Mayer Brown enhances finance practice with new partner

In a significant move to bolster its Finance practice, Mayer Brown has appointed Sarah Goodwin as a partner based in London. This appointment is part of the firm’s ongoing expansion of its Leveraged Finance and Private Capital offering. Prior to joining Mayer Brown, Sarah honed her expertise at Kirkland & Ellis, where she established a leading practice that served private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, and private credit providers, participating in intricate, cross-border financing transactions.

With over ten years of experience, Sarah has navigated a wide range of high-value leveraged and acquisition financings. Her proficiency encompasses various capital structures, including syndicated and private credit facilities, unitranche, second lien, TLB, recurring revenue structures, preferred equity, bank/bond financings, and restructurings. Sarah has forged strong relationships with numerous major private equity firms and alternative asset managers, alongside maintaining deep connections on the lender side.

“Sarah is a transformational addition to our team, significantly enhancing both our private equity and private credit credentials, which aligns perfectly with our ambitions in London and across the transatlantic private capital markets,” said Philip Butler, head of the firm’s London Leveraged Finance practice. He further noted, “Her experience navigating complex capital structures, combined with her strong commercial instincts and long standing client relationships, will broaden and deepen our Private Capital offering.”

Sarah's arrival is a crucial step in Mayer Brown’s strategic growth of its transatlantic Leveraged Finance and Private Capital platform. It aims to augment upper mid-market and large-cap capabilities to facilitate expansion across EMEA, the US, and APAC. As she integrates her cross-border network, she will collaborate with partners across the firm to drive coordinated growth across private equity, private credit, and leveraged finance.

"I am thrilled to be joining Mayer Brown at such an exciting moment for the firm’s global Finance practice," Sarah expressed. She highlighted the firm's integrated transatlantic platform as a key attraction, stating, "The firm’s integrated transatlantic platform, strong private equity and private credit franchise, and collaborative culture make it an ideal platform for expanding my practice." Sarah looks forward to collaborating with colleagues across various regions to assist clients with their most complex financing and M&A transactions.

In addition to her impressive legal experience, Sarah brings an international perspective fortified by her background in London, Frankfurt, and Hong Kong, as well as academic studies in Cambridge, Berlin, and Warsaw. Her first year is set to include vital meetings with key sponsors and lender contacts, alongside travel plans to New York, Chicago, Paris, and Germany to activate joint client opportunities.

"We are delighted to welcome Sarah to Mayer Brown," said Dominic Griffiths, London Office Managing Partner. He emphasized, “Her arrival is another important step in our growth strategy and significantly enhances our ability to deliver sophisticated financing solutions for clients across global private equity and private credit markets.”

This strategic appointment continues to strengthen Mayer Brown's EMEA Private Capital offering, building on last year’s significant additions, including partners in Corporate & Securities, Private Equity, and Leveraged Finance.