Latham & Watkins has strengthened its private credit practice in London by adding two partners from Akin. Fergus Wheeler and Paul Yin are set to become part of Latham’s banking practice, having each spent less than 10 months at their previous firm.
The duo brings significant expertise in advising global private credit funds, direct lenders, commercial and investment banks, private equity sponsors, and corporate borrowers on diverse and intricate cross-border debt financing matters, with a specific emphasis on private credit transactions.
Baker McKenzie has welcomed back Richard Needham as a partner in its corporate reorganisations team. Needham, who had a tenure of almost 15 years at Baker McKenzie until 2021, had a brief interlude to join KPMG’s legal services arm as a partner. He brings with him experience advising clients on a range of reorganisations, including legal entity rationalisations, post-acquisition integrations, holding company restructurings and other transformations.
‘Having made the decision to leave my old firm, Baker McKenzie was the clear and obvious choice for me both to continue the development of my practice and to also further my personal development,’ he told Legal Business. ‘The firm has gone from strength to strength during the time I have been away, delivering impressive market-leading carve-out transactions for clients, bringing in strong lateral hires and of course the move to the highly impressive new office space at 280 Bishopsgate. It really feels like the start of a new era for the firm, and I wanted to be part of that.’
Lewis Silkin has hired Fraser Mitchell as a partner to its dispute resolution practice in London, recruiting him from Armstrong Teasdale. Named in The Legal 500 – Caribbean, Mitchell brings with him extensive experience advising clients in cross-border and multijurisdictional disputes, serving on both sides as claimants and defendants. His expertise lies in cases involving allegations of fraud, bribery, conspiracy, or breach of fiduciary duty.
On his move, he commented: ‘I joined Lewis Silkin because of its outstanding reputation across the general legal market, and also because of its recent growth and desire to grow the dispute resolution practice. It has a relaxed, progressive culture which is attractive, as is the desire for international growth.’
Ashurst has hired tech M&A specialist Chris Grey as a partner in London, joining from Clifford Chance where he spent almost three years as a senior associate. Grey’s practice focuses on advising clients on major M&A transactions in the technology and digital infrastructure sectors.
Fladgate has enhanced its private wealth and disputes services by bringing on board Catherine Costley and Joshua Moger, partners from Payne Hicks Beach. The duo brings almost 30 years of collective experience in family law and specialises in advising high-net-worth clients on a wide range of matters, including divorce, children, and financial remedies law, covering both contentious and non-contentious issues.
‘Fladgate has a family law department, but it is relatively small, and it felt as though it was ripe for growth,’ commented Costley. Part of the strategy for the firm is to grow out the private wealth and disputes offering and family law within that. There’s such considered strategic focus on developing that and we wanted to be part of it and wanted the best for our clients.’
In Germany, both Allen & Overy and Gowling WLG have made substantial hires. A&O has expanded its intellectual property litigation practice by bringing on board Anna Wolters-Höhne, a long-time partner from Bird & Bird. With nearly two decades of experience, Wolters-Höhne contributes a wealth of knowledge, particularly in managing patent infringement, preliminary injunction proceedings, and patent damages proceedings within the German legal system.
Gowling WLG has also added four partners to its Frankfurt office. Carolin Glänzel will join the firm’s finance team from Norton Rose Fulbright, while Miray Kavruk will be joining from DLA Piper. Annette Knoth will join its employment practice from Arnecke Sibeth Dabelstein, while Mathias Wittinghofer joins as head of the dispute resolution team, having left Herbert Smith Freehills in October.
Finally, over in the US, Paul Hastings has hired investment funds partner Anna Rips to its New York office. Formerly with Skadden for over 17 years, Rips brings experience in representing fund sponsors, asset managers, and investment advisers. Her expertise lies in the structuring and distribution of both US and international private offerings of investment funds.