City law firm Fox Williams makes new senior insurance partner hire

Pollyanna Deane joins Fox Williams as partner from Simmons & Simmons, strengthening the firm’s financial services group.

Evie Meleagros is promoted to legal director in Fox Williams’ dispute resolution practice.

City law firm Fox Williams has strengthened its specialist financial services group with the appointment of senior corporate insurance partner Pollyanna Deane.

Pollyanna, who led Simmons & Simmons’ non-contentious insurance team, joins the 11-strong dedicated financial services regulatory team at Fox Williams on 4 May, bringing market-leading experience and deep corporate insurance expertise to the growing City firm. She will add further depth to the firm’s full-service financial services regulatory team.

Fox Williams’ financial service team acts for institutions, entrepreneurial financial services businesses, senior managers and professional advisers on both contentious and non-contentious matters.

Pollyanna’s clients include both life and general insurance companies, with her work encompassing a wide range of corporate issues from business transfers, mergers and acquisitions, reorganisations, demutualisations, joint ventures, regulatory and risk management programmes, and the attributions of inherited estates.

And at the same time, Fox Williams has announced the promotion of dispute resolution senior associate Evie Meleagros to legal director. Evie trained with the firm and has built a strong practice and reputation for civil fraud and dishonesty cases, fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation, breaches of warranty, contract and directors’ duties, and shareholder/partnership disputes.

Commenting on her appointment, Pollyanna said: “Fox Williams is unique amongst City law firms. I am delighted to be joining the dedicated financial services regulatory team, which is recognised by clients for its regulatory insights, commerciality and responsiveness. I am looking forward to building its insurance and financial services practice further.”

Chris Finney, partner and head of non-contentious financial services at Fox Williams said: “The demand for high quality legal advice and support continues to grow within the financial services market and will increase in a post-Covid-19 landscape. Fox Williams’ financial services regulatory team is recognised in the market for its effectiveness, and Pollyanna’s arrival adds considerable strength to our offer to the corporate insurance market. She is an authority in the market and we look forward to working alongside her.”

Paul Osborne, senior partner at Fox Williams said: “Building out our leading financial services regulatory practice into the insurance market represents another ambitious step for our firm. Clients appreciate the way we work, our culture and the values we hold, which we continuously seek to demonstrate. We are delighted to welcome Pollyanna Deane, as a recognised expert, into our team.

“I am delighted to congratulate Evie on her well-deserved promotion to legal director and to welcome Pollyanna to the firm. I am confident they will each enable our clients to achieve their business goals. We continue to look for talented people with a leading market presence as demand for our specialist services continues to grow.”