A&O Shearman expands private equity team

A&O Shearman has announced the expansion of its Private Equity and M&A practice in London with the hiring of Dan Graham and Paul Dunbar. The duo joins a team of over 200 partners who work with private capital investors across the U.S., U.K., EMEA, and APAC regions.

Dan Graham and Paul Dunbar bring extensive experience in advising sophisticated financial sponsors on complex international and cross-border transactions. Dan’s practice focuses on private equity firms and financial institutions, handling transactions such as leveraged buyouts, growth capital investments, joint ventures, and distressed acquisitions. Paul Dunbar specializes in advising private equity clients on public and private M&A, asset portfolio transactions, and preferred equity investments across various sectors, including financial services, real estate, energy, and healthcare.

Stephen Lloyd, global co-head of private equity and private capital sector lead at A&O Shearman, emphasized the importance of these hires: “Following our transformational merger, A&O Shearman has set out its plan to invest in growing one of the pre-eminent private capital practices worldwide. Having Dan and Paul join us will significantly grow our London private equity and infrastructure bench.”

Robin Harvey, global co-head of private equity, added, “We are delighted to welcome Dan and Paul. They are exceptional partners with proven track records and strong relationships with great clients. A&O Shearman’s wealth of experience across the products, sectors, and geographies that are relevant to private capital makes it a superb platform for the trusted advisors of private capital clients.”

Dan and Paul join from Sidley Austin, further enhancing A&O Shearman’s capabilities. Their arrival follows recent Debt Finance hires, including Karen McMaster, Parisa Clovis, and Filippo Crosara, reflecting the firm’s commitment to expanding its global private capital offering.