Paul Hastings strengthens London investment funds

Paul Hastings LLP has expanded its investment funds practice with the addition of David Richardson as a partner in its London office. Richardson brings extensive experience in advising investment managers on the establishment of various funds including private credit, private equity, secondaries, real estate, and infrastructure. His expertise spans fund formation, capital raising, and structuring solutions for insurance capital, as well as addressing restructurings and investor-facing matters. He also advises on internal management structures, carried interest arrangements, and co-investment programmes, joining the firm from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, having previously practiced at Kirkland & Ellis and Goodwin Procter.

Diala Minott, global co-chair of Paul Hastings’ Investment Funds and Private Capital practice noted, “We lead the market in the breadth, sophistication and execution of work, and David’s extensive experience across a range of transactions will be an asset to clients.” She emphasised, “David’s arrival emphasizes our continued investment in top-tier talent to build a holistic platform across the full spectrum of the fund lifecycle.” This strategic hire is part of a broader trend, following the recent recruitment of Serge Todorovich in New York and Catherine Gokah in London. Richardson joins a growing team in the London office, which has seen substantial growth, with revenue increasing approximately 70% over the past two years and projected to rise over 20% year on year.

“I am delighted to join Paul Hastings at a time of exciting growth for the firm’s global fund platform and across its multidisciplinary London practice,” Richardson said. He added, “The team’s market-leading capabilities and collaborative approach offer an outstanding platform for advising clients on increasingly complex fund structures, and I look forward to contributing to the practice’s continued momentum and success.” Paul Hastings’ Investment Funds and Private Capital team works with some of the largest global asset managers, credit funds, registered funds complexes, and real estate firms, having recently advised Intermediate Capital Group on the launch of a $17 billion senior debt fund, the largest in the market, as well as Pantheon in relation to its $10.1 billion private debt platform, the largest in Europe