Dechert LLP is expanding its global private equity practice group with the forthcoming addition of Sam Whittaker as a partner in its London office. Whittaker comes to the firm from Kirkland & Ellis in London.

Mr. Whittaker is an experienced corporate lawyer, advising on a full range of complex private equity transactions. His practice focuses on M&A, divestments, co-investments, joint ventures, management equity arrangements and a variety of portfolio transactions.

Mark Thierfelder, chair of Dechert’s corporate and securities group and chair of the firm’s global private equity practice, commented, “Sam will be a superb addition to our rapidly expanding global private equity team. Our high-quality and collaborative partnership is a great home for Sam.”

Gus Black, chair of Dechert’s London Management Committee, added, “Sam’s broad corporate experience will further strengthen our premier client offerings in the UK and throughout Europe.”

Dechert’s private equity practice is in growth mode with the addition of Dominik Stühler in Munich last month and the forthcoming hire of Mark Thompson in London.

Dechert is among the most active law firms in the private equity industry with a global private equity platform which is able to advise clients wherever they do business. The team comprises more than 250 lawyers globally across 17 offices in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and represents a growing roster of more than 300 private equity firms, sovereign wealth funds, family offices and other alternative asset managers.

Dechert has been named a top private equity law firm by Bloomberg, Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, The Deal, Law360, IFLR1000, Private Equity International, PitchBook, Preqin and JUVE. Dechert advised on two of the largest PE-backed acquisitions globally in the past three years, the largest PE exit in 2019, and in 2020, advised on the largest-ever fund secondaries transaction.