Duane Morris steals top Willkie Farr lawyer for London
Philadelphia-based law firm Duane Morris has added barrister Duncan Speller to its team as co-head of international disputes after he spent four years with Willkie Farr & Gallagher in London. Speller previously helped establish Willkie’s arbitration practice in the British capital after joining from WilmerHale.
With experience in more than 200 arbitration cases across common law and civil law systems in Europe, Hong Kong and Singapore, Speller brings deep expertise to his new role. He serves as an arbitrator himself and holds rankings as a Leading Individual in Legal 500 UK and recognition in Chambers UK for 2025. His work spans multiple industries, from aviation and energy to mining and insurance.
Duane Morris CEO Matthew A Taylor called the recruitment of Speller a strategic move to expand the firm’s London operations and enhance its global dispute resolution capabilities. The London office launched in 2000 and currently employs 16 attorneys with 10 partners. The firm maintains additional international locations in Vietnam, China, Singapore and Australia alongside 22 United States offices. Recent matters handled by the disputes team involve arbitration work in Southeast Asia and Egypt.
