Simpson Thacher adds six Weil partners across London and New York

Simpson Thacher has announced the hire of six partners from Weil across New York and London, as the exodus of senior lawyers from Weil continues.

The hires include London secondaries partners Simon Saitowitz and Charles Cooper-Isow, who only joined Weil from Kirkland in April.

They are joined by New York partners Brian Parness, Andrew Nichol, Corey Dietrich and Alexander Miachika. Parness will lead Simpson Thacher’s sponsor transactions and advisory practice.

The team focuses on deals involving asset managers, including M&A, GP-stakes transactions and secondaries.

Weil departures mount

The announcement came on the same day Weil confirmed the departures of London finance head Tom Richards and private equity partner Max Oppenheimer.

Richards is understood to be in talks to join Simpson Thacher along with several other Weil partners, including Alex Eagle and Patrick Brendon.

Simpson Thacher has emerged as a popular destination for departing Weil lawyers as rivals continue to pick off senior talent from the firm. In August, M&A partner Murray Cox also left Weil to join the New York heavyweight's London office.

The latest moves follow the departures last month of Weil London co-managing partner David Avery-Gee and corporate partner Sarah Flaherty, who are joining Sullivan & Cromwell.

The pair will reunite there with former Weil London boss Mike Francies, who retired from Weil in 2024 before joining Sullivan & Cromwell’s fast-growing City team last year.

Private capital focus

Simpson Thacher said the six hires would strengthen its capabilities across asset management M&A, GP-stakes transactions, secondaries and other sponsor deals.

Chair Alden Millard said the group would add “significant firepower” to the firm’s existing private capital bench.