White & Case has boosted its M&A practice in New York with the hire of a team of four partners from US rival Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft. 

The group is led by Richard Brand, a former co-chair of Cadwalader’s corporate group who is recognised as a leading adviser on shareholder activism matters and M&A. It also includes Kiran Kadekar, Erica Hogan and Jaye Kasper. 

The group brings a broad M&A and shareholder engagement practice with extensive experience advising on takeover preparedness and defence, corporate strategic matters and securities offerings, as well as on complex domestic and cross-border public and private M&A transactions.

“Shareholder activism remains at record levels, and companies, boards and their stakeholders are navigating fast-changing dynamics that are integral to their success,” said Kimberly Petillo-Décossard, co-head of White & Case’s global M&A practice. “With Richard and his team on board, we’re well positioned to take advantage of this market growth as we enhance White & Case as the destination firm to advise on the most high-stakes situations in the market.”

Brand joined Cadwalader in 2015, as the firm bet on activist investors going mainstream. Before that he had been a partner at Kirkland & Ellis and earlier an associate at Cravath Swaine & Moore. 

He has advised William Ackman’s Pershing Square Capital Management on numerous matters, including in connection with Canadian Pacific Railway’s $30bn proposed merger with Norfolk Southern Corp. He also advised Politan Capital Management on its long-running proxy fight with Masimo and Veris Residential on an approximately $4.3bn unsolicited takeover bid by Kushner Companies, among other matters.

White & Case’s shareholder activism practice currently has 31 lawyers, according to its website, most of whom are based in London and Europe. It has been recognised as the leading law firm for activist shareholder representation in Europe and Asia-Pacific in Bloomberg’s Global Activism League Tables for the past five years running, with the incoming team set to significantly bolster the firm’s offering in the US. 

The group’s arrival comes off the back of a strong year for White & Case in 2024, when the firm grew revenue 12.5% to a record $3.3bn, at the same time increasing profit per equity partner (PEP) 27% to $4m.

Commenting on the results, vice-chair Oliver Brettle told GLP that investment in its US arm was a priority for the firm in 2025.

White & Case has, however, also been boosting its corporate bench in London with senior hires as it hones in on UK public M&A and public company work, most recently adding a former global co-head of legacy Allen & Overy’s corporate practice, Richard Browne, from A&O Shearman last November. 

A Cadwalader spokesperson commented: “We wish our departing colleagues well and thank them for their contributions. Cadwalader achieved a record year in 2024 across multiple key business benchmarks – including revenue and net income – and we’ve been off to a very strong start this year. 

“Our current corporate team – including our public company lawyers – will remain an integral part of the firm’s success in 2025 and beyond, as the group is a key component of Cadwalader’s growth strategy.”

Cadwalader grew revenue 15% to a record $638m last year, as the Wall Street stalwart expanded its advice to private capital providers. Meantime PEP rose by a third to $3.7m.