In memoriam

Cymmone Hay

A&O: 1999-2001, 2019-2020

Cymmone Hay, who died in September 2021 at the age of 50, first worked as a Personnel Officer at A&O between 1999 and 2001.

She rejoined the firm in 2019 through A&O’s Return to Work programme, and worked in the HR department in London until March 2021.

An extremely professional, dynamic and enthusiastic person, she will be remembered fondly by all those who knew and worked with her at A&O.

Michael Molineaux 

A&O: 1991-1999

Michael Molineaux, an IP Litigation associate in London between 1991 and 1999, died in November 2021. He was 62.

Michael grew up in New Zealand and Western Samoa. A gifted student, he gained degrees in engineering, geology and soil mechanics before switching to law.

He is fondly remembered by colleagues as cheerful, understated and calm in a crisis.

Thomas E. Jones 

A&O: 2006-2012

Thomas E. Jones, a former partner who was considered a pioneer among international lawyers working in China and an inspirational mentor to a generation of young lawyers, died in March 2022. He was 72.

Fluent in Mandarin, Tom joined A&O in 2006 as a Corporate partner in Beijing, coming from Freshfields whose China practice he had led for 10 years. He retired from the partnership in 2009 but remained a consultant until 2012.

Tom drew on 40 years of broad-based, on-the-ground experience to make significant contributions to A&O’s China practice and the country’s legal community.

Peter Totty 

A&O: 1989-1998

Peter Totty, a former Banking partner in London between 1989 and 1998, was known as a “titan of the insolvency world” throughout his career. He died in March 2022 at the age of 83.

Peter was one of the founders and leaders of A&O’s restructuring and insolvency group, and built it up into 
a market-leading practice.

He served as president of the Insolvency Lawyers’ Association, and co-wrote the leading textbook ‘Insolvency’, published by Sweet & Maxwell.

Colleagues remember him as a true gentleman and ‘class act’, who combined a wry sense of humour with formidable intellect and was well-liked by all who worked with him.

Edward (Ted) Rose 

A&O: 1986-1996

Edward (Ted) Rose, Stores Manager in the Business Services team in London between 1986 and 1996, noted for his meticulous approach to work and dry sense of humour, died in March 2022. He was 89. 

Away from work, Ted supported the Scouting movement throughout his life. Ted’s family told us that one of his proudest moments was receiving the Silver Wolf for services to Scouting at Westminster Abbey.

Pat Newman 

A&O: 1969-2003

Pat Newman, a former Legal PA in London between 1969 and 2003, is fondly remembered for her positivity and kindness by all who knew and worked with her at A&O. She died in July 2022 at the age of 80.

Pat first joined A&O in 1969, working as a Legal PA in the Property department. She left A&O when she started a family and then returned to the firm, initially as a temporary PA and then more regularly as a permanent week-on week-off ‘float’ secretary across the London office. Before her retirement in 2003, Pat worked in a Legal PA job share in the Private Client department.

Neil Weiand 

A&O: 1998-2017

Neil Weiand joined A&O in 1998 and was made partner in 2017. He had a lasting influence on the Banking and Financial Law practice in Germany. He died in July 2022 at the age of 60.

In almost 20 years at A&O, he helped build the practice into one of the leaders of its kind in Germany. He also succeeded in strengthening the cooperation between the firm’s offices in Germany and London.

Neil joined A&O from Deutsche Bank’s legal department in 1998. He was made partner in 2000 and from 2006 was the only continental European partner on A&O’s International Board.

Alison Ashtiani 

A&O: 1990-2022

Alison Ashtiani, a senior legal PA in our London Corporate practice, is remembered by former colleagues as a universally liked and respected team member who was great with people, both within the firm and outside. She died in August 2022, aged 59.

Joining A&O in 1990 as a partner secretary, she worked for Corporate groups and other departments in a career with the firm that spanned more than 30 years, providing what M&A partner Seth Jones describes as “fantastic support to so many people throughout a significant period in the firm’s history”.

Nadine Herrmann

A&O: 2003-2012

Dr Nadine Herrmann joined A&O in 2003 and made partner in 2009. She was renowned for competition and capital market law proceedings and was considered a specialist at the interface of patent and antitrust law. She died in September 2022, aged 45.

Nadine left A&O to join Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP in 2012, opening their Hamburg office, where she developed a successful practice focused on competition and capital markets litigation.

Recognised internationally as an expert litigator who was regularly awarded for her achievements, colleagues and competitors praised her impressive intellect, keen analytical eye, and described her as professionally strong and personally pleasant.

Read the many personal tributes from A&O and alumni colleagues.

Please contact the Alumni team if you would like to share a personal tribute with other members of the Alumni Network.