Milbank is set to launch in Chicago, the firm announced today (24 August), hiring in a White & Case practice co-head as its first partner in the city.
The New York-headquartered firm has hired Nadav Klugman (pictured), co-head of White & Case’s global project development and finance practice, and a Legal 500 leading partner for renewable/alternative power.
He joins Milbank as a partner in the firm’s global project, energy and infrastructure finance group, and brings experience advising financial institutions and sponsors on a range of project transactions.
Klugman moved to White & Case two years ago after more than 16 years at Mayer Brown, where he made partner in 2015.
‘Nadav is recognized as a star in this very exciting and growing area of our practice,’ said firm chairman Scott Edelman. ‘We believe that Chicago can be an important new market for the firm to attract first-level talent that will allow us to better serve our clients.’
Milbank is the latest New York-headquartered firm to open in Chicago, after Simpson Thacher launched there earlier this month with a five-partner team from Kirkland & Ellis.
The new office will be a fourth US location for Milbank, and its 12th globally.
Its most recent new office was in 2015, when the firm opened a foreign legal consultant office in Seoul to serve its Korea practice, adding a fourth location to its APAC presence.
Its last US office launch, meanwhile, was in 1987, in Los Angeles.
The news comes after Milbank recorded a bumper financial year in 2025, increasing firmwide revenue by 15% to cross the $2bn mark for the first time, and boosting PEP by 12% to $7.6m.
Commenting on Klugman’s hire, Dan Bartfeld, Milbank executive committee member and chair of the firm’s global projects group, said: ‘Nadav brings deep experience across the full spectrum of energy and power and structured corporate solutions, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Milbank.’
He continued: ‘The digital infrastructure build-out has transformed the energy landscape, and as the renewable energy and digital sectors increasingly converge, our team — recognized as the preeminent legal advisor driving both digital infrastructure and renewables transactions — will be even better situated to support our clients on their largest and most important transactions.’
Klugman added: ‘I am thrilled to join the Milbank team at this pivotal time as the global economy focuses increasingly upon energy transition, corporate solutions and the interplay with the digital expansion.’
‘The firm’s platform is unmatched, and I look forward to opening our Chicago office and advising clients on their transformational transactions,’ he concluded.
