Weil confirms double London partner exit, including finance head

Weil has confirmed the departures of two London partners after weeks of market speculation.

Private equity partner Max Oppenheimer is understood to be close to joining Paul Weiss and London finance head Tom Richards is expected to move to Simpson Thacher along with a team of partners.

Neither destination firm has yet announced the hires.

Weil said the departures had been anticipated for some time and were “already well understood in the market”.

“We are focused on delivering growth and the best client service and advice in the market,” the firm said. “We have recruited some extraordinary talent in the last few weeks, and more news will follow, all of which will advance our growth plan.”

Oppenheimer has spent more than 13 years at Weil and was promoted to partner in 2021.

He advises sponsors and other financial investors on acquisitions, disposals, minority investments and joint ventures.

His clients have included Advent International, General Atlantic, Bain Capital and Lone Star. Recent work includes advising Lone Star on the €4 billion acquisition of a division of German automotive group Continental and its €6.4 billion sale of Portuguese bank Novo Banco last year.

Richards, meanwhile, is one of Weil's most senior finance lawyers in London and has played a central role in building its sponsor-side finance practice.

He joined Weil as an associate in 2012 and went on to become head of its London finance practice, advising private equity firms and their portfolio companies on leveraged finance and other financing transactions.

His clients include Advent International, Bain Capital, CVC and Permira. Recent work includes advising Advent and FedEx on the financing of their €7.8 billion takeover of InPost Group.

More London departures

The two exits add to a period of significant turnover at Weil's London office.

London co-managing partner and M&A head David Avery-Gee and corporate partner Sarah Flaherty are joining Sullivan & Cromwell, while finance partners Chris McLaughlin, Alastair McVeigh and Jenny Choi have also moved to the US firm.

Former long-time London managing partner Mike Francies joined Sullivan & Cromwelll last year.

The departures have not been limited to London. Michael Aiello, Weil's corporate chair, exited for Cravath, while US private equity co-head Christopher Machera joined Paul Weiss in New York, with three partners and two associates also set to follow.

Rivals keep building

For Paul Weiss, Oppenheimer would add another sponsor-focused dealmaker to a London private equity team built through a series of high-profile lateral hires.

The firm has expanded rapidly in the City since the 2023 arrivals of Kirkland partners Neel Sachdev and Roger Johnson, with private equity at the centre of its growth.

Richards would strengthen a Simpson Thacher London finance team that has been expanding its sponsor-side capability.

Its leveraged finance partners include Shahpur Kabraji, Bryan Robson and Dan Peach. The firm announced the hires of Peach and Robson in late 2024.

For its part, Weil has also been investing in its London finance practice. The firm recently hired A&O Shearman fund finance co-head Fiona Cumming and Sidley Austin leveraged finance partner James Crooks.