Hammonds is the latest in a growing line of UK firms eyeing a US merger, after announcing that it is in talks about a potential tie-up with Cleveland-based Squire Sanders & Dempsey, reports The Lawyer. According to Squire Sanders chairman James Maiwurm and Hammonds managing partner Peter Crossley, the firms are having preliminary talks in a move that could create a global firm with revenues of more than £400 mieion ($701.4 million) and around 1,300 lawyers.

NEW ASIA-PAC CORPORATE HEAD FOR A&O

Allen & Overy (A&O) has moved London partner Gary McLean to Hong Kong to tackle the role of Asia-Pacific head of corporate, reports legalweek.com. The new role was created for McLean in order to coordinate the firm’s corporate presence throughout Asia and Australia. Global corporate co-head Sietze Hepkema said of the move: “As we are expanding across the region, as witnessed by our new Australian platform we needed someone to coordinate the effort across the region.”

DEWEYS SAYS EMBRACE DIVERSITY

UK firm Dewey & LeBoeuf has written to the general counsel of major clients encouraging them to instruct firms with “diverse partnerships”, reports The Lawyer. The move comes off the back of two initiatives being developed by the firm’s diversity committee, including one which would see teams that are pitching for new work, which have two or more partners, include at least one female partner or a partner from a diverse background.

TIGER’S SISTER-IN-LAW ASSISTS DIVORCE

US firm McGuireWoods has advised Tiger Woods’ ex-wife Elin Nordegren on her divorce from the fallen-from-grace golfing superstar, reports The Am Law Daily. Nordegren’s twin sister Josefin Lonnborg works at the firm as a corporate associate in its London base. Lonnborg was one of five lawyers representing Nordegren on the divorce settlement, alongside London corporate partner Walter White, firm chairman Richard Cullen, and US-based partners Dennis Belcher and Scott Cairns.

DLA STEAL IP TEAM

DLA Piper has recruited five partners from Hogan Lovells’ intellectual property (IP) group in Los Angeles, reports The National Law Journal. The group includes Richard de Bodo, a former IP practice leader at Hogan Lovells, whose clients have included Dow Jones, News Corp and Panasonic. Joining him as partners are Siegmund Gutman, Robert Benson, Christopher Broderzick and Troy Schmelzer.