Leigh Partridge – Managing director, head of legal (Europe), CPP Investments
Year of qualification: 2008
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, 2006-17
CPP Investments | Investissements RPC, 2017-present
I love the diversity of deals that come across my desk as a PE lawyer. The opportunity to learn about different sectors and businesses while still building deep relationships with colleagues. I am also one of those lawyers who likes the adrenaline rush of getting a deal over the line, and PE ticks that box.
It’s impossible to narrow my in-house career down to only one memorable moment – but I’m most proud of being involved in building a world-class global legal team that enables the fund to invest across multiple sectors and multiple geographies.
If I had to pick one deal, it would be our investment in the take-private of Aareal Bank alongside Advent and Centrebridge. It was a complex and challenging transaction with great partnership across the legal teams of all the investors.
The major difference between working in-house and private practice is that in-house, you are involved in the entire lifecycle of an investment, from origination through asset management to exit. In private practice, normally by the time you are looped in, the client is part way along that journey. The relationship with your ‘client’ in-house is also different – it’s evergreen and as you get to know the business and build relationships with internal stakeholders – you are no longer only the legal adviser but also a trusted partner to the business.
I missed working for a law firm initially. I was the first lawyer in our London office and it was a shock to the system to not be surrounded by other lawyers. That has changed over time as the team in London has evolved and grown. Never say never, but I can’t see myself moving back to working in private practice now. If you like a fast pace, with no two days being the same and the opportunity to work with a diverse range of colleagues and clients, private equity will deliver.
