King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) continues to see partner departures from its London office as K&L Gates has recruited longstanding tax partner Giles Bavister.
Bavister leaves after more than 15 years at KWM and its legacy firm SJ Berwin.
He joins a list of partner defects from KWM’s City office, with previous exits this year including IP veteran Ray Black to Mishcon de Reya, London disputes head Alex Leitch to Covington & Burling, financial markets partner Gregg Beechey to Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson and private equity partner Simon Fulbrook to Goodwin Procter.
A coup for K&L Gates, Bavister is cited as a ‘key contact’ in the corporate tax sphere by The Legal 500. He advises on a range of property matters, including the structuring and implementation of tax-efficient acquisitions and disposals; the structuring of portfolios and fund investments; commercial and residential property developments; and investment in alternative asset classes, including renewable energy and student housing.
Previous mandates include advising the Crown Estate in connection with a £1.8bn joint venture with Norges Bank Investment Management and Invesco on its purchase of 1 Finsbury Circus in London.
K&L Gates’ London administrative partner Tony Griffiths said: ‘Giles is an experienced, commercial, and well-regarded tax lawyer. He will play a particularly important role in the integrated services that we provide to our real estate and financial services clients.’
Bavister added: ‘With its strength in real estate, both in the UK and internationally, K&L Gates provides an ideal platform to further develop my practice as well as to support the firm’s existing client base.’
The tax expert is the third partner to join the K&L Gates’ London office this year, following the arrivals of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer IP lawyer Arthur Artinian and Berwin Leighton Paisner investment management partner Jacob Ghanty.
sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk