King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has made another push to boost its London corporate offering through the hire of M&A and private equity transactions partner Stewart Worthy from Winston & Strawn.
The firm’s UK arm has been seeking resuscitation since its catastrophic collapse in January 2017, when the business filed notice of intention to appoint administrators at the end of 2016, following a year of partner departures and mounting debt pressures.
Worthy, who specialises in cross-border transactions, with particular focus on in-bound UK investments and English law deals in Central & Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, had been at Winston & Strawn since 2007, making partner in 2015. His clients include companies in sectors, including automotive, packaging, manufacturing, retail, clean technology, mining and oil and gas.
Worthy’s arrival comes as the second hire in KWM’s transactional practice in the past two months, following the hire of real estate partner John Danahy from Squire Patton Boggs. Danahy returned to KWM after two years – from 2014 to 2017, he had been an associate at the firm before leaving for Squires, where he was a partner.
In July last year KWM also took on Alix Prentice, a regulatory partner specialising in funds and private equity from Withers.
The latest hires come as KWM attempts to regain a footing in the City, following the 2016 demise of its European arm. At the end of the 2015/2016, KWM Europe had more than 900 staff and 163 partners. But following the succession of high profile partner departures, by early 2017 the firm was unable to pay salaries and cancelled trainee contracts.
Following its administration, disputes partner Darren Roiser and six of his partners were asked to stay on and build a London arm for KWM China. The band of survivors moved into temporary offices in St Paul’s in January 2017, before taking the 11th floor of the Walkie Talkie on Fenchurch Street as its new City headquarters in August 2018. The Lawyer Hot 100 2017 member Roiser was appointed managing partner at the same time.
Source: www.kwm.com
