Corporate lawyer Chris Thomson (1) has joined KPMG Law as partner to spearhead its energy sector offering, from Squire Patton Boggs where he was a corporate partner. He will be focusing on a mix of corporate M&A and project work across energy, renewables and transition technologies. He previously worked for Dentons and Herbert Smith Freehills both in London and the Middle East. 

KPMG Law has also recruited five other partners, including Laura Fisher (2), a specialist in international business reorganisations, from Baker McKenzie.

In April, the firm also recruited Stuart Bedford (3) from Linklaters, to head up the KPMG Law division. He had spent 23 years at Linklaters, and took over from Nick Roome, who moved on to a global role with the firm.

PwC has promoted Frederic Mirza Khanian (1) to head of its global legal business, succeeding Tony O’Malley. He is a partner based in Germany, where he previously headed up the firm’s corporate law group. His expertise is in advising global clients on large national and international reorganisation projects. Prior to joining PwC he spent more than 10 years with international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, where he worked in New York, Dubai and Düsseldorf. 

And in the UK Trusha Kachhela (2) has succeeded Teresa Owusu-Adjei as UK head of its legal business.

Dentons has appointed Rome-based partner Carsten Steinhauer (1) as co-head of its Europe energy group, alongside Christian Schnell (2), who was appointed in May 2023. Steinhauer joined the firm from McDermott Will & Emery in 2019. Schnell joined the firm from Pontes last year and spreads his time between the firm’s Warsaw, Bucharest and Munich offices.

Gibson Dunn has recruited investment funds regulatory partner Kevin Bettsteller (1) in Los Angeles from DLA Piper. He previously worked for Kirkland & Ellis and K&L Gates.

Joseph Zujkowski (2) has joined the firm’s New York office as restructuring partner from O’Melveny & Myers. Before that he worked for Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft.

Burges Salmon has recruited Jennifer Mellor as a director in its funds and financial regulation team from Brodies, where she was senior associate. She also worked in-house with Alliance Trust Savings and Royal London.

BDB Pitmans has promoted Mustafa Latif Aramesh (1), Lorna du Sautoy (2), Sarah Williams (3) and Oliver Willis (4) to partner. Aramesh is an infrastructure partner, du Sautoy in the private real estate team, Williams advises charities and not-for-profits, and Willis is on the firm’s commercial offering.