10 Jun 2026
Simmons & Simmons appoints Emma Williams as General Counsel and Andy Peat as Chief Client Officer
"Simmons & Simmons hires Emma Williams as General Counsel to lead risk, compliance, AML and data privacy, and Andy Peat as Chief Client Officer to lead marketing and business development."
Emma Williams is a former litigator with more than 15 years of specialism in professional ethics, risk and compliance, anti-money laundering and data privacy within law firms. She joins Simmons & Simmons as General Counsel and Partner from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, where she served as Director of Risk & Compliance, Global Head of AML and as MLRO in the firm’s General Counsel Office. Williams succeeds Ian Hammond as General Counsel; Hammond held the role since 2023 and will retire from the firm after a career spanning nearly four decades.
Andy Peat is an experienced marketing and business development leader in law firms and will join Simmons & Simmons as Chief Client Officer and Partner. He joins from DLA Piper, where he is International Marketing & Business Development Director, having previously held business development leadership positions at Pinsent Masons. Peat will take up his role at Simmons & Simmons in July.