Cleary Gottlieb bolsters its Private Equity and Insolvency practices as Partner Trio join in London

Cleary Gottlieb bolsters its Private Equity and Insolvency practices as Partner Trio join in London

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has strengthened its UK offerings by targeting private equity and insolvency partners

The American multinational law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has bolstered its London operations with the announcement of the hiring of one senior private equity and two insolvency partners.

While Ian Shawyer has joined the firm from Travers Smith, Solomon Noh and Alastair Goldrein have moved over from Dechert.

Shawyer joins the firm following another notable hire of senior M&A partner Nick Rumsby from Linklaters in London last November.

The Wall City law firm has of late been working on expanding its UK offerings as it employed a UK litigation specialist and a capital markets lawyer as partners in November last year.

Shawyer was associated with Travers Smith as head of the private equity and financial sponsors group with clients including Bridgepoint Development Capital, Epiris, Benson Elliot Capital Management, and the Carlyle Group.

Shawyer is ranked in Band 1 for mid-market private equity. His practice spans leveraged buyouts, consortium deals, bolt-on acquisitions, carve-outs, co-investments, minority deals, recapitalisations, divestments, distressed M&A, public-to-privates and joint ventures.

Michael Gerstenzang, Cleary's managing partner said: "Ian's depth of experience and standing in the market will significantly bolster our London and broader EMEA private equity practices."

The firm further said that the hiring of the duo Noh and Goldrein marked a significant expansion of its capabilities in London.

With Noh and Goldrein, Cleary's total headcount of partners working on bankruptcy and restructuring matters will reach an impressive half a dozen.

Welcoming Solomon and Alastair to the firm, Gerstenzang said: "Their experience in cross-border restructuring will help guide our clients as they navigate a challenging and rapidly-evolving market environment."

Noh primarily focuses on the representation of private capital funds and bondholder groups in distressed debt situations around the world besides representing banks and investment managers in commercial transactions including financings and mergers and acquisitions.

Noh has brought with him two decades of experience to Cleary. He had a three years stint with Dechert's London office before making the switch. Earlier, he spent 17 years at Shearman & Sterling in New York.

Goldrein had also joined Dechert from Shearman & Sterling in early 2020, where he was counsel. He advises creditors, sponsors, insolvent companies and insolvency practitioners on all aspects of international restructurings, insolvency, and corporate rescues.

Cleary has said that the duo's restructuring expertise would also support other related areas of its London offerings including private credit, special situations, and emerging markets.

"We expect Solomon and Alastair's experience to complement this practice in the EMEA region. Both are incredible lawyers with a lot of experience in the creditor side of restructuring in Europe, and they will help develop a broader offering for our clients with global reach," Richard Cooper, senior partner in Cleary's global restructuring team, said.

The hire of the trio in London brings Cleary's partner count in the city to 29 amid a wider team of around 100 lawyers.