Globally, our site showcases 54 lawyers as partners in its 2022 selection.
Baker McKenzie Announces Global Promotions Across 11 Practice Areas
\n\n In a significant move, global law firm Baker McKenzie has announced the promotion of 54 lawyers to partner and director positions across 11 practice areas, effective January 1, 2022. This promotion round reflects the firm's commitment to recognising and nurturing talent, as well as its focus on expanding its expertise in various key practice areas.
\n\n The promoted lawyers represent a diverse range of specialties, with litigation and disputes leading the way with 18 promotions. Other practice areas with significant representation include corporate, M&A and securities (10), banking and finance (9), intellectual property (4), employment and labor (3), tax (3), real estate (2), projects (2), antitrust and competition (1), bankruptcy, financial restructuring and insolvency (1), and information governance, privacy and cybersecurity (1).
\n\n Notably, 23 of the promoted lawyers are women, accounting for 43% of the total. This high representation of women is a testament to the firm's commitment to gender diversity. Baker McKenzie has set an ambitious global gender target of 40% women, 40% men, and 20% flexible (including women, men, or non-binary persons) by 2025 for its partnership, leadership roles, lawyer promotions, lateral additions, and senior business service hires.
\n\n The promotions were made in various locations around the world, including Toronto, Canada, London, New York, Hong Kong, Munich, Perth, Australia, Calgary, Canada, Sydney, Australia, Washington, D.C., Houston, Dallas, Dallas, Montreal, Canada, Québec, Canada, Austin, Ottawa, Canada, Johannesburg, and Hamburg.
\n\n Some of the notable promotions include Fahad Siddiqui, promoted to litigation and disputes in Toronto, Canada; Alex Zekkos, promoted to banking and finance in London; Brian Chau, promoted to intellectual property in Toronto, Canada; Brian Milne, promoted to tax in Calgary, Canada; Daniel Ng, promoted to litigation and disputes in Hong Kong; Bernd Dreier, promoted to corporate, M&A and securities in Munich; Zayba Drabu, promoted to litigation and disputes in London; Victoria Corder, promoted to litigation and disputes in New York; Matthew Buckle, promoted to litigation and disputes in London; Nick Sinclair, promoted to banking and finance in Perth, Australia; Scott Boucher, promoted to litigation and disputes in Vancouver, Canada; Claudia Posluschny, promoted to employment and labor in Munich; Matthew Choi, promoted to banking and finance in Vancouver, Canada; and Nathan Baum, promoted to litigation and disputes in Dallas.
\n\n Gerry Pecht, Global Chief Executive of the law firm, praised the promoted lawyers for their industry knowledge, business acumen, and innovative solutions. He expressed his confidence in their ability to drive the firm's success in the future.
\n\n In addition to the traditional partner promotions, some lawyers were promoted to director positions, such as Marianne McMahon, promoted to general counsel in London; Helen Fairhead, promoted to antitrust and competition in London; Dimitri Millas, promoted to banking and finance in Houston; Alberta Yan, promoted to corporate, M&A and securities in New York; Paul Cartwright, received a promotion to litigation and disputes in Johannesburg; Eric Green, promoted to intellectual property in Austin; Joshua Sprague, promoted to real estate in Ottawa, Canada; Anna Rudawski, promoted to information governance, privacy and cybersecurity in New York; Rebecca Winthrop, promoted to bankruptcy, financial restructuring and insolvency in Los Angeles; Robin Acworth, promoted to corporate, M&A and securities in Calgary, Canada; Brigitte LeBlanc-Lapointe, promoted to corporate, M&A and securities in Ottawa, Canada; and Laura Kiwelu, promoted to projects in London.
\n\n The promotions in South Africa, however, follow a different path, with lawyers receiving promotions to director instead of partner. An example is Jennifer McPherson, promoted to corporate, M&A and securities in Calgary, Canada.
\n\n Other notable promotions include Jared Kaplan, promoted to corporate, M&A and securities in New York; Blake Redwine, promoted to corporate, M&A and securities in Dallas; Nikita Stepin, promoted to intellectual property in Montreal, Canada; Fiona Henderson, promoted to banking and finance in New York; Alison FitzGerald, promoted to litigation and disputes in Ottawa, Canada; Geraldine Young, promoted to litigation and disputes in Houston; Rachel Chan, promoted to corporate, M&A and securities in Hong Kong; Annabelle Wheeler, promoted to litigation and disputes in Munich/London; Rafe Schaefer, promoted to litigation and disputes in Houston; Jonathan Lafrance, promoted to tax in Montreal, Canada; Veit Sahlfeld, promoted to banking and finance in Hamburg; Kimberly Cheeseman, promoted to employment and labor in Houston.
\n\n [1] Source: Baker McKenzie's official website.
These promotions within Baker McKenzie span various practice areas, including business sectors such as banking and finance, intellectual property, and corporate, M&A, and securities. The moves are part of the firm's focus on advancing careers and expanding its expertise across diverse industries.
