Legal manoeuvres: PE lawyers’ latest moves

PE Manager provides a round-up of the latest people moves and office openings within the private equity-focused legal community. See the links to your right for past coverage of private equity lawyer moves.

· International law firm Dechert has planted its second flag in Germany with the opening of a Frankfurt office. The firm opened a Munich office in 2004. 

Under the leadership of fund formation lawyer Achim Pütz, the office will include Benedikt Weiser, who was previously head of Mayer Brown’s German Private Investment Funds group.

“Further recruitment in the financial services and corporate area is expected shortly,” said Dechert chief executive Daniel O’Donnell in a statement. 

· Jim Learner, who manages US law firm Kirkland & Ellis’s European operations from London, has left the firm to join a US private equity outfit. 

It is unclear what firm Learner will join, but some of his clients include Apax Partners, Apollo Management and Bain Capital, according to Kirkland’s website. A source close to the matter said the move is expected to happen this August. 

· New York-based law firm Proskauer continues to beef up its London office with the addition of private equity tax lawyer Dominic Adams from SJ Berwin. Proskauer’s London funds practice was launched near the end of 2008. 

Adams joins his former SJ Berwin colleagues Nigel van Zyl, a recent arrival, and Oliver Rochman, who joined Proskauer last year. The recent string of private equity-focused hires also included Kirkland & Ellis fund formation lawyer Kate Simpson. 

· Meanwhile Proskauer has lost one of its own as its private equity chief Daniel Eisner joins rival firm DLA Piper. Based in DLA’s New York and Miami offices, Eisner advises clients on international mergers & acquisitions, leveraged buyouts and restructurings. 

· Offshore law firm Mourant Ozannes has named private equity lawyer Daniel Birtwistle as the managing partner of its Jersey office. Birtwistle replaces Jonathan Rigby, who now acts as the firm’s global managing partner. 

· New York-based law firm Schulte Roth & Zabel has added Brad Caswell to its investment management practice. Caswell, who advises funds on legal and compliance matters, previously acted as general counsel and chief compliance officer at City on a Hill Capital.

Know of any private equity lawyer career moves we might have missed? If so, email PEM editor Nicholas Donato at nicholas.d@peimedia.com