Kirkland & Ellis has hired a senior tax partner from Macfarlanes as it replenishes its London bench following a raid by Paul Weiss. 

Ceinwen Rees is set to join Kirkland, the largest law firm in the world by revenue, to lead its London tax practice after almost six years at Macfarlanes. 

Her hire comes just a few weeks after Kirkland secured tax partner James Morgan from Linklaters. Those hires in turn follow news in September that London tax duo Timothy Lowe and Cian O’Connor were leaving Kirkland as part of a 12-partner private equity raid on the firm by Paul Weiss across both sides of the Atlantic. 

Jon Ballis, chairman of Kirkland’s executive committee, highlighted Rees’s “excellent reputation within the European investment funds community”, adding: “We’re excited to welcome her to our market-leading tax practice in London.”

Rees advises clients on corporate tax and structuring issues with a specific focus on counselling investment fund managers on fund, house, carry and co-investment structuring. She also advises on the tax implications of transactions including acquisitions, buyouts, asset sales and restructurings.

At Macfarlanes she worked with clients including EQT Credit, Aberdeen Standard Investments and Hyve. Before joining the firm in 2018 she worked as an international tax counsel in the London office of Debevoise & Plimpton. 

At Kirkland Rees will work in a tax practice that houses nearly 200 lawyers globally, around 40 of whom are based in London. The London tax practice is led by partner Jonathan Kandel and is ranked Band 1 by Chambers, which notes its strength in investment fund restructuring, restructuring and insolvency and private equity transactions. 

The partner count of Kirkland’s London tax team was also boosted last month when Anthony Antioch and Loviisa Langdon were promoted to partner as part of a 205-strong global round that included a total of 26 promotions in London. 

A Macfarlanes spokesperson commented: “We would like to thank Ceinwen for her contribution to our tax practice and we wish her all the best in her new role.”