Baker McKenzie has hired investment funds specialist Nick Benson from Latham & Watkins as a partner in its London private equity team.

Benson brings more than 25 years of experience advising sponsors and investors on forming and operating funds across the private capital spectrum, including GP-led and LP-led secondaries, fund sponsor transactions and customised investment mandates.

Laurent Fessmann and Karl Egbert, co-chairs of the firm’s global funds group, said Benson was “a fantastic addition” in terms of his funds work and the wider London and transactional practice.

They added: “His experience advising sponsors and investors in the private equity fund and secondaries space will enhance our ability to meet our clients’ increasing needs for support with their complex, cross-border matters.”

Benson arrives after 11 years at Latham, where he was also a partner. He previously had a short stint at Weil Gotshal & Manges and more than a decade at Clifford Chance, where he made partner in 2007. He trained and qualified at legacy firm SJ Berwin.

Bakers’ London managing partner, Ed Poulton, said: “Nick’s appointment after other recent hires in London demonstrates our commitment to growing our bench strength in the City to support our clients both in London and across our global network.”

Benson said he was motivated to join the firm in building a “distinctive and compelling offering for clients throughout the fund lifecycle”.

Benson is the third hire to join the firm since London trade partner Sunny Mann was announced as Milton Cheng’s successor as global chair last week. James Wyatt joined the restructuring and insolvency team from K&L Gates, and energy partner Kevin Heverin arrived from A&O Shearman.

A Latham spokesperson commented: "We wish Nick all the best in his future endeavours."

Benson is the latest in a series of partner departures from Latham, particularly in its London office, with several notable exits to Sidley Austin. These departures include a five-partner leveraged finance team led by Jayanthi Sadanandan and Sam Hamilton in August 2024, and debt capital markets partners Scott Colwell and Patrick Kwak two months later in October.

The loss of Sadanandan, Hamilton and their team significantly impacted Latham’s leveraged finance practice in London, a key area of strength for the firm, with 13 mostly finance side partners exiting over the course of last year. This was more than double its average rate over the previous four years, according to data from legal recruiter Edwards Gibson.

The exits did not affect the global firm’s results for 2024, which saw a 23% increase in revenue and a 29% rise in profit per equity partner (PEP) to $7.1m.

In response, Latham has been rebuilding its finance bench, including adding a trio of lender-side leveraged finance partners from Cahill Gordon & Reindel last year and another leveraged finance partner, Hugh O’Sullivan, from Goodwin Procter in January.

The firm also previously hired investment funds partners Mateja Maher and Adrian Grocock, formerly from Sidley Austin, in 2023 and promoted Clare Scott to partner last year in the same group.