Haynes and Boone, LLP has named William Cecil as the new managing partner of the firm’s London office. Cecil took the helm on Jan. 1 – the start of the fifth anniversary year of Haynes and Boone’s successful merger with London-based Curtis Davis Garrard (CDG).
Cecil succeeds Partner Brad Richards as managing partner of the London office.
“As the head of our Dispute Resolution Practice in London, William is a proven leader who takes over at a time when Haynes and Boone is poised for even greater growth in London,” said Taylor Wilson, the firm’s managing partner. “London has been and will continue to be a priority market for the firm, as stated in our 2025 Plan. I look forward to working with William to help guide our continued expansion in London and in other markets.”
Richards is returning to the firm’s Houston office, where he was previously based, and will continue to focus on his energy law practice.
“We deeply appreciate Brad’s service as the London office’s administrative partner these past five years,” Wilson said. “He has played a major role in ensuring our effective combination with CDG and our subsequent growth in London.”
Since the merger, Haynes and Boone has more than doubled its partner headcount in London. To accommodate the growth, in 2019 the firm relocated to 1 New Fetter Lane. Haynes and Boone plans to have 50 lawyers in London by 2025.
“Haynes and Boone has shown great enthusiasm for the London office and a commitment to expand in London as part of its international practice,” Cecil said. “I am confident that the next five years will be even more fruitful than the last. We have developed a strong team in London to work with our colleagues in the U.S., Mexico and China to provide a seamless service to our clients.”
A former partner at Curtis Davis Garrard LLP, Cecil has extensive experience in litigation and arbitration matters for clients in the shipping, offshore oil and gas and energy industries. He is a co-author of the fifth edition of “The Law of Shipbuilding Contracts,” the leading textbook on English shipbuilding law. He is listed as a notable practitioner in the 2021 edition of the Chambers UK legal directory published by Chambers and Partners.
Haynes and Boone is an international corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New York, California, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., London, Mexico City and Shanghai, providing a full spectrum of legal services in energy, technology, financial services and private equity. With more than 575 lawyers, Haynes and Boone is ranked among the largest U.S.-based firms by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and The Lawyer. It also was recognized across the board for excellence in the BTI Consulting Group’s 2020 “A-Team” report, which identifies the law firms that in-house counsel commend for providing superior client service.
The following publications reported on Cecil's new role:
Law.com International
Legal Moves