King & Spalding takes WilmerHale London raid to 11 lawyers

King & Spalding has hired international disputes partners Steven Finizio and Jonathan Lim from WilmerHale in London, completing an eight-partner raid from the firm.

The pair reunite with Gary Born, Franz Schwarz, Marleen Krueger, Rachael Kent and Danielle Morris, who joined King & Spalding in June, and Charlie Caher, who followed in July.

The full team comprises eight partners and seven other lawyers across London, New York and Washington DC. Lim will split his time across London and King & Spalding’s Singapore office.

The raid took roughly half of WilmerHale’s disputes partners in London, with only five remaining.

The joiners

Finizio advises on international disputes involving energy, financial services, manufacturing, shareholder and joint ventures matters. Lim focuses on international arbitration across sectors including aerospace, construction, energy, financial services, telecommunications and technology.

Born, who now co-leads the firm’s international disputes group, said the joiners are “highly regarded international arbitration and litigation lawyers” who add to “a peerless international disputes practice”.

London expansion

Eleven of the 15 lawyers joining from WilmerHale are based in London, including six partners.

King & Spalding has also added London partners Raymond Fang and Jade-Alexandra Fearns this year as it expands its presence in the City.

The firm recently leased the 47th floor of 8 Bishopsgate, taking its footprint in the building to seven floors.

London managing partner Tom Sprange KC said that firm is “experiencing a period of exceptional growth in London” and described the arrival of the WilmerHale team as another sign of its growing position in the market.