Malcolm Montgomery, a Shearman & Sterling real estate finance partner of 22 years who led and co-led several real estate groups, has taken his practice to the New York office of O’Melveny & Myers, the latter firm announced Wednesday.

Montgomery was head of the global real estate group between 2017 and 2022, when he became co-head of the REIT and hospitality, leisure and gaming groups. He arrives as a partner at O’Melveny’s project development and real estate finance group at a time of rising demand for “sophisticated” real estate lawyers with experience in down-cycle markets, the firm said in a press release.