Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) structured finance partner Lucy Oddy is set to join Latham & Watkins, representing a further City partner hire for the acquisitive US firm and further fallout from BLP’s beleaguered finance team.
Oddy moved to BLP from Clifford Chance in 2010, where she worked in the structured finance team for 12 years in both London and Tokyo. She advises clients on a broad range of complex, cross-border finance matters in the UK and across Europe, with particular experience in securitisations and structured products.
Her departure follows the news yesterday (24 March) that the top 20 firm has lost another two City banking partners, with real estate finance duo Andrew Flemming and Jo Solomon set to join top 10 LB100 firm Hogan Lovells.
For Latham, meanwhile, the hire follows the high profile recruitment last month of Clifford Chance private equity partner Kem Ihenacho and Weil, Gotshal & Manges funds partner Nick Benson in January. Ihenacho was Latham’s third CC partner hire after global head of private equity David Walker joined in April last year followed by Tom Evans in October. The office now has 250 fee earners including over 60 partners.
Nick Cline, Latham’s London office managing partner, said: ‘Lucy’s hire continues the firm’s significant investment in the London office across our core practices. Her excellent reputation and wealth of experience will enhance the first-class finance offering that we provide to our clients, from our top-ranked bank and bond practices, through restructuring and project finance, to derivatives and structured finance.’
david.stevenson@legalease.co.uk