Tim EmmersonUS firms last month dramatically stepped up their challenge to Europe’s leading law firms as a trio of New York firms secured senior partners from three of London’s most prestigious practices.

Shearman & Sterling, Davis Polk & Wardwell and Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy hired highly-respected partners from Linklaters, Allen & Overy (A&O) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer respectively.