Disputes partner Laurence Lieberman has joined the London office of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman from Taylor Wessing. 

Lieberman was seen by many as a key member of Taylor Wessing’s disputes offering. The senior equity partner headed its life sciences commercial disputes group – one of Taylor Wessing’s principal practice areas – and its India practice.

Writing on LinkedIn to announce his departure on Friday, he wrote of “16 wonderful years, with a great team of disputes lawyers”.

He commented subsequently that he “[looked] forward to helping further solidify Pillsbury’s standing as a go-to firm for complex litigation and arbitration expertise”. 

With more than 25 years of experience, Lieberman has deep expertise in complex commercial litigation and international arbitration, particularly on matters connected to the digital health and life sciences, financial services and technology sectors. 

He has managed disputes relating to royalty payments and licensing, joint venture and collaboration agreements, marketing approvals and market entry for medicines, distribution and supply of products, and regulatory and compliance investigations and breaches. 

He also has extensive experience in commercial disputes for and involving technology companies, including cryptocurrency-related disputes, as well as litigation matters for Israeli technology and other clients, his firm having sponsored Tel Aviv Arbitration Week in 2022, at which he was a speaker.

Pillsbury chair David Dekker said: “As clients expand into new markets and across borders, their need for seasoned lawyers who can help them navigate complex international disputes and investigations only becomes more acute.

“Laurence fills that need and more, bringing particular experience with several important industries and jurisdictions and reinforcing the strong litigation team already in London and globally.” 

Global head of litigation Debby Baum added: “Laurence adds depth and new dimensions to our global litigation, international arbitration and corporate investigations capabilities.” 

In the past 12 months, Pillsbury’s London office has welcomed Audrey Koh, from Avonhurst, to set up the firm’s white-collar practice, trade partner Sungbum Lee, from Yoon & Yang, and investment funds lawyer Gawain Hughes, who joined from Morgan Lewis’s investment management team.

A spokesperson at Taylor Wessing said: “We can confirm that Laurence Lieberman has left the firm, we thank him for his contribution and wish him well for the future.”

Lieberman’s departure follows Cooley’s hire of Taylor Wessing venture capital partner Angus Miln in September. 

However, Taylor Wessing expanded its disputes remit in July with the arrival of former RPC partner Parham Kouchikali, its 14th partner-level lateral hire this year, six of whom specialise in disputes, including two in Ireland. 

Lieberman’s departure ends a 16-year relationship with Taylor Wessing, which he joined in 2008 from DLA Piper, where he spent more than 10 years as an associate. He trained and qualified at Simmons & Simmons.