Hogan Lovells has bolstered its London private equity offering with the hire of real estate-focused PE partners Michael James and Edward Meadowcroft from Paul Hastings.
The pair join after more than a decade at Paul Hastings, and each brings experience across a range of PE real estate transactions, with James ranked as a Legal 500 leading partner in both commercial property: investment and industry focus: hospitality and leisure.
Hogan Lovells corporate and finance practice group leader James Doyle said: ‘Michael and Edward’s arrival reflects our ambition to be the firm of choice for private equity investors in this space. Their addition, alongside our recent team hires in Greater China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, and Italy, demonstrates the deliberate investment we are making in our global Private Equity platform and broader private capital offering.’
Private equity and funds practice area leader Ed Harris added: ‘Private equity flows into real estate remain strong, even amid market volatility. Our clients are focused on complex, cross-border transactions in Europe, Asia, and the U.S., and demand for sophisticated sector-focused legal advice is accelerating. Michael and Edward bring exactly the expertise our clients need in this space.’
Hogan Lovells has made a raft of hires around the world recently, building its corporate and finance practice with laterals including Linklaters capital markets partner Phill Hall, who joined the firm in Singapore in April, and Dechert funds partner Michael Wong, who joined in Hong Kong last October with disputes partner Maria Sit.
The firm also hired a pair of M&A partners from Paul Hastings earlier this month, bringing over David Wang, Paul Hastings former Beijing and Shanghai office head, and Meka Mang in Shanghai and Beijing, respectively.
For its part, Paul Hastings has been through a period of volatility, with recent exits including London co-chair Mei Lian, who left for Linklaters in July, leveraged finance partner Peter Hayes, who also joined Linklaters in May, and high-profile infrastructure duo Jessamy Gallagher and Stuart Rowson, who left the firm for Freshfields in February, two years after joining from Linklaters.
At the same time, the firm has made a raft of hires in recent months, including a significant buildout in energy and infrastructure, with nine partners joining around the world, predominantly from White & Case.
Elsewhere, Cadwalader has hired private wealth partner Matthew Sperry from Katten. Sperry advises family offices, ultra-high-net-worth individuals, and trustees on complex and cross-border matters with a US angle. He will work across Cadwalader’s offices in London and New York.
The hire comes after departures from Cadwalader earlier this month, when the firm saw an eight-partner CLO team move to Orrick in London and the US, with the London exits including Legal 500 securitisation Hall of Famer David Quirolo.
Earlier this week, the firm also lost another four-partner team, with leveraged finance head Ronald Lovelace leading a team to Proskauer in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Back in London, Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen has hired construction disputes partner Ben Grunberger-Kirsh from Vinson & Elkins, while Forsters has hired Payne Hicks Beach modern family law team lead Sarah Williams as head of children in the firm’s family team.
Freeths has hired London-based Sushil Kuner as a partner and head of its financial services practice. Kuner joins from Gowling, where she was a principal associate, and she previously spent more than six years at the FCA.
TLT has appointed Amy McConnell as a partner in its FutureLaw team, which offers ‘advice beyond legal’ across areas including HR, regulatory, technology, data, and commercial. McConnell joins from Vodafone Group, where she was head of legal operations, commercial transactions and product.
Finally in the UK, Clyde & Co has hired partners Thomas Jordan and Jonathan Mitchell from DAC Beachcroft into its UK casualty insurance practice, in Bristol and Liverpool respectively.
Over on the continent, Linklaters has hired M&A partner Massimiliano Nitti from Italian firm Chiomenti, where he was co-head of the firm’s private M&A practice. Nitti joins as head of corporate in Italy, and will be based in the firm’s Milan office.
Aedamar Comiskey, Linklaters’ senior partner and chair said: ‘Massimiliano is another terrific addition to our global platform. He’s a leader in the Italian M&A market and working alongside our top tier global practice will help us deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients.’
Meanwhile, White & Case has hired George Gryllos as an antitrust partner in Brussels. Gryllos joins after more than two decades as a secretary at the General Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
Pinsent Masons has hired funds partner Manfred Dietrich from Maples Group to lead its funds and asset management team in Luxembourg.
Elsewhere, Ashurst has hired finance partner Ouns Lemseffer from Clifford Chance. A Legal 500 leading partner in commercial, corporate and M&A, banking, finance and capital markets, and projects and public law, Lemseffer joins Ashurst as head of Morocco, with the firm set to launch a new office in Casablanca.
Also in the Middle East, Hunton Andrews Kurth Dubai managing partner and LNG project development specialist Patricia Tiller has moved to Bracewell, where she will join the global energy practice.
Finally, consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal has hired David Hicks from KPMG as global co-leader of disputes and investigations and financial crime practice leader. He will be based in Dubai until the end of February, when he will relocate to London.
