Paul Hastings targets restructuring growth with senior London hires

Paul Hastings has hired two senior restructuring partners from Hogan Lovells Cadwalader and Sidley Austin.

Bevis Metcalfe joins from Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, where he was recently co-chair of the financial restructuring group, while Kieran Sharma joins from Sidley Austin, where he led the firm's London financial restructuring team.

Their arrivals bolster the firm's senior London restructuring ranks following two senior departures. Paul Hastings' restructuring practice co-chair Mei Lian left for Linklaters last year, while European restructuring chair William Needham joined Sullivan & Cromwell earlier this year.

Restructuring push

Metcalfe has a creditor-focused practice spanning corporate credit, restructurings, cross-border insolvencies, distressed M&A and capital solutions transactions. He advises investors including banks, CLOs, asset managers and private credit funds.

Sharma advises credit funds, private capital providers and other financial investors on restructuring and special situations transactions. His practice covers liability management, restructuring plans, insolvencies and distressed M&A.

Before Sidley, he spent several years on the European investment team at Strategic Value Partners, working on distressed and special situations transactions.

Firm chair Frank Lopez said restructuring is a “strategic priority” and that the additions will allow the firm “to continue to take market share at the top of the market”.

The hires will bring Paul Hastings' London restructuring team to around 20 lawyers, forming part of a global practice of more than 110.

London bench

The double hire continues an aggressive period of recruitment for Paul Hastings in London.

Recent arrivals include Slaughter and May M&A partner Mark Zerdin, Cooley private equity partner Ferish Patel and A&O Shearman high yield partner Brad Weyland.

The firm has also added Leon Stephenson from Reed Smith and Jennifer Passagne from Haynes Boone in fund finance, Thomas Picton in structured credit from Ashurst and a four-partner private equity and real estate team from Covington & Burling led by Lyndsey Laverack and Jade Williams-Adedeji.