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A&O Shearman names first senior leaders
The new combined entity consisting of Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling, A&O Shearman, has unveiled the first of several senior leadership roles.
Jerome Doraisamy
In May of last year, global law firm Allen & Overy announced it would be merging with US-headquartered BigLaw firm Shearman & Sterling to be a “firm unlike any other in the world”. Five months later, the partnerships of Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling both “overwhelmingly” voted in favour of a merger between the two firms, which the two BigLaw practices said at the time would create the “first fully integrated global elite law firm”.
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Khalid Garousha has been elected as senior partner, and Hervé Ekué has been elected as managing partner of A&O Shearman.
Elsewhere, Adam Hakki, who is currently the senior partner at Shearman, has been appointed co-chair of the global A&O Shearman board and executive committee and will also lead the firm’s US business as its chair, while Doreen Lilienfeld will serve as co-managing partner of US business.
The appointments are effective as of 1 May.
Further leadership positions, including senior roles, for the new firms are set to be unveiled for the combined entity in due course.
Garousha said: “I am honoured that the partnership has put its trust in me to lead A&O Shearman as its first senior partner.
“Working closely with Hervé, Adam, Doreen, and other senior leadership, as A&O Shearman, we will take forward our combined expertise and deep legal knowledge to achieve unparalleled outcomes for our clients on their increasingly complex legal and commercial challenges, wherever they and we operate in the world.”
Hakki added: “I am honoured and excited to be taking on these senior leadership roles for A&O Shearman. I am very much looking forward to working closely with our soon-to-be new partners and leadership team to deliver on our shared vision for an unparalleled global elite firm, centred on providing the highest level of service to clients in their most important matters worldwide.
“I am also pleased that these leadership roles have been designed to allow me to both serve the firm as a leader and actively represent clients in their most significant matters.”
Ekué commented: “I look forward to working as managing partner of A&O Shearman with Khalid, Adam, and Doreen to create an environment which embraces and values our people and enables them to grow, thrive and flourish both as individuals and as part of this transformational new firm.”
Lilienfeld posited: “With A&O Shearman, we are creating a new industry leader with truly global capabilities, and being part of this journey is incredibly exciting.
“We will serve clients as an integrated global law firm, pre-eminent in all our markets, and we will do so with a forward-looking approach to delivering excellence and innovation. I am excited for what is to come and the opportunity to play a leadership role in the firm’s growing US business.”
Wim Dejonghe, current senior partner at A&O, said: “A&O Shearman will bring together some of the greatest legal talent in the world while maintaining a focus on clients, our people and wider society.
“I’m delighted to pass the leadership baton to Khalid, Hervé, Adam and Doreen on 1 May, and I wish them all every success in their new roles at A&O Shearman.”
