Weil Gotshal & Manges is in final stage talks to bring in a restructuring partner from Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft for its City office.
Partners have voted to bring Tony Horspool into the partnership.
Horspool left Cadwalader yesterday (23 April) but Legal Week understands that some details of the move are still being finalised. It is thought the firm is also in advanced talks with one other City restructuring partner.
News of the appointment comes in the same week that it emerged Weil Gotshal was bolstering its London finance group with the appointment of O’Melveny & Myers City partner Stuart Hills.
The double partner hire is a significant move for the firm, which has not made a lateral partner hire since 2006, when it recruited a high-profile private equity team from Lovells led by Marco Compagnoni.
The New York-based law firm has been looking to restock its UK restructuring practice since it lost City restructuring head Chris Mallon to rival US firm Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom late last year. Restructuring is a core practice for Weil Gotshal, which is generally viewed as the top bankruptcy firm in the US.
Mallon had worked on deals including Enron, Global Crossing, Parmalat and Eurotunnel and his departure left the office with just one dedicated restructuring partner and around five associates.
At the time of Mallon’s departure, office head Mike Francies told Legal Week: “As a firm we have a total commitment to building a much stronger restructuring practice in
Weil Gotshal was unavailable for comment.
