A real estate team walks out of Kasowitz, and Kirkland loses four private equity partners

Norton Rose Fulbright took an eight-lawyer real estate team out of Kasowitz in New York. Partners David Szeker, Darwin Huang and Matt McElroy led the group, which also brought two senior counsel and three associates. Szeker chaired Kasowitz's real estate transactions group. Norton Rose Fulbright also hired a Latham & Watkins M&A partner in Austin, who helped Latham open that office in 2021. Bloomberg Law and The American Lawyer report Sullivan & Cromwell hired four private equity partners from Kirkland & Ellis. Jones Day poached a McDermott cybersecurity, privacy and data protection partner in New York. Kirkland & Ellis hired a Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher tax partner in New York. Foley Hoag poached a Goodwin Procter debt finance partner in Boston, who joins as co-chair of their debt finance practice. Orrick added an antitrust partner in DC who co-led the Justice Department's trial teams in the Google and JetBlue cases, and most recently practiced at the antitrust boutique Kressin Powers. Nixon Peabody brought in former SEC commissioner Kara Stein as a partner in DC. Hogan Lovells Cadwalader added a banking and loan finance partner in Los Angeles, hired from Mayer Brown. Reed Smith added a life sciences partner in Boston, hired from Gunderson Dettmer. Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres hired a capital markets partner in New York. Baker Donelson brought in an equipment leasing finance shareholder in Birmingham. Sullivan & Cromwell also brought back an executive compensation partner in New York. On the disputes side, a Delaware bankruptcy judge disqualified Herbert Freehills Smith Kramer from serving as bankruptcy counsel in the Omnis Pleasants Chapter 11, ruling the firm was too conflicted after advising key lenders controlled by Tony Robbins months before the West Virginia power plant filed.