Having served as the managing director of UK firm Eversheds’ Shanghai office since its opening in 2006, experienced corporate and M&A lawyer Peter Corne has decided to make a move to US firm Dorsey & Whitney as a partner and head of the Shanghai office.

Corne will join Dorsey early next year and will take over the role of Shanghai office head from incumbent Jay Yan, who reportedly will continue to serve as a partner of the firm. Having previously worked at Simmons & Simmons and Linklaters, Corne (a UK and Australia qualified lawyer) will be practicing with a US firm for the first time.

Dorsey, with more than 600 lawyers in 19 offices worldwide, is recognized for its strengths in clean energy, agribusiness, and environmental, healthcare and financial services. It has been in China since 1995 when it opened an office in Hong Kong and established its Shanghai office in 2001. Currently, there are 10 lawyers and 2 partners in Shanghai.

Eversheds is yet to make an announcement of the new Shanghai managing director to succeed Corne. However, the firm has recently appointed Baker & McKenzie special counsel Stephen Chan and Slaughter and May veteran litigator Mark Yeadon as partner in Hong Kong. The firm’s Asia head Nick Seddon previously told ALB that the firm focuses on growing its lawyer count in Hong Kong to 50 by 2011. ALB

Related stories:

• Ausssie advantage:John Chrisman, Dorsey & Whitney (31 July 2009)
• Eversheds marches toward 50-lawyer target with HK partner hire (7 September 2010)
• Eversheds recruits DLA Piper managing partner for Singapore launch (27 January 2009)