Paul Hastings rebuilds London tax bench with partner hires

Paul Hastings has hired two partners to boost its London tax practice, following the recent defection of a pair of senior tax partners for White & Case. 

Jenny Doak has joined the 50-partner office from Weil alongside Catherine Richardson, who most recently practised at Cadwalader, in a move Paul Hastings said would enhance its ability to meet rising client demand for advice on complex M&A, private equity, finance, capital markets, structured credit and funds transactions. 

The duo’s arrival comes just a few weeks after Arun Birla, who was Paul Hastings’ global second managing partner and vice chair of international tax, left for White & Case with fellow tax partner Jiten Tank. 

Doak brings more than two decades of experience advising on public and private M&A, joint ventures, financings, debt and equity capital markets, restructurings and special situations, with a particular focus on the energy and infrastructure and TMT sectors. She also represents clients in tax litigation and provides consultancy advice on standalone tax matters. Before joining Weil in 2019 Doak practised at Vinson & Elkins, where she was head of UK tax.

Meanwhile, Richardson advises clients on virtually all aspects of direct and indirect UK and international tax, particularly structured credit transactions. She made partner at Cadwalader in 2022 and last year advised BNP Paribas, as arranger, of the first European middle-market private credit CLO. She left the firm earlier this year. 

Paul Hastings’ chair, Frank Lopez, said the hires reflected the firm’s “priority of building a premier tax practice in London – and globally – providing intellectual capital and execution support to meet record demand”.

The firm said London revenue is projected to rise 20-25% this year, having shot up by 70% over the past two years. 

Paul Hastings’ London office has seen exits recently, however, including all of its real estate partners, who left for Milbank, Hogan Lovells and most recently Cleary. The office’s former co-chair, Mei Lian, also exited for Linklaters in August, a month after leveraged finance partner Edward Holmes joined Cadwalader.