Ashurst has snagged a three-partner private equity team in London from Goodwin Procter.
Ian Keefe, Michael Miranda and George Weavil have joined Ashurst’s corporate practice as partners, adding firepower to the firm’s global private capital team ahead of its planned merger with Perkins Coie.
Keefe and Weavil’s move comes just 18 months after they joined Goodwin from Travers Smith, where they both made partner in 2018.
They have worked with the likes of Bridgepoint, TA Associates and The Carlyle Group as well as smaller mid-market PE firms such as Phoenix Equity Partners and CGE Partners, and advise on transactions including leveraged buyouts, consortium deals, carve-outs, recapitalisations and distressed M&A, as well as public-to-privates, joint ventures and restructurings.
Miranda has spent the past decade at Goodwin Procter, and has particular experience in mid-market buyouts and growth capital investments. He acts for corporates, portfolio companies, founders and management teams, and has significant experience in technology.
Paul Jenkins, Ashurst’s global CEO, commented: “The European private equity market is entering a new phase of growth, as firms look to deploy capital in increasingly sophisticated transactions.
“This highly regarded trio strengthens our private capital capability and enhances our ability to deliver integrated, cross-border advice at a time when it matters most for our clients.”
The hires come as Ashurst prepares to merge with US firm Perkins Coie, in a combination that – if approved by the partnerships of both firms – will create a top 20 global law firm by gross revenue.
Nick Williamson, Ashurst’s head of UK corporate, said the incoming partners “bring a proven track record in the private equity space and a depth of industry knowledge which complements our existing strengths, allowing us to enhance our ability to serve traditional and non-traditional PE clients in relation to investments throughout the UK and Europe”.
The trio continue a string of recent hires to boost Ashurst’s UK private capital platform. Heidi Blomqvist, who advises corporate and private equity clients in the energy and infrastructure space, joined the firm earlier this month from White & Case, making partner on the move. Corporate transactions lawyers Christy O’Connell and Amy Barker also joined last year from Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Linklaters; both were promoted to partner on the move.
The hires come amid intense competition for private equity talent in London. Earlier this week, Paul Weiss hired investment funds partner Nathalie Sadler from Dechert, as the firm builds out its London asset management advisory practice.
Goodwin has itself been actively hiring in the space, recruiting a three-partner private equity team from Paul Hastings last December, led by Anu Balasubramanian, who joined as chair of European private equity. In January, partner Emmie Jones joined the firm’s technology M&A team in London from White & Case.
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