header-logo header-logo

28 July 2025
Categories: Movers & Shakers , Profession
printer mail-detail

Charles Russell Speechlys—Mark Dewar & Greg Stonefield

Commercial and corporate teams strengthened by dual partner hire

Charles Russell Speechlys has appointed Mark Dewar and Greg Stonefield as partners in its London office, bolstering its commercial and corporate teams respectively. The firm said the hires align with its strategic focus on international growth and sector expertise.

Mark Dewar (pictured) joins from DLA Piper, where he led the commercial contracts practice and was part of the global commercial contracts team. His work spans complex supply chain contracts and regulatory issues across sectors such as consumer goods, life sciences, financial services, and renewable energy. Dewar said he was ‘very much looking forward to joining the team’, highlighting strong synergies between the firm’s client base and his own.

Greg Stonefield arrives from Eversheds Sutherland, bringing extensive experience in corporate finance, M&A, IPOs, and international transactions. His previous roles include senior positions at King & Wood Mallesons, Mayer Brown, White & Case and Linklaters. Stonefield said he was ‘delighted to be joining’ and praised the firm’s ‘collaborative culture’ and track record in cross-border work.

David Collins, partner and head of the firm’s business advisory and transaction services division, welcomed the appointments, calling Dewar and Stonefield ‘highly regarded practitioners’ whose international experience ‘will enhance the support we offer to our clients’. The hires follow a series of recent additions to the division across London and Hong Kong.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Taylor Rose—Jessica Draganescu & Emily Hewlett

Taylor Rose—Jessica Draganescu & Emily Hewlett

Firm strengthens growth strategy and group litigation capability with senior hires

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

NEWS
The legal profession’s claim to be a ‘guardian of fairness’ is under scrutiny after stark findings on gender imbalance and opaque progression. Writing in NLJ this week, Joshua Purser of No5 Barristers’ Chambers and Govindi Deerasinghe of Global 50/50 warn that leadership remains dominated by a narrow elite, with men holding 71% of top court roles
A legal challenge to police disclosure rules has failed, reinforcing a push for transparency in policing. In NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth examines a case where the Metropolitan Police required officers to declare membership of groups like the Freemasons
Bereavement leave is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. Writing in NLJ this week, Robert Hargreaves of York St John University explains how the Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a day-one right to leave for a wider range of losses, alongside new provisions for pregnancy loss and bereaved partners
Courts are beginning to grapple with whether AI-generated material is legally privileged—and the answers are mixed. In this week's issue of NLJ, Stacie Bourton, Tom Whittaker & Beata Kolodziej of Burges Salmon examine US rulings showing how easily privilege can be lost
New guidance seeks to bring order to the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Minesh Tanna and David Bridge of Simmons & Simmons set out a framework stressing ‘transparency’, ‘explainability’ and ‘reliability’
back-to-top-scroll