‘Feels good to be bold’ – Freshfields executes on New York private capital ambitions with hire of Latham PE pair

‘Feels good to be bold’ – Freshfields executes on New York private capital ambitions with hire of Latham PE pair

In what will be viewed by rivals as a further shot across the bows, Freshfields has continued to make determined inroads with its US strategy, this time hiring private equity M&A partners Neal Reenan and Ian Bushner in New York from Latham & Watkins.

The investment is another coup for a firm that has become no stranger to putting its money where its mouth is on executing a bullish American strategy, and is especially striking, given the increased demand for quality private capital practitioners as client demand continues to escalate. Continue reading “‘Feels good to be bold’ – Freshfields executes on New York private capital ambitions with hire of Latham PE pair”

Revolving doors: moves in energy and infrastructure as DLA adds partners in the City

Revolving doors: moves in energy and infrastructure as DLA adds partners in the City

DLA Piper leads this week’s round of strategic hires with a quartet of notable additions to its London office. Steven Bryan, who left Paul Hastings in October, has joined the London corporate practice, bringing expertise in energy and infrastructure M&A along with Paul Doris from Brown Rudnick. Accompanying them, Derwin Jenkinson, who also departed Paul Hastings last year, enhances DLA’s finance projects and restructuring group.

DLA Piper also welcomed Andrew Sackney to its corporate crime and investigations team in London. Coming from Pinsent Masons, where he led the global investigations practice, Sackney brings expertise in tackling large-scale, domestic, and international investigations. Continue reading “Revolving doors: moves in energy and infrastructure as DLA adds partners in the City”

McDermott hires London M&A partner from Cooley as global revenue nears $2bn mark

McDermott hires London M&A partner from Cooley as global revenue nears $2bn mark

McDermott has announced today (28 February) that Michal Berkner has joined the firm as a partner, bolstering its transactions practice in London.

She joins from Cooley, where she led the cross-border M&A practice, including negotiated and unsolicited transactions and joint ventures. Her clients include strategic and private equity buyers and sellers in public and private transactions. Continue reading “McDermott hires London M&A partner from Cooley as global revenue nears $2bn mark”

Paul Weiss continues London expansion as Magic Circle responds in US

Paul Weiss continues London expansion as Magic Circle responds in US

The lateral hiring market for December and January was once again dominated by Paul Weiss’ impressive recruitment efforts in the City, resulting in the Magic Circle stepping it up in the US. Meanwhile, White & Case has been on a hiring spree of late, bringing in several partners in key practice areas in numerous locations. Continue reading “Paul Weiss continues London expansion as Magic Circle responds in US”

Revolving Doors: A&O bolsters City structured finance team with Milbank hires

Revolving Doors: A&O bolsters City structured finance team with Milbank hires

Leading this week’s high-profile moves, Allen & Overy has appointed John Goldfinch as a partner in its global structured finance practice in advance of its planned merger with Shearman & Sterling. Previously at Milbank, Goldfinch has experience dealing with derivative products and securitisation asset classes including CLOs and CDOs (cash and synthetic), lease receivables, trade receivables, equity, credit rates, NPLs, covered bond transactions and secured structured lending.

Goldfinch brings with him a team of four senior associates from Milbank: Adrian Kwok, Peter West, Eleanor Cripps and Alexandra Wells. A&O has highlighted private capital as a key strategic focus for the firm, with its private capital revenue growing by over 60% over the past two years. Continue reading “Revolving Doors: A&O bolsters City structured finance team with Milbank hires”

Revolving Doors: Fried Frank expands London team with Goodwin trio as Orrick faces global losses

Revolving Doors: Fried Frank expands London team with Goodwin trio as Orrick faces global losses

Leading the high-profile moves this week, Fried Frank has strengthened its London private equity practice with a triple hire from Goodwin. Christian Iwasko , Michelle Tong, and Priya Rupal have departed from Goodwin after a three-year stint, and bring with them experience at Sidley and Kirkland & Ellis.

Elsewhere in the City, Clifford Chance has bolstered its finance team with the addition of Blake Jones from Paul Hastings. Jones departs from Paul Hastings after five years, bringing extensive expertise in structured finance, having previously worked at Linklaters earlier in his career. Continue reading “Revolving Doors: Fried Frank expands London team with Goodwin trio as Orrick faces global losses”

Paul Hastings scores double win from Latham after recent London losses

Paul Hastings scores double win from Latham after recent London losses

Paul Hastings has hired litigation and trial partners Oliver Browne and Stuart Alford KC from Latham & Watkins, just days after it lost structured finance partner Blake Jones to Clifford Chance. Paul Hastings confirmed the moves today (16 February).

Browne leaves Latham after 18 years, having most recently served as the London co-chair of the litigation and trial department. He advises on cross-border disputes, both in court and arbitration, spanning various sectors and involving high-net-worth individuals. Continue reading “Paul Hastings scores double win from Latham after recent London losses”

Revolving doors: Moves in disputes and antitrust as Paul Weiss continues sweep of London recruits

Revolving doors: Moves in disputes and antitrust as Paul Weiss continues sweep of London recruits

Simpson Thacher begins this week’s lateral hire round-up with its recruitment of Legal 500 international arbitration leading individual David Edwards from Skadden. Edwards will co-lead the firm’s European disputes practice alongside Tyler Robinson.

The hire brings the London office to a total of five dispute partners: Edwards, Robinson, and antitrust specialists Antonio Bavasso, Ross Ferguson, and Étienne Renaudeau. All three antitrust partners are also listed as partners in the firm’s Brussels office, which opened in September 2021 and is headed by Bavasso and Renaudeau. Continue reading “Revolving doors: Moves in disputes and antitrust as Paul Weiss continues sweep of London recruits”

King & Spalding takes another silk with hire of former director of public prosecutions

King & Spalding takes another silk with hire of former director of public prosecutions

King & Spalding has hired Sir Max Hill KC (pictured) into its London office. Hill served as director of public prosecutions for England and Wales from November 2018 to October 2023. A barrister since 1987, he took silk in 2008 and was knighted after leaving the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in January 2024.

Hill’s addition brings the number of KCs in the firm’s London office to four, alongside disputes partner Ruth Byrne KC, arbitration partner John Savage KC, and office managing partner Tom Sprange KC. Continue reading “King & Spalding takes another silk with hire of former director of public prosecutions”

Revolving doors: White & Case doubles down on recruitment as BCLP loses three partners

Revolving doors: White & Case doubles down on recruitment as BCLP loses three partners

It has been a busy week for White & Case, with the firm seeing the return of Patrick Sarch to its global mergers and acquisitions practice in London. He will be head of UK public M&A in the London corporate/ M&A group.

Sarch worked at White & Case between January 2017 and March 2021, moving to Hogan Lovells in March 2021, where he was co-head of the firms UK M&A practice. He advises on corporate finance, cross-border, and domestic public company M&A. Continue reading “Revolving doors: White & Case doubles down on recruitment as BCLP loses three partners”