Goodwin Procter to launch PE practice in London

Posté le 18 avr. 2015

Four years after its entry into London market, Goodwin Procter announces growth plans, including launching a private equity practice with the hire of ex-King & Wood Mallesons’ (KWM) co-head of corporate Richard Lever.

Since the US firm Goodwin Procter opened its London office in 2011, it has been expanding its flagship real estate capital markets and fund-formation practice in the city. One of its recent prominent mandates is advising Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management in the £327 million (€438 million) sale of Tower Place to Chinese insurance giant Ping An in January.

On April 16th the firm announced growth plans by launching a private equity practice in order to leverage and replicate the success of the firm’s U.S. team in private equity legal services area. Composed of more than 100 lawyers, Goodwin’s Private Equity Group advises on buyouts, recapitalizations, growth equity investments, and portfolio company transactions in the US and worldwide, with a focus on the middle market and growth equity sectors.

Richard Lever, who has extensive experience on middle-market private equity and portfolio company work, co-led the corporate group of KWM since December 2013. Goodwin’s London Office Chair David Evans said: “We believe that now is the right time for the expansion and that Richard is the right partner to lead it. As Goodwin Procter continues to deepen its London presence, we look forward, with Richard’s support, to growing our European private equity offering.”

J. Y.

Photo: ©Christine-Matthews