Global law firm Hogan Lovells announces a series of strategic hires boosting its global private capital practice. James Cross, previously K&L Gates, joins the firm as a partner in the Private Equity and Funds practice whilst Nick Cusack will become part of the Banking and Loan Finance practice in August joining as a partner from Weil, Gotshal & Manges, where he was counsel in the firm's Banking and Finance group. Last month, the firm welcomed leading Special Situations partner Sam Norris to the team. All will be based in London.
Global Head of the Corporate & Finance practice group, James Doyle said:
“We welcome these strategic hires who each add significant depth and breadth to our expertise in the London market across private equity and private credit. Their arrival helps us to continue to service the increasingly important and sophisticated global private capital market across the full investment lifecycle.”
“Leveraging our unique global platform and our preeminent industry sector and regulatory expertise, we continue to invest in our end-to-end transactional offering and envision further growth through the recruitment and development of talented lawyers who will continue to build on the progress we have made.”
James Cross is a prominent private equity deal lawyer with 20 years of experience across all forms of private equity transactions. This includes buy-outs, secondary transactions, restructurings, complex carve-outs and bolt-on acquisitions, acting for investors and managers.
Nick Cusack specialises in leveraged finance transactions and has extensive experience acting for both private equity sponsors and lenders across the capital structure, with a particular focus on private credit. He has worked on a range of acquisition financing, real estate finance, corporate refinancings and restructuring transactions.
Sam Norris is a trusted and leading practitioner in London, with an established funds following, working on complex and high end financing structures.
Separately, Hogan Lovells has also invested in other areas of the Corporate & Finance practice group in London – most recently with the appointment of corporate insurance partner Edward Steward who joined our Tier 1 ranked Corporate Insurance team in May.
UK Office Managing Partner Penny Angell said: “As a key engine of the firm, our London office remains of considerable strategic importance. We already operate at the very top of the market in London and these hires demonstrate our ambition and commitment to grow and cement our position as a global elite law firm.”
Cusack commented: “I am delighted to be joining the highly talented leveraged finance team at Hogan Lovells. The firm has built a reputation as a leading adviser to private credit managers and I look forward to assisting with the further development of that practice”
Cross added: “The Hogan Lovells ambitious and collaborative culture provide the ideal platform for me to further expand my private equity practice. The breadth, scale and quality of the offering is compelling and I look forward to working with the entire team in taking the practice to the next level.”
Norris said: “In the short time that I have been at the firm, I remain impressed by the brand strength in the restructuring and special situations arena, its sector expertise, and geographic capabilities.”