* Lady Justice Hallett – one of three senior judicial commissioners on the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) – has been appointed vice-chairman of the judicial selection body. She will take over from Lord Justice Auld on his retirement from the Court of Appeal and the JAC at the end of September. At the same time, Lord Justice Toulson will be appointed as a new commissioner. Hallett was called to the Bar in 1972 and began to sit as a part-time judge in 1985. She was Chairman of the Bar Council in 1998 and joined the Court of Appeal in 2005. She takes over as vice-chairman of the JAC as it celebrates its first year in existence during which it has reported an increase in the proportion of both women and solicitors who are recommended for appointment. JAC chair, Baroness Usha Prashar, paid tribute to Auld’s work with the commission: “As the first vice-chairman, he has been instrumental in helping to set our strategy and forge our independent identity.”

* Anthony Indaimo has been elected as chairman of Withers, a role he took up on July 1 - the first time that this firm, best known for its private client and family practices, has chosen a corporate lawyer as its head. Indaimo, who joined Withers in 1995, set up its Milan office in 2002 and currently heads the international commercial practice group. He has takes over as chairman from Diana Parker, who has held that position since 1999. During her tenure she oversaw the merger with the US firm Bergman, Horowitz & Reynolds. Indaimo says: “I am listening carefully to what our clients and our people tell us. What is certain is that expertise in corporate practices, asset classes and financial instruments is a prerequisite for offering first-class advice to high net-worth individuals.”

* Structured finance and capital markets lawyer Elana Hahn has joined Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw’s London group as a partner on July 2, moving across from the London office of New York-based Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy. Her practice covers a range of finance disciplines, including international structured financings and public and private bond offerings. Commenting on her arrival at the firm, London senior partner and firm-wide vice-chairman, Paul Maher, said: “Our undisputed transatlantic strength in structured finance is a priority for the London office and Elana’s appointment is a testament to that commitment and one of a series of lateral hires for the group.”

* Michael Todd, QC, of Erskine Chambers, has been elected chairman of the Chancery Bar Association. He takes over from Charles Purle, QC, who has just been made a Specialist Chancery Circuit Judge on the Midlands Circuit. Maitland Chambers’ Carolyn Walton, who held the post of acting chairman briefly on Purle’s appointment as a judge, has been re-elected as vice-chairman of the association, which represents more than 1,000 specialist Chancery practitioners. Commenting on his appointment, Todd said: “The Chancery Bar is going from strength to strength: the Chancery Division consists of a body of judges with specialist knowledge that ensures the highest quality of case management and judgments. The number of specialist practitioners at the Chancery Bar is growing; and we are witnessing a greater demand not only for our advocacy skills, but also for our advisory expertise, both domestically and internationally.”

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