Milbank adds Paul Hastings duo to launch European real estate finance practice

Milbank has hired real estate finance partners Miles Flynn and Rehan Hanif from Paul Hastings in London, marking the launch of its European real estate finance practice.

The duo's arrival adds a new arm to Milbank’s transatlantic finance offering and continues a broader infrastructure-focused expansion for the firm in London this year.

Expansion drive

Milbank said Flynn and Hanif’s arrival "formally establishes" a European real estate finance practice and strengthens its global real estate platform. The hires also follow the addition of a four-partner infrastructure team from White & Case earlier this year, including Tim Sheddick, Tom Pound and Katie Hicks.

The firm said the new practice will make the London office a key hub for real estate finance work across Europe. Flynn and Hanif will advise banks, debt funds and private equity sponsors on financing and restructuring deals across the region.

Milbank chair Scott Edelman said the launch was a "natural next step" in the firm’s global growth strategy.

Big loss for Paul Hastings

Flynn is regarded as a top name in the London real estate finance market and has been with Paul Hastings since 2009. Hanif, meanwhile, joined the US firm in 2023 from Kirkland, where he was also a partner.

Their exit is a significant blow for Paul Hastings' real estate practice, which has seen recent high-profile departures. In September, private equity real estate partners Michael James and Edward Meadowcroft left for Hogan Lovells, adding to a run of exits from its London office across several practice areas.

Market momentum

The move comes amid an uptick in activity in the real estate finance market, driven by private capital’s focus on infrastructure, logistics and data centre assets. Lateral hiring in the space has accelerated in recent months.

Among the biggest moves, Mark Manson-Bahr left A&O Shearman for Gibson Dunn in June, while within the last month, Richard Semple joined Winston & Strawn from Goodwin, Owen Jones moved to McDermott from Tristan Capital Partners, and Kumar Tewari moved to Watson Farley & Williams from US firm Katten to head up its real estate finance practice.