Simpson Thacher LA head defects to Sidley

• Long-time head of Simpson Thacher’s Los Angeles office Dan Clivner has moved to Sidley Austin. Clivner will launch an office for Sidley in Century City and become co-managing partner of the firm’s downtown Los Angeles office, as well as a member of the mergers and acquisitions and private equity practices. Clivner ran the Simpson Thacher Los Angeles outpost since 1998.

• Sidley Austin also appointed Charlie Wilson as a partner in the firm’s Singapore M&A and private equity practices. Wilson joins following a 17-year run in the Singapore office of White & Case, where he served as the head of its Indonesian practice.

• Stuart Brinkworth has joined Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson as a member of the finance practice in the firm’s London office. Brinkworth, who specializes in private equity-backed leveraged buyouts, corporate M&A and recapitalizations, moves from Hogan Lovells, where he was a partner.

• Paul Hastings is expanding its London office with the addition of Duncan Woollard as a partner. Woollard, who joins from King & Wood Mallesons, specializes in the raising of private equity funds, as well as in venture capital, infrastructure, direct lending, real estate, mezzanine lending and distressed debt.

• MJ Hudson opened its Zurich office with the appointment of Per Troen as the first partner in residence. Troen’s expertise includes corporate finance and advising high net worth individuals and family offices. The Swiss opening follows MJ Hudson’s expansion into Asia with the establishment of its Hong Kong office in 2014, and more recently a new operation in Guernsey.

• Offshore law firm Ogier has launched a cross-jurisdictional tax team in response to requirements from corporate clients, their advisers and trustees. The team includes Caroline Bormans in Luxembourg, Simon Schilder in the British Virgin Islands, David Cooney in the Cayman Islands, Marcus Leese in Guernsey, Nathan Powell in Hong Kong and Chris Byrne in Jersey.

• Travers Smith promoted seven lawyers to partner including two in the private equity practice: William Yates and Adam Orr. Yates and Orr have helped the firm to rebuild its ranks after the exit of former private equity head Philip Sanderson to Ropes & Gray late last year.

• Greenberg Traurig added Anthony Perricone and Nanette Aguirre to its New York corporate and securities practice. Perricone joins from Jones Day and focuses on fund formation and investment management. Aguirre joins from Schulte Roth & Zabel and advises clients on regulatory, compliance, risk management and operational issues related to the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act.