A 30-year Morrison Cohen dealmaker who played a significant role in the firm’s growth started at BakerHostetler this week in the latest instance of large firms anticipating an uptick in transactional activity this year through lateral corporate partner hiring.

BakerHostetler’s hire in New York of Salomon “Sol” Sassoon, former executive committee member of Morrison Cohen, comes early in what observers expect to be a busy year for M&A and private equity deals, as parties grow more comfortable with stabilizing interest rates.