Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison has hired private equity and M&A lawyer Paul Foote from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in London to strengthen its transactions capabilities.
Foote joins as a partner and head of European infrastructure M&A within the firm’s corporate department. His practice focuses on advising private equity and infrastructure clients on domestic and cross-border deals, including acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, restructurings, leveraged buyouts and take-privates.
Brad Karp, Paul Weiss chairman, said: “Paul is a talented private equity and infrastructure M&A lawyer, and we are delighted to welcome him to the firm. His significant experience representing leading private equity sponsors and their funds will be invaluable to our clients as they increasingly invest in infrastructure in the UK and Europe.”
Foote steps into his new role at Paul Weiss after five years at Simpson Thacher, having made partner at the start of 2024. During that time he was also seconded to Blackstone, where he was European legal counsel for private equity and infrastructure.
Prior to that he spent almost eight years at Clifford Chance, having previously worked in politics – first as a researcher in the House of Lords and then as a special advisor and chief of staff to MP Theresa Villiers.
Roger Johnson, global co-chair of Paul Weiss’s M&A practice and co-head of the London office, said: “Paul has a vast understanding of the infrastructure sector and the trends driving surging investor interest in it. Our European infrastructure practice has been growing rapidly to meet client demand in this important space, and we’re excited for him to join our London team.”
Recent transactions Foote has advised on include Stonepeak’s acquisition of Castrol from BP and its acquisitions of Forgital Group and JET. He also advised EQT on its joint venture with Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC to acquire Calisen, and Blackstone Infrastructure Partners on its acquisition of Atlantia.
Paul Weiss has repeatedly added senior talent in the City since its headline-grabbing London reboot in 2023. The firm has built a top-tier practice around private equity, most recently hiring PE partner Francesca Storey-Harris from Kirkland & Ellis, and now has 52 partners in London according to its website.
Earlier this week, Dechert expanded its London private equity coverage with the hire of partner Jarlath Pratt, who returned to private practice after more than a decade at GIC. While in December, Sullivan & Cromwell hired private equity partner Aprajita Dhundia from Kirkland & Ellis.
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