Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer today announced the promotion of 25 new partners, marking the firm’s first global partner promotion round since the launch of HSF Kramer in June 2025.
The specialisms of many of the newly appointed partners closely support the firm’s key priorities, including energy and infrastructure, private capital, securitisation and class actions. This year's cohort also represents the firm’s enhanced capabilities in areas such as IP and high-tech patent litigation as well as real estate, and its strengths in disputes and transactions.
Covering all regions, these promotions – alongside the firm's 35 lateral partner hires since its combination announcement in November 2024 – fortify the firm's global presence and focus on strengthening key business corridors.
Global CEO Justin D'Agostino commented:
"In this momentous year for our firm, these promotions show the depth of talent across our network, underscore our position as a global legal powerhouse – and reflect our commitment to investing in our people. Each of our talented new partners has demonstrated qualities that reinforce our ability to deliver at the highest levels. And each will play an important role in helping us deliver on our Ambition strategy.
“Their success is richly deserved – and I am delighted to congratulate them on reaching this important professional milestone."
Chair and Senior Partner Rebecca Maslen-Stannage added:
"Our newly promoted partners exemplify our future focus. They will help ensure that we continue to have the depth, breadth and experience to deliver the very best service for our clients. Their promotions reflect their achievements and the confidence we have in their ability to shape our success as a firm. I am proud to welcome them to the partnership and look forward to all they will go on to accomplish."
The promotions take effect on 1 May 2026.
The new partners and their principal areas of specialisms are:
- Nataly Adams, Sydney – Class Actions and Commercial Litigation
- Sara Balice, Milan – Intellectual Property
- Sophie Beaman, Sydney – Industrial Relations
- Christopher Cox, London – Commercial Litigation, Class Actions, Reputation Management
- Sam Cundall, London – Energy
- Tom Dougherty, Sydney – Environment, Planning and Communities
- Matthew Eglezos, Melbourne – Class Actions and Commercial Litigation
- Miguel Garcia-Casas, Madrid – Corporate Crime & Investigations
- Francis Greenway, Singapore – International Arbitration
- Tyler Hendry, New York – Employment
- Skye Kirby, Melbourne – Corporate Projects, Energy & Infrastructure
- Sung-Hyuk Kwon, Paris – M&A
- Camille Lartigue, Paris – M&A
- Danielle MacGillivray, New York – Mining & Energy, M&A, Joint Ventures and Finance
- Ian Mack, London – Planning
- Nic Patmore, London – Financial Services Litigation
- Amy Repse, Melbourne – Corporate Finance, Debt Capital Markets and Securitisation
- Stuart Robertson, Sydney – Commercial Property, Infrastructure and Energy
- Sophie Thompson, London – M&A
- Anna Vandervliet, Sydney – Intellectual Property, Tech and ESG
- Bailee Walker, Sydney – Corporate Projects, Energy & Infrastructure
- Simon Walker, Melbourne – M&A
- Alex Wright, London – Corporate Real Estate
- Richard Wright, London – Private Equity Infrastructure
- Yida Xu, Hong Kong – Energy*
In addition, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer's Indonesian associate firm Hiswara Bunjamin & Tandjung has promoted Paskalia Deviani and Astri Widita Kusumowidagdo to its partnership. Herbert Smith Freehills Kewei Joint Operation has also promoted Sean Ji to partner in Shanghai.
Notes
*Yida Xu's partner title will be confirmed shortly following local regulatory approvals.
The 35 lateral partner hires since combination announcement in November 2024 are:
Asia: Truman Mak (Hong Kong), Ben Thompson (Singapore), Paul Quinn (Hong Kong)
Australia: Anne Beresford (Brisbane), Liza Carver (Sydney), Michael Hogan (Brisbane), Andrew Leadston (Sydney), Cassandra Wee (Sydney)
EMEA: Laurence Bary (Paris), Philipp Cepl (Düsseldorf), Emanuela Da Rin (Milan) Oliver Duys (Düsseldorf), Hannah Eckhoff (Frankfurt), Mohammed Al Eshaikh (Riyadh), Laurent Massinon (Luxembourg), Jean-Dominique Morelli (Luxembourg), Wilhelm Nolting-Hauff (Düsseldorf), Ziyanda Ntshona (Johannesburg), Joanna Pecenik Vergès d'Espagne (Luxembourg), Esteban de Santos Smith (Madrid), Florian Schmidt-Bogatzky (Düsseldorf), Marc Tkatcheff (Luxembourg), Nikita Tkatchenko (Düsseldorf)
UK: Stuart Brinkworth (London), Alison Hardy (London)
US: Burr Eckstut (New York), John Elias (Washington DC), Daniel Grossman (New York), Mike Huang (New York), Jilan J. Kamal (New York), Robert Leung (New York), Kyle Ortiz (New York), David Pearl (Washington DC), Damian Petrovic (New York), Brian Shaughnessy (New York)