Leading the high-profile moves this week, White & Case has hired Richard Browne as a partner into its global M&A practice. Recognised as a Legal 500 leading individual for corporate governance, Browne joins from A&O Shearman.
Browne began his career at legacy A&O in 1993 and later went on to serve as global co-head of the corporate practice and head of corporate in London. His expertise includes corporate governance and disclosure advice for FTSE 100 and 250 companies and other international corporations.
The hire comes after White & Case saw the return of Patrick Sarch to its global M&A practice in London in February. Sarch, who now heads up UK public M&A, worked at White & Case between January 2017 and March 2021, moving to Hogan Lovells in March 2021.
‘We are very excited to have Richard Browne joining us in the new year. Having worked opposite him, we have seen how he balances technical excellence with sound judgement and a wealth of experience,’ Sarch told LB.
‘That wisdom is what clients are looking for in a trusted adviser on the most fundamental challenges and transactions they face. As the White & Case corporate team across EMEA is going from strength to strength, Richard joining is a key addition to our dynamic, diverse and ambitious team.’
Elsewhere, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has tapped Linklaters for leveraged finance partner Dan Peach. The US firm had been on the hunt for a leveraged finance addition following the departures of Ian Barratt and Sinead O’Shea to Kirkland & Ellis last year.
Peach, a Legal 500 next generation partner for acquisition finance, is set to move after spending eight years at Linklaters. He joined the firm as an associate in 2016 and was made up to partner earlier this year in May.
Peach advises asset managers, private equity funds, portfolio companies and other borrowers on complex multinational public and private leveraged and acquisition finance transactions.
In New York, Latham & Watkins has built out its restructuring and special situations practice with the hire of four prominent restructuring partners. Ray Schrock, Candace Arthur, and Alexander Welch are set to join from Weil, Gotshal & Manges, and Andrew Parlen will rejoin the firm after a four-and-a-half-year stint at Paul Weiss.
Schrock, a Legal 500 leading lawyer for restructuring, joins after 10 years at Weil in which time he rose to the role of co-chair of the firm’s restructuring department. He is set to become global chair of Latham’s restructuring & special situations practice. Parlen, meanwhile will become head of the firm’s US restructuring practice.
‘We are delighted to welcome Ray, Candace, Alex, and Andrew to our team,’ said Latham chair and managing partner Rich Trobman in a statement. ‘They are exceptional lawyers and significant additions to both our New York office and our Restructuring & Special Situations practice.’
Weil has also seen departures in London as Freshfields has persuaded a trio of private capital lawyers to join its global transactions practice. Partner Paul Stewart and counsels Mark Davis and Nick Fortune are the lawyers making the switch, with all three set to join as partners.
Stewart joined Weil in 2019 as a partner following nearly 22 years at Ashurst. He advises credit funds, financial institutions and other investors on a range of leveraged finance loan products. He will join as global co-head of private credit and capital solutions alongside New York-based partner Damian Ridealgh.
Returning to the US, private equity partner Vince Ferrito has followed his former O’Melveny & Myers colleagues David Schultz and Matthew Hinker to Clifford Chance’s New York office.
Ferrito has moved after just under eight years at O’Melveny and previously spent three years as an associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore. As well as representing private equity sponsors and other corporate clients, Ferrito also has experience in advising buyers and sellers of sports franchises.
