Latham strengthens ties with Carlyle

Latham & Watkins hired the Carlyle Group’s Tom Alabaster as a partner in its London office, a move that will entrench the law firm’s ties with the private equity firm.

Latham is one of the go-to law firms for Carlyle in the US and has been recruiting partners in Europe to cement its relationship with the Washington DC-based firm there too – most notably with the appointment of ex-Clifford Chance global private equity head David Walker.

At Carlyle, Alabaster was senior counsel in the firm’s New York office working on fund formation, acquisitions, financings, restructurings, dispositions and deal structuring across different jurisdictions.

Alabaster also has significant expertise in regulatory and compliance affairs, including working with EU and national regulators. He is a member of the “Regulatory, Legal and Technical Committees” of the European Venture Capital Association and the British Venture Capital Association, as well as of the tax and legal committees of the EU section of the American Chamber of Commerce.

“Tom’s unique experience with one of the world’s leading private equity firms will play an important part in the development of our fund formation team in London,” said in a statement Nick Cline, Latham & Watkins’ London office managing partner.

Alabaster is the fifth private equity hire announced by Latham’s London office since May last year, following the appointments of Walker, Tom Evans and Kem Ihenacho from Clifford Chance and Nick Benson from Weil Gotshal & Manges. The office now has 250 fee earners including over 60 partners.

Carlyle declined to comment on the move.