PRIVATE PRACTICE

Partners

The most high-profile move sees Justin Spendlove, former managing partner of City firm Ashurst, joining US firm Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson as head of European operations.

Three new partners for City firm Field Fisher Waterhouse: intellectual property litigation specialists David Knight and Simon Chapman, former partners at IP boutique firm Lochners & Partners, and derivatives lawyer Gary Walker, an ex-Wragge & Co associate.

Commercial property specialist Christopher Berry leaves Anglo-Amercian firm Jones Day for the City office of US firm Hogan & Hartson.

Nine new UK partners at Herbert Smith: Simon Youdale, Austin Sweeney and Frederic Grillier (all corporate); Chris Foster, Alex Oddy, Gary Milner-Moore, Dmitry Kurochkin and Graeme Johnston (all litigation); Simon Chadney (finance); Veronica Roberts (EU/competition); Julian Pollock and Jeremy Walden (real estate); and David Clinch (projects).

It now has 208 partners.

Sports firm Couchman Harrington has appointed two new partners: Fraser Reid, former head of sport at pre-merger Theodore Goddard, and Mark Whitehead, who was managing director of World Snooker.

Sarah Gaines (commercial property), Keith McAlister (corporate finance) and Michael Oatham (commercial litigation) are promoted to partner at Kent-based Brachers.

Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire firm Taylor Walton has appointed commercial property specialist Dermot Carey its new managing partner.

Three partners are made up to equity level at west country firm Thring Townsend: Jonathan Payne (corporate), David Patterson (construction and commercial litigation) and Huw Ponting (personal injury).

Elizabeth Evans (head of probate), John Davies (company and commercial) and Fiona Kellow (family) become fixed-share partners.

In Wales, Cardiff and Bridgend firm Berry Smith has hired Jonathan Pryce from Robertsons as a partner in its commercial property department.

Regional firm Shoosmiths has hired commercial property specialist Jason Jackson as a partner in Birmingham from Wragge & Co, together with Vicky Camfield, who joins as an associate.

Employment and licensing specialist Andrew Murray leaves Bromley Hyde & Robinson in Ashton-under-Lyne to join Tameside and Oldham firm Harold Stock & Co.

PRIVATE PRACTICE

Associates / assistants

Kent firm Cripps Harries Hall has hired two new assistants for its real estate department: Eileen Herlihy joins from Thomas Eggar in London and Helen Holden leaves City firm Lovells.

Also in Kent, Roy Willis leaves London firm KSB Law to become a senior associate in the commercial property department at Tunbridge Wells-based Thomson Snell & Passmore.

Two new assistants for south-east firm Thomas Eggar: Frances Johnson leaves Bromley firm Leigh Williams to join the employment team in the Horsham office, and Caroline Shelton leaves Thomson Snell & Passmore to join the private client division in Reigate.

Guildford firm Stevens & Bolton has appointed Andrew Steele, previously at Australian firm Freehills, as an associate in its commercial property department.

Regional firm Shoosmiths has hired two commercial property lawyers for its Reading office: Stephen Law joins as an associate from US firm Squire Sanders & Dempsey and Charlotte Miller arrives from City firm Nabarro Nathanson.

In Birmingham, Shoosmiths also has two new senior solicitors: Bally Athwal (commercial property) from Cobbetts Lee Crowder and David Jones (construction) from national firm Pinsents.

In Derby, Jasvinder Janghra joins Edwards Geldard from Kent Jones & Done in Stoke.

She will be responsible for commercial property development work and landlord and tenant issues.

Further north, Jane Laytham, formerly at north-west firm Brabners Chaffe Street, joins the corporate finance team at Bolton-based Keoghs.

In Manchester, personal injury specialist Emma Simcox leaves TJ Legal to join Ricksons.

Moving across the Pennines, Simon Shepherd leaves Denison Till in York to join the employment team at Leeds firm Schofield Sweeney.

Criminal specialist Richard Fowler rejoins Hull firm Myer Wolff after a period working for the Max Gold Partnership.

In Newcastle, Chris Maddock leaves Hay & Kilner to join the employment group at Robert Muckle.

Also in the north-east, Hewitts has appointed two new solicitors: Louise Freeman (family, crime and mental health) joins the Bishop Auckland office after qualifying with Newcastle firm Singleton Wynn McDermott and Kirsty Whitaker (family and litigation) moves to the Newton Aycliffe office from Kendal firm Hayton Winkley.

In Wales, Berry Smith has also hired commercial property assistant Chris Coates from Cardiff firm Hugh James.

BENCH

Ernest Ryder, a barrister, has been appointed a High Court judge in the family division.

Mr Justice Jackson will become the next judge in charge of the technology and construction court from 1 September 2004.

OTHER

Clifford Chance competition specialist Ali Nikpay has been appointed deputy director of competition enforcement and director of competition policy at the Office of Fair Trading.