Paul Hastings

Paul Hastings is a top-tier US law firm with a large - and ever-growing - presence in London.

Founded in Los Angeles in 1951 as Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker, the firm rebranded to Paul Hastings in 2011 and has since expanded aggressively across key global financial hubs.

The firm established its London presence in 1997, and has steadily strengthened its position in the financial centre ever since.

Today, Paul Hastings is considered a formidable American competitor in London - certainly one of the more ambitious US firms in the market - with a reputation that's rapidly growing in the UK thanks to a strategic lateral hiring and strong finance focus.

The firm operates with more than 1,000 lawyers globally, including around 140 fee-earners in London with around 50 partners. While not matching the London scale of US rivals like Kirkland & Ellis or Latham & Watkins, it has built a focused City operation that punches above its weight in key areas.

Since the 2010s, the firm’s strategy has been laser-focused: grab the best lateral talent from competitors and aim to dominate the most lucrative practice areas. And it's working - Paul Hastings has been steadily climbing the rankings for European leveraged finance and high-yield work.

The London office upgraded to new premises in the 100 Bishopsgate skyscraper in 2019, in a strong signal of the firm’s commitment to the City. At the same time, Paul Hastings has been expanding its training contract programme which is always a good sign.

In the UK market, Paul Hastings is best known for its leveraged finance and private equity work, where it regularly advises the biggest names in the financial world, from global investment banks to private equity giants. The firm is a go-to adviser for complex, cross-border financing transactions, regularly acting on billion-dollar deals that shape the market.

Beyond finance, Paul Hastings has a strong presence in M&A, infrastructure and financial crime.