Does Private Equity Really Drive the Legal Market?

If I say “private equity” in any conversation about the legal market, it instantly commands the room. People nod, talk about dry powder, fundraising cycles, and high-margin sponsor work as though it’s the gravitational force holding everything together. But does private equity really drive the legal market? I’m not convinced it does, at least not to the […]

M&A Tax Dealmakers: Where Law, Structuring, and Strategy Collide

I’ve always believed the best M&A tax partners are not number-crunchers; they’re architects. They understand how structure creates value, how legislation shapes outcomes, and how to make a transaction commercially work before it legally exists. But building those teams inside law firms has become one of the toughest challenges in the modern legal market.   […]

The Strategic Architecture Behind Paul Weiss’s Private Equity Push

Every so often, a firm makes a move that isn’t just big, it’s smart. Paul Weiss’s expansion through 2024 is one of those moments. On paper, it looked like a hiring spree. In reality, it was a carefully engineered strategy, a masterclass in how to build a private-equity platform with longevity, credibility, and purpose.   […]

Latham’s London Inflection Point, When Scale Starts to Look Strategic

Latham & Watkins has turned scale into strategy in London. The firm’s rapid private-equity and finance growth isn’t just size for show — it’s a signal that the US model is now the City’s benchmark. It’s no secret that Latham & Watkins has been quietly reshaping London. For years, the firm’s growth here was impressive, […]

Goodwin’s Funds Surge in the City. How Focus Becomes Scale

Goodwin’s rise in London this year shows how focus beats scale. The firm’s commitment to private capital, funds, and sponsor relationships is paying off — and the City is starting to notice. If there’s one firm everyone in the City is quietly talking about this year, it’s Goodwin. While others chase size, Goodwin is chasing […]

Kirkland Hire David Higgins: The Moment London’s Private-Equity Market Changed

Kirkland & Ellis’s hire of David Higgins from Freshfields redefined the economics of private-equity law in London. I look back at how one move shifted market power, pricing, and what it means for the next generation of sponsor dealmakers. Every market has a moment that changes the rules. For London’s private-equity legal scene, it came […]