Washington- and London-based law firm Hogan Lovells has expanded on the East Coast with the hiring of a corporate attorney from a competitor.
Kelly Hardy (pictured), who previously practiced law at DLA Piper, is now a partner in the Baltimore office of Hogan Lovells. Hardy advises clients on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliance, and regulatory compliance. Besides practicing law, Hardy has a longstanding involvement with the civic life of Baltimore. She serves as a member of the Baltimore World Trade Center’s board of directors, and is on the board of trustees of the SEED School of Maryland.
In a discussion with IFLR1000, Hardy reflected on the evolution of the corporate legal marketplace.
“If you look back several years ago, there were only a couple of firms that were international, but in the space of a short period of time, about five to seven years, the market has changed. There are a number of players in the international market that can support the type of work I do. What makes Hogan Lovells attractive is the quality of its service offering in all of the markets in which my clients do business and the level of integration,” Hardy stated.
Hardy said she has had a very busy 2015 so far, and is making her transition to her new firm in the middle of a transaction.
“On the strategic side, I have several clients that are active right now and are looking at acquisition targets. I have not seen the market slowing down at all and I don’t see that happening soon. As we move into the summer months, some people anticipate a lowering of activity, but I certainly haven’t seen it yet,” Hardy said.
Hardy holds a JD from the University of Maryland School of Law, an MBA from the University of Maryland, and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.