A&O
Shearman’s
securities
litigation
practice
is
a
little
lighter.
As
of
today,
New
York-based
partner
Agnès
Dunogué
has
moved
firms,
opting
to
continue
her
career
at
Freshfields.
Freshfields’
co-head
of
securities
and
shareholder
litigation
Mary
Eaton
said
of
the
move,
“I’ve
had
the
privilege
of
litigating
in
the
same
securities
space
as
Agnès
for
a
number
of
years.
She
will
be
a
key
driver
in
the
next
phase
of
the
team’s
growth
in
the
US.”
Bloomberg
Law,
who
broke
the
story
of
the
lateral
move,
couches
it
in
terms
of
the
battle
between
U.K.-based
firms
(both
Freshfields
and
A&O
originated
across
the
pond):
The
move
is
the
latest
instance
of
the
multinational
law
firms
with
roots
in
the
UK
fighting
for
top
talent
in
key
US
markets.
UK-founded
Freshfields
has
been
fighting
for
US
dominance
by
recruiting
from
competitors, hiring Latham
&
Watkins
M&A
partner
Matthew
Goulding
to
launch
an
office
in
Boston
earlier
this
year.Freshfields’
leaders
are
looking
to
Dunogué,
who
has
served
as
outside
counsel
to
Uber
Technologies
Inc.
and
JPMorgan
Chase
&
Co.,
to
counsel
the
firm’s
public
company
and
financial
clients
on
how
to
navigate
disputes
with
stockholders.
Which
is
certainly
fair
analysis.
But
there’s
also
a
flood
of
seasoned
litigators
running
from
the
Biglaw
firms
that
capitulated
to
Donald
Trump,
inking
deals
that
cumulatively
promised
$940
million
in
a
pro
bono
payola
war
chest
to
conservative
clients
and
causes,
rather
than
stand
against
the
president’s
bullying
and
defend
the
rule
of
law.
And,
wouldn’t
you
know
it,
A&O
Shearman
is
one
of
the
infamous
nine
Biglaw
firms
that
kissed
Trump’s
ring
(over
strenuous
objection
from
the
rank-and-file
attorneys
at
the
firm).
While
Freshfields
signed
the
amicus
brief
supporting
fellow
Biglaw
firm
Perkins
Coie
in
their
fight
against
Trump.
Litigators
at
the
capitulating
firms
have
been
impacted
more
than
their
corporate
brethren
—
after
all,
if
a
firm
is
unwilling
to
defend
itself
in
court
(with
a
slam
dunk
of
a
case,
fwiw)
against
the
government,
well,
what
faith
do
clients
have
that
those
firms
can
and
will
vigorously
defend
them?
But
lateraling
partners
are
often
discreet
when
making
their
moves,
and
rarely
spill
the
deets
on
what’s
*really*
behind
the
departure.
And
Dunogué’s
statement
on
the
move
is
expectedly
tame,
“The
opportunity
to
add
my
expertise
and
experience
into
a
successful,
and
still
growing,
practice
makes
it
an
exciting
place
to
join
and
make
an
impact.”
Still,
Dunogué
is
part
of
a
litigation
partner
trend
—
one
we
don’t
expect
will
end
any
time
soon.
Kathryn
Rubino
is
a
Senior
Editor
at
Above
the
Law,
host
of
The
Jabot
podcast,
and
co-host
of
Thinking
Like
A
Lawyer.
AtL
tipsters
are
the
best,
so
please
connect
with
her.
Feel
free
to
email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
or
comments
and
follow
her
on
Twitter
@Kathryn1 or
Mastodon
@[email protected].