Fourth in America
Magic circle giant Freshfields has opened an office in Boston, marking its fourth base in the US.
The new Boston hub will join the firm’s existing outposts in New York, Washington DC, and Silicon Valley/San Francisco.
The move reflects the firm’s strategic focus on the city’s private capital, life sciences, and emerging tech sectors — key hubs of corporate activity that Freshfields aims to capitalise on.
Heading up the new Boston outpost is private capital M&A lawyer Matthew Goulding, who joins as managing partner from Latham & Watkins.
Freshields’ senior partner Georgia Dawson commented:
“Boston has evolved into a global hub for some of the world’s most sophisticated and fastest-growing companies. Our focus on growth industries in the US and globally makes Boston a natural fit. We also see Boston playing a key role in our US recruitment strategy, given its proximity to world-class colleges and a deep talent pool.”
This expansion comes amid a growing trend of London-based firms bolstering their American footprints. Allen & Overy merged with US firm Shearman & Sterling in May last year, creating the world’s first transatlantic magic circle giant, A&O Shearman. HSF followed suit in November, announcing its proposed merger with US firm Kramer Levin — a tie-up due to go live later this year.
Elsewhere in the magic circle, Linklaters’ strong financials for 2023/24 were credited to its successful expansion in the States. It poached a six-strong team of M&A lawyers from legacy Shearman & Sterling in January 2024 to bolster its New York practice.
