip, in its financial services practice.

Meanwhile Washington Mutual hired the bank's former general counsel, Michael Solender, as its executive vice president and chief legal officer, while K&L Gates took former managing director Philip Cedar, who led a legal team focused on asset-backed securities.