Willkie Snags Two Kirkland Private Equity Partners in London

Willkie Farr & Gallagher has added two lawyers from Kirkland & Ellis to its London office to bolster its growing private equity practice.

Gavin Gordon and David Arnold have worked on “some of the most notable private equity deals in the UK and Europe,” a Willkie announcement said.

It’s unusual for Kirkland & Ellis, the top law firm in the AmLaw rankings by gross revenue, to lose partners to lateral moves. It’s particularly rare in a key group like private equity, where the firm has consistently been a leader.

Gordon represents predominately sponsor clients on leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, ...