Cleary promotes two to partner in London and adds White & Case litigator

Cleary has promoted 20 lawyers to partner worldwide, including two in London, in the firm’s largest ever senior lawyer promotions round.

The newly promoted London partners are litigator Paul Kleist and private equity lawyer Joanna Roberts. The promotions bring Cleary’s global partner count to 239, alongside 51 counsel and 27 senior attorneys.

The promotions take effect on 1 January 2026.

Biggest round yet

The round - which also included 11 counsel and one senior attorney - spans 11 offices, with seven new partners in New York, seven in Washington DC, two each in London and Milan, and one apiece in Brussels and Cologne.

Managing partner Michael Gerstenzang said "Our talented team of lawyers is our greatest strength when it comes to successfully advising clients on their corporate transactions, capital raising, disputes, and antitrust issues," while incoming managing partner Jeff Karpf, who takes over in January, called the cohort a reflection of Cleary’s "global tradition of excellence in client service and innovation.”

London expansion

Cleary has been active in the London lateral market recently. Just last week, the New York firm hired Paul Hastings corporate real estate partner Stephen Nicolas to launch its new European real estate practice.

And today (28 October), the firm announced the hire of competition litigation partner Raif Hassan from White & Case, describing his appointment as “pivotal” amid growing demand for collective actions in Europe.

Cleary’s London office - established in 1971 and now home to around 130 lawyers, including 38 partners - has become an increasingly important strategic hub for the firm’s global private capital and disputes work.