Firm Friends Alumni Yearbook 2025

Welcome message from our Global Chair

Ms Karen Davies Thumbnail

I’m proud to introduce this year’s Firm Friends Yearbook - an uplifting collection of conversations with the Ashurst community.

Our yearbook showcases how our people, past and present, continue to shape the legal profession - and the world beyond it. Across our network, alumni are leading in their chosen paths, whether building businesses, transforming industries, advancing public service or mentoring the next generation. Their journeys remind us that leadership is not a title but a practice, and legacy is created through the values we model every day.

This year also marks an exciting new chapter in the Ashurst story, as we announce our plans to combine with Perkins Coie. The proposed combination reflects a meeting of like minded people and complementary strengths, grounded in shared values and a collaborative culture, and positions us to serve clients seamlessly across a truly global platform. We are excited to embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.

I hope you will continue to engage with our alumni community as it grows ever stronger, and keep us updated on where your journeys are taking you. We love to hear about - and celebrate - your successes.

Wishing you all health and happiness for the year ahead.

Karen Davies, Global Chair

Firm Friends nominations

Would you like to feature in a future edition of Firm Friends? Nominate yourself, or a former Ashurst colleague, via our nomination form.

Contents

Mike

Mike Polson

From Shetland roots to reshaping Ashurst’s Glasgow delivery centre and co-leading Ashurst Advance, Mike championed innovation and people-first leadership. Now an executive coach, he empowers future leaders to embrace change, balance stewardship with progress, and lead authentically in an AI accelerated market.

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Ben Hammond

Ben Hammond

A regulatory lawyer turned Office Managing Partner, Ben helped scale Ashurst Hong Kong and advise on world first tokenised bond projects. He champions empowerment with guardrails, multicultural identity, and alumni powered relationships—proving that purpose, innovation and fun can thrive together in a fast changing, globalised market.

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Nat

Natalie Hazel

An Ashurst IP lawyer turned champagne authority, Natalie swapped briefs for bubbles—founding Société de Champagne Sydney, hosting sought after tastings, and writing for leading publications. With top industry credentials and 20k+ followers, she champions Champagne as a serious wine.

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Hanif

Hanif Mohamed

Polyglot dealmaker Hanif blends private practice pedigree with high stakes in house leadership. He builds agile legal teams, embraces tech without sacrificing judgement, and advocates for representation and principled decision making—showing how legal leadership can steer complex institutions through scrutiny, change and growth.

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Brad Rice

Bradley Rice

Meet Bradley Rice, an Ashurst London partner who blends financial regulation with product design. He leads XB Adviser - our award winning cross border compliance platform - turning complex rules into practical, scalable guidance. In this interview, he shows how multidisciplinary innovation delivers sharper insight, faster decisions and real client impact.

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Ken

Kenneth Pang

Guided by curiosity—and two life changing sandwiches—Ken built a career from London derivatives to Hong Kong dealmaking and now leads APAC equities legal at HSBC. An entrepreneurial mentor and maker, he blends finance, tech and law, urging future leaders to say yes, learn broadly and choose boldly.

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Ciaran

Ciarán Fitzgerald Morgan

From Ashurst transactions to UEFA media rights, Ciarán turned persistence into opportunity—now pioneering TEAM Ventures to pair capital with sport’s next wave. A lawyer operator fluent in dealmaking and sales, he’s building new competitions and models, proving passion plus preparation can transform an industry.

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Women having a chat (posed)

Alumni LinkedIn Group

Stay connected with the Ashurst community. Join the Ashurst Alumni LinkedIn Group to reconnect with colleagues, share updates and hear the latest firm news. Be part of our global network shaping what’s next.

Join now

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Video or webinars

20 Questions with Noam Ankri

From his Paris home: a quickfire interview with our Paris Office Managing Partner.

Watch Noam's interview
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News

Introducing Ashurst Perkins Coie

Ashurst's proposed combination with Perkins Coie would create a top 20 global law firm with deep expertise in technology, energy & infrastructure, and financial services.

Learn more

Firm Friends is published by Ashurst. The opinions expressed in it are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the firm and any information contained in it is not intended to constitute advice. Every effort has been made to ensure the information in the contents of Firm Friends is correct at the time of publication. The next edition of Firm Friends will be published in late 2026.

Alumni contact