Restructuring partner Helena Potts quits Shearman & Sterling to join Paul Hastings
Restructuring partner Helena Potts quits Shearman & Sterling to join Paul Hastings
Helena Potts, a restructuring partner at Shearman & Sterling in the US, left the company to work for Paul Hastings in London, a competing firm.
Potts' departure coincides with Shearman's merger negotiations with Hogan Lovells, a transatlantic legal company, which might result in the creation of one of the largest law firms in the world with more than $3 billion in annual sales. Shearman has its headquarters in New York.
A wave of recent departures has impacted Shearman, including a three-partner team that joined Gibson Dunn in the Middle East, two partners who joined King & Spalding in Paris and Abu Dhabi, respectively and London's leveraged finance partner Marwa Elborai joining Allen & Overy in November.
According to those acquainted with the situation, Potts will join the Paul Hastings legal firm in the US.
A representative for Shearman said, "We congratulate Helena for the contribution she has made to the business and wish her the best for the future."
In recent months, Paul Hastings has been on a recruiting rampage in London. Financial News reported on January 13 that the company has hired Jessamy Gallagher and Stuart Rowson, the co-heads of Linklaters' worldwide infrastructure practice. Gallagher served as Linklaters' head of clients and sectors, a member of the firm's global executive committee, and a corporate partner.
Since assuming the position of global chair at Paul Hastings in 2022, Frank Lopez has led a strong growth surge in lateral recruiting on both sides of the Atlantic.
In recent months, the company engaged a high-yield finance team from Weil Gotshal & Manges managed by Patrick Bright in London, as well as a leveraged finance team from Latham & Watkins led by Mo Nurmohamed and Ross Anderson.
Following Paul Hastings' addition of a team of more than 40 restructuring attorneys from Stroock & Stroock & Lavan in its US offices in 2022, Potts was hired.
Potts left Latham & Watkins, where she was previously a partner, and began working for Shearman in May 2021.
