Another Partner Departs from Howrey LLP

Howrey LLP, a global law firm with over 700 lawyers, continued to suffer from partner losses as Mark Hodgson, the firm’s London managing partner and IP specialist, joins the increasing number of partners who have exited from the law firm in the last 12 months. Hodgson, who is now a lawyer at Field Fisher Waterhouse, is the fourth partner to depart from the firm’s London office. The departure of Hodgson leaves the Howrey’s London headquarters with only four full-time lawyers: litigator John Evans and antitrust partners Geert Goeteyn, Shaun Goodman and Tom McQuail.

Robert Ruyak, global managing partner and chief executive of Howrey, explained that the firm is currently in the process of trimming down its European operations to shift its strategy to a network of referral partners. “Due to very difficult and repetitive conflict issues in the IP area, we made a strategic move to reduce significantly our on-the-ground European IP practice.”

Howrey has also suffered a series of losses across its offices in Europe. As of today, about 19 partners and 30 associates have exited Howrey’s offices in various headquarters that include Amsterdam, Madrid, Brussels and Paris.