The New York office of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has lost one of the two partners hired to boost the firm’s US practice a month after the firm publicly announced the appointments.
Mark Spivak, co-head of the project development and finance at Vinson & Elkins, has decided to remain at the Texas-based firm.
Although Spivak had not agreed a start date with Freshfields, he was due to join structured finance partner Tim Little, who joined the magic circle firm’s New York office from Shearman & Sterling at the end of July.
Legal Week understands that Spivak has decided to stay at Vinson & Elkins for personal reasons.
“We still have a strong project finance group in the US and Spivak was not joining to fill a gap,” said Stephen Revell, head of the Freshfields’ US practice.
“Mark is of great importance to the office and the project finance practice both in Washington and globally,” said Jay Hebert, co-managing partner of Vinson & Elkins Washington office.
At the beginning of July rival magic circle firm Allen & Overy (A&O) appointed two partners from Vinson & Elkins to its New York practice, including its New York office’s head of corporate, Eric Shube.
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