Sullivan & Cromwell adds more senior talent in London with Paul Hastings raid

Sullivan & Cromwell has continued its aggressive London build-out with the hire of two partners from Paul Hastings, adding senior firepower in high yield and restructuring as it doubles down on private capital.

High yield partner Patrick Bright and restructuring specialist William Needham will join the New York firm’s City office.

Private capital push

Bright is regarded as a top name in the European high yield market and joined Paul Hastings from Weil in 2022. High yield is a core part of the funding mix in leveraged buyouts, and deep capital markets capability in the space has been a key differentiator for US firms looking to win market share in the European private equity market.

Needham joined Paul Hastings in 2024 and previously spent time as a managing director at KKR. He will join S&C as co-head of its European restructuring and special situations practice.

“Patrick and Will are not only recognised as market leaders in their respective fields, they also bring highly complementary practices at the intersection of high yield and restructuring,” said London co-managing partners Kon Asimacopoulos and John Horsfield-Bradbury. They added: “Our clients increasingly want exceptional lawyers who can operate seamlessly across the debt spectrum.”

London expansion continues

Traditionally known as a leader in public M&A in New York, S&C has been steadily repositioning its London offering towards private equity, private credit and restructuring work.

The appointments are the latest in a string of lateral moves that mark a notable shift for a firm long known for its conservatism on partner hiring.

Since September, S&C has recruited a raft of senior lawyers in London. Those include restructuring partner Kon Asimacopoulos from Kirkland, former Weil London managing partner Mike Francies, private equity partner Aprajita Dhundia and tax partner Ian Ferreira from Kirkland, as well as leveraged finance partners Chris McLaughlin and Alastair McVeigh from Weil.

The firm’s London office currently counts 21 partners, with several of the recent hires yet to formally start.