Reed Smith continues to piece together its City finance offering with a series of lateral hires, as Pinsent Masons partner Matthew Heaton becomes the latest to make the switch, joining the firm’s international real estate finance practice.
Heaton leaves Pinsent Masons after seven years and his hire shortly follows the arrival of Travers Smith leverage finance partner Ben Davis, who joined the top 30 Global 100 firm in March.
Reed Smith has been steadily growing its finance group in London, having hired Tamara Box from Berwin Leighton Paisner in 2012 to head its structured finance practice and taken on rated Clifford Chance partner Claude Brown last year, who joined the structured products and derivatives sub-group.
Another big name hire came in the form of Perry Yam, who arrived to launch the firm’s private equity group in Europe and the Middle East in 2012, moving across from SJ Berwin.
Nola Beirne, vice-chair of Reed Smith’s financial industry group, told Legal Business: ‘The addition of Matthew to our international real estate finance practice augments a growing practice. Matthew has significant experience in complex real estate financing transactions and has deep relationships with a number of significant players in the market, including banks, debt funds and investment managers in the UK and internationally.
‘Increasingly our clients are looking for a one-stop-shop, so that their law firm can advise on loan origination, including property advice, as well as capital markets financing, through to commercial mortgage-backed securities and other secured financings such as bank/bond deals. Matthew’s addition to the team will enhance our ability to meet this need.’
Heaton’s departure from Pinsent Masons follows the move by head of financial institutions and human capital, Stephen Miles, for DWF in April.
tom.moore@legalease.co.uk