Latham returns to Gibson Dunn for London PE real estate hire

Latham & Watkins has hired private equity real estate partner Patrick Hennessy from Gibson Dunn in London, adding to a run of investment in its real estate practice.

Hennessy joins after eight years at Gibson Dunn, where he became a partner in 2022. He advises private equity firms, real estate funds and companies on deals spanning corporate real estate, buyouts, joint ventures and co-investments.

His recent work includes advising Apollo on its acquisition this year of Gatehouse Living Group, one of the UK's largest managers of single-family build-to-rent homes. The business has since rebranded to Alvesta.

Hennessy also has significant experience advising on data centre deals, an increasingly active area for private capital investors as spending on digital infrastructure booms.

Real estate build-out

The move marks Latham's second private equity real estate hire from Gibson Dunn in London in less than a year.

Hennessy will reunite with Jeremy Kenley, who joined the firm from Gibson Dunn last November. The pair previously moved together from Mayer Brown to Gibson Dunn in 2018.

Latham has also been building out the finance side of its real estate practice, hiring partners David Oppenheimer and David Varne from A&O Shearman at the start of this year.

The hires come as firms strengthen their real estate and finance practices to capture work from private capital investors targeting sectors including digital infrastructure and logistics.

“We have incredible momentum across our real estate practice globally,” said Doug Heitner, global chair of Latham’s real estate practice.

“Adding Patrick to our team, with his stature in the market and strong relationships, is another key step in our strategy to build the premier real estate practice in the world - bar none.”