“Phil is an exceptional restructuring lawyer who has acted on numerous high-profile domestic and cross-border mandates for an enviable portfolio of marquee clients,” said Gerard Catalanello, Alston & Bird partner and global chair of its Financial Restructuring & Reorganization Group. “Not only does Phil fortify our established platform in global restructuring services – particularly as U.S. matters increasingly involve operations, assets, and liabilities in Europe, Latin America, and Asia – but he also anchors our London restructuring capabilities while providing a substantial complement to our finance, litigation, and transactional practice at a time of heightened market volatility due to COVID-19.”
Taylor brings more than two decades of experience in international and UK restructuring, insolvency, corporate rescue, and turnaround matters. He advises corporates, creditors, and investors in all parts of the capital structure, as well as directors, corporate trustees, agents, and restructuring office holders. Most recently, he represented an international payments services company in the successful $1.2 billion solvent recapitalization of British airline Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd., which involved the first UK Restructuring Plan to be sanctioned by the English High Court under the new Part 26A of the UK Companies Act 2006.
Also joining in London is partner Saloni Joshi, who has more than 20 years of experience as a private funds lawyer advising U.S. and European institutional asset managers and investors on private investment funds and private-equity-backed transactions. Her clients include corporate and private investment funds and other investors seeking assistance with fund formation and primary, secondary, and co-investment transactions.
“Saloni’s arrival aligns with our strategic goal of expanding our standout investment funds practice into the UK and Europe alongside our other corporate offerings,” said Chris Frieden, Alston & Bird partner and co-chair of the firm’s Financial Services & Products Group. “Investment funds is a busy and growing area for us. Adding an attorney of Saloni’s significant talent and reputation positions us well to capitalize on demand for our services from an expanding client base in both the U.S. and UK as well as worldwide.”
Joshi advises many leading U.S. and European institutional asset managers and investors in private equity funds, including local government bodies, pension plans, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals. She trained and qualified at a Magic Circle law firm, practiced in London and Singapore, and has also practiced at two leading international U.S. law firms. She also founded and operated her own private equity law firm for more than 10 years, advising clients on a full spectrum of international private equity transactions.
“Phil and Saloni represent important next steps in the continued buildout of our London capabilities,” said Rich Willis, partner in charge of Alston & Bird’s London office. “Their arrival puts us in a great position to continue our momentum of hiring prominent attorneys who add materially in areas that are strategically valuable to our clients and where we can translate our market-leading U.S. brand into seamless collaborative client service on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Taylor and Joshi are the most recent additions to Alston & Bird’s London office. Earlier this year, the firm added partner James Fisher, who advises corporate trust and agency clients and others across a broad range of debt capital markets transactions. In August, it added partner Paul Morris, who represents clients in high-value banking and finance disputes.
Alston & Bird opened in London in 2019. With Taylor’s and Joshi’s joining, the firm now has eight London partners spanning practices in finance, payments, litigation, restructuring, and asset management.
