Hogan Lovells keeps partner promotions flat ahead of merger

Hogan Lovells has promoted 28 lawyers to partner globally, including five in London, keeping its overall intake exactly in line with last year in a clear message of continuity as it prepares for its merger with US firm Cadwalader.

The City cohort included five partners, compared with last year’s six, and spans broadly across tax, private equity, M&A, restructuring and capital markets.

Newly promoted London partners:

• Tom Eyre-Brook - Tax, pensions and benefits
• Charlotte Monk - Private equity and funds
• Francesca Parker - Mergers and acquisitions
• Naomi Parmar - Restructuring and special situations
• Aarti Rao - Capital markets

Merger backdrop

The promotions land as Hogan Lovells moves towards its planned merger with US firm Cadwalader, a combination set to materially expand its US capability and reshape its transatlantic balance. The run-up to completion is likely to provide early signals on how the firms plan to manage integration and post-merger decision-making.

Lessons from recent mergers

Notably, Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling jointly promoted 40 partners ahead of finalising their merger in 2024 and promptly announced plans to cut around 10% of partners less than six months later. The firm cited capabilities overlap in its effort to “rationalise” partner numbers.

Herbert Smith Freehills narrowed its partner promotion round to 19 in 2025, down from 27 the previous year, two months ahead of completing its merger with US firm Kramer Levin to form Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. The combined firm’s first post-merger promotion round is expected later this year.

‍A different merger model

The Hogan Lovells Cadwalader merger differs in that the deal is structured around expanding geographic reach and complementary strengths on opposite sides of the Atlantic, rather than combining two firms with significant practice or geographic overlap.