Laytons ETL, the City of London-based international commercial law firm, has appointed Sharon Zachariah as a partner within its corporate and commercial team.

Ms Zachariah joins Laytons ETL from the London firm Waterfront Law, where she was partner and head of commercial and data protection. Before moving into private practice she spent more than ten years as an in-house lawyer, including roles at London South Bank University and the international polling and consumer intelligence organisation YouGov.

In addition to the understanding of clients’ priorities gained during her in-house career, Ms Zachariah brings experience of practice in a wide variety of areas including IT, AI, science and innovation start-ups, consultancy, public sector, charities, banking, events and publishing. She is also, in common with a large proportion of Laytons ETL’s lawyers, an accomplished linguist, with bi-lingual proficiency in Bengali and German.

Laytons ETL’s international reach was, according to Ms Zachariah, a key reason for joining the firm. She said, “I joined Laytons ETL because I was interested in working within a larger firm and re-connecting with my international roots. Originally from Kolkata, India, I have also lived in the Netherlands and Germany, and my earlier Magister Artium (BA+MA) degree from the University of Mainz is in English, American and Hispanic Philology.

“As a commercial lawyer at Laytons ETL I will have the opportunity to work within several international networks. This will enhance my day-to-day immensely because I am international at heart.”

Laytons ETL is a longstanding member of a number of international networks of lawyers and professionals, and also has “best friend” relationships with firms within and outside these networks, in a variety of different jurisdictions.

In 2021 the firm became part of the ETL Global network of professional services businesses. Headquartered in Essen, Germany, ETL has member firms in more than 50 different countries worldwide, employing 20,000 people.

In 2023 Laytons ETL launched an India Desk, led by property partner Honey Dave. Ms Zachariah’s appointment will broaden and strengthen this offering, as well as the firm’s wider international and domestic commercial practice.

Johnathan Rees, head of corporate and commercial at Laytons ETL, said, “Sharon joins our team at an exciting time for our department and our firm.

“Our commercial practice is a core service for the firm, and Sharon will add further depth to this, working alongside partners. Historically we have always had a strong international commercial practice, which has been expanding even more rapidly since we joined ETL Global, and Sharon’s expertise will help us capitalise on even more of the opportunities that membership of this, and other international networks, provides.”