Freshfields' former global managing partner is moving to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in Brussels.

Rafique Bachour is set to join Skadden just months after his departure from the firm's global leadership team, which, led by senior partner Georgia Dawson, was in July re-elected to lead the firm for a second term until 2030, but without Bachour's involvement. He joined Freshfields in 1999 as a trainee, according to his LinkedIn profile, and made partner in 2011. He pointed to Skadden’s global reach and standing in the market as reasons for joining the U.S. headquartered firm. Bachour has worked on some of Freshfields' largest mandates in recent years, including advising Teck Resources on its $53 billion ‘merger of equals’ with Anglo American in 2025 and advising AstraZeneca on antitrust and foreign investment strategy for its $39 billion acquisition of Alexion Pharmaceuticals in 2021. Skadden executive partner Jeremy London, said: “We have continued to grow in Brussels over the last few years, and his joining will further support our plans for the office and the wider global Antitrust/Competition Group.” Brussels is a key hub for competition and antitrust being one of the most competitive markets globally due to the location of the European Commission. Skadden is advising Netflix on the possible acquisition of Warner Bros which is likely to require EU antitrust concessions. The hire reflects a push by firms into Brussels. On Monday, Fieldfisher hired former managing partner of McDermott Will & Schulte’s Brussels office; Kirkland & Ellis hired two competition lawyers from Weil, Gotshal & Manges expanding its integrated London-Brussels platform; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison opened an office in Brussels in 2024. For Freshfields, the departure follows the exits of four pivotal partners in Germany to Latham & Watkins last month in a move described as the ‘biggest move the German market has seen in years’. Those departures included former continental Europe managing partner Markus Paul and co-head of Freshfields’ global M&A group Wessel Heukamp. Despite the exits, Freshfields ranked first for European M&A in 2025. Bachour stepped down as managing partner earlier this month after announcing his intent to do so in July. He had been managing partner of the firm since 2021. A Freshfields spokesperson said: "We wish Rafique all the best."