Kirkland & Ellis Strengthens London Office: Hires Paul Weiss London Head Alvaro Membrillera

Kirkland & Ellis Strengthens London Office: Hires Paul Weiss London Head Alvaro Membrillera

Prominent global law firm Kirkland & Ellis has hired U.S. rival Paul Weiss’s London head Alvaro Membrillera, expanding its London office through the strategic addition of partner.

Membrillera has joined Kirkland as a corporate partner after a little more than six years at Paul Weiss, where he led the London office. Known for his corporate law prowess, Membrillera joined Paul Weiss in 2017, having transitioned from another prominent law firm, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. His appointment marked a milestone for Paul Weiss as he became the first UK Partner hire after establishing the firm’s London office in 2001.

At Kirkland & Ellis, Membrillera’s expertise is set to further elevate the firm’s capabilities in cross-border transactions, particularly private equity. His reputation as one of Europe’s top private equity lawyers highlights his experience navigating intricate international transactions for discerning financial sponsors.

Jon A. Ballis, Chairman of Kirkland’s executive committee, praised Membrillera’s proficiency, stating, “Alvaro is one of Europe’s top private equity lawyers with substantial experience leading complex cross-border transactions for sophisticated financial sponsors.”

“We’re very pleased that the Kirkland platform continues to attract leading talent like Alvaro, particularly in Europe, which is one of our fastest growing markets,” he added.

Membrillera’s move leaves Paul Weiss with just three partners in London leveraged finance lawyer David Carmona and corporate/M&A duo David Lakhdhir and Adam Wollstein.

The departure of Membrillera from Paul Weiss follows a series of shifts within the legal landscape. Ramy Wahbeh, the deputy head of Paul Weiss’ London office, departed from the firm in May. Alongside corporate lawyer Kaisa Kuusk and Wahbeh joined rival law firm Sidley Austin, marking a notable transition in the legal field.

Membrillera, who was listed as one of Financial News’ 50 Most Influential in legal services for 2023, is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese, and worked in Brazil and New York before moving to London.

Kirkland’s private equity team in the UK comprises around 40 partners, among them a number of leading practitioners like David Higgins and Adrian Maguire.

The law firm is recognized for its outstanding sponsor-side practice and its expertise covers LBOs, going-private deals, restructurings and recapitalizations among other matters for leading investor clients including The Carlyle Group, Partners Group and BC Partners.