Ropes & Gray hit by double London PE exit to Akin

Akin has made a major double hire in London, bringing in private equity partners Dan Oates and Angela Becker from Ropes & Gray.

The pair joined Ropes in 2022 from Fried Frank, where Oates led the European private equity practice, alongside fellow partner Simon Saitowitz - who left for Weil earlier this year. Their exit means the entire team has now left - suggesting the move may not have played out as planned.

The exits were first reported by Law.com.

A blow for Ropes

The exits will come as a blow for Ropes’ London private equity team, which has already seen senior turnover this year. High-profile dealmaker Helen Croke left for White & Case in June, followed soon after by former team members Laura Kayani and Nick Matthew, who both stepped up to partner when they followed her to the US rival.

The departures come despite Ropes' recent efforts to deepen its European private equity bench. In September, the firm opened in Milan with the hire of Latham & Watkins partner Cataldo Piccarreta - a move understood to be about strengthening ties with private equity giant Bain Capital, one of Ropes’ key clients and whose European GC is a former head of Ropes' London office.

A spokesperson for Ropes & Gray said: "We can confirm that Dan Oates and Angela Becker have resigned from the firm. We thank them for their contribution to the firm and wish them well."

Timely hires for Akin

For Akin, the moves come in the same week it emerged that long-time London office head and veteran private equity partner Sebastian Rice is leaving to become general counsel at Nasdaq-listed telecoms company VEON after 24 years at the firm.

Akin’s London office, home to around 160 lawyers, has long been best known for its restructuring and funds capabilities. The addition of Oates and Becker gives the US firm a meaningful boost in one of the most competitive corners of the London legal market.