Shearman adds two partners to London office with double Bakers hire

Shearman & Sterling has added two partners to its London office with a double hire from Baker McKenzie as the US firm looks to ramps up its growth City growth strategy.

Corporate partner Tim Sheddick is moving to Shearman alongside infrastructure finance counsel Katie Hicks, who will join as a partner.

Sheddick has spent 19 years at Bakers, making partner at the firm in 2006. His M&A practice has a focus on infrastructure, acting for major clients including Macquarie, with roles on deals including the bank's £790m purchase of National Car Parks from private equity fund 3i, and its sale of its stake in Bristol Airport in 2014.

He was also part of the Bakers team that won Nike as a new client in 2007 when it advised on the sportswear giant’s acquisition of rival kit-maker Umbro.

Hicks, meanwhile, joined Bakers at the start of the year to lead its brownfield infrastructure finance team, before which she was an associate at Clifford Chance.

Shearman global head of finance Nick Buckworth said: “Tim and Katie present a unique opportunity to establish a market leading infrastructure funds practice in London, complementing our pre-eminent US business. They have unparalleled client relationships, transactional experience and sector knowledge that will enable us to continue to offer the best possible service to our clients. There is very strong demand for infrastructure assets and they bolster our capability to advise sponsors and lenders in this area. “

The hires come after Shearman welcomed back high yield star Ward McKimm from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer this summer. His return ended a prolonged lateral drought at Shearman in London, coming almost three years after the office’s last significant City lateral hire, of Freshfields TMT co-head Frank Miller.

At the time Shearman City head Matthew Readings told Legal Week that the firm was aiming to further grow its core finance and M&A practices.

The US firm has seen a number of London partner exits in recent years, with highly rated high yield partner Apostolos Gkoutzinis joining US rival Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy at the start of this year and M&A partner Ben Rodham leaving for Linklaters in late 2015.

A Baker McKenzie spokesperson said:"I can confirm that Tim Sheddick, a partner in our corporate practice, and of counsel Katie Hicks will be leaving the Firm. We wish them both well with the next phases of their careers."