White & Case boosted its City recruitment drive and funds credentials with London partner Shane McDonald joining its global banking practice, the firm’s sixth London lateral this year alone. McDonald’s previous role of senior vice president at fund manager Hudson Advisors allowed him to forge valuable links with private equity firm Lone Star Funds. He has experience of the financing of a large number of investments, including the acquisitions of non-performing loan portfolios and private equity portfolio companies. Dual-qualified to practise in England and Australia, he was previously an associate at Ropes & Gray and, before that, at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.
While there has recently seemed to be something of a one-way door out of DLA Piper’s London office, the firm pulled off a significant hire for its corporate practice, bringing in Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer veteran Martin Nelson-Jones. The move is a fillip for DLA after a turbulent few months featuring a number of departures, most notably star deal-maker Anu Balasubramanian, who left in May to head up Paul Hastings’ private equity team in London. Nelson-Jones had been partner at Freshfields since 2001 and was previously the firm’s co-head of global infrastructure and transport.
Continuing its City push, Mayer Brown hired Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson’s London finance head Stuart Brinkworth (pictured) to head up its European leveraged finance team. Brinkworth joined Fried Frank as its first London finance head in 2015, tasked with building debt fund relationships with clients in London and supporting the firm’s private equity practice. He joined Hogan Lovells from legacy SJ Berwin in 2010 as a partner in the firm’s banking group, specialising in acting for UK and international lenders, including credit and debt funds, sponsors and bidding consortia on UK domestic and cross-border leveraged finance deals.
While not strictly a lateral hire, Sally Dewar joined Allen & Overy from JP Morgan to lead the firm’s Strategy Group – a new regulatory consulting business that will operate as a separate entity from the firm. Dewar has a strong pedigree in regulation, having previously been managing director and head of international regulatory affairs at JP Morgan in London and, until 2011, managing director of risk at the former financial regulator – the Financial Services Authority.