Jennet Davies, the head of the private client practice of Jones Day in London, is to join Withers as a partner, advising high net worth indi...

Jennet Davies, the head of the private client practice of Jones Day in London, is to join Withers as a partner, advising high net worth individuals on UK tax and estate planning. Ms Jones will join the London office of Withers in early September. The departure effectively means that Jones Day plans to axe its private client practice in London, which it inherited when it merged with Gouldens in 2003. According to The Lawyer, the private client practice has been under review for a number of years after it was felt that the firm could not compete with the increasing specialisation in the sector by firms such as Withers. Ms Davies had earlier proposed an investment plan for the future of the private client practice that Jones Day did not think it could meet. The firm is now in the process of winding down its private client practice subject to its commitments to existing clients. Ms Davies's departure leaves Jones Day's wealth management team without a Europe-based partner. The remaining seven partners are based in the US.