Key Takeaways
- • Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP announced that Max Oppenheimer and Jamie MacDonagh will join as partners in its Private Equity M&A Group within the Corporate Department, resident in London.
- • The hires follow the recent addition of a team of six private equity lawyers in the U.S., including Christopher Machera, former co-head of another international firm's private equity group.
- • The firm will have 14 M&A partners in London once the two new partners arrive, per the firm's statement.
- • Oppenheimer and MacDonagh advise private equity sponsors and corporate clients on private equity transactions and public and private company M&A.
Summary
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP announced that Max Oppenheimer and Jamie MacDonagh will join the firm as partners in the Private Equity M&A Group within the Corporate Department, based in London. Both advise private equity sponsors and corporate clients across private equity and public and private company M&A transactions. Their work covers domestic and cross-border acquisitions, disposals, complex carve-outs, growth equity, structured equity, minority investments, joint ventures and take-privates.
The announcement follows the recent addition of a six-lawyer private equity team in the U.S., including Christopher Machera, former co-head of another international firm's private equity group. Neel Sachdev, vice chair and London co-head, said Oppenheimer is "widely regarded as a private equity M&A star" and that the two partners would add to the 14 M&A partners in London. Matthew Abbott, vice chair and global co-chair of the M&A practice, said the hires reinforce the firm's global private equity platform. Roger Johnson, global co-chair of the M&A practice and London co-head, said the pair's practice spans the full spectrum of private equity and M&A dealmaking.
According to the firm, Oppenheimer has advised Lone Star Funds on multiple transactions, including its acquisition of ContiTech from Continental AG, its sale of Novo Banco to BPCE, its sale of MBCC Group to Sika, and its acquisition and subsequent sale of Stark Group to CVC. He has also advised General Atlantic on its strategic partnership with Kiwi.com and its investment in PropertyFinder, and KLAR Partners on its investment in the Ventro group. Chambers UK recognized him as "Up and Coming" in 2026 in Private Equity: Buyouts (£500 million and above), and The Legal 500 named him a Leading Partner in 2026 for high-value private equity transactions.
MacDonagh's recent representations include advising Lone Star Funds on its sale of Novo Banco to BPCE, CVC Capital Partners on the sale of a stake in Syntegon, OMERS Private Equity on its sale of Alexander Mann Solutions and a stake in International Schools Partnership, and Providence Equity on its sale of CloserStill.
The announcement follows the recent addition of a six-lawyer private equity team in the U.S., including Christopher Machera, former co-head of another international firm's private equity group. Neel Sachdev, vice chair and London co-head, said Oppenheimer is "widely regarded as a private equity M&A star" and that the two partners would add to the 14 M&A partners in London. Matthew Abbott, vice chair and global co-chair of the M&A practice, said the hires reinforce the firm's global private equity platform. Roger Johnson, global co-chair of the M&A practice and London co-head, said the pair's practice spans the full spectrum of private equity and M&A dealmaking.
According to the firm, Oppenheimer has advised Lone Star Funds on multiple transactions, including its acquisition of ContiTech from Continental AG, its sale of Novo Banco to BPCE, its sale of MBCC Group to Sika, and its acquisition and subsequent sale of Stark Group to CVC. He has also advised General Atlantic on its strategic partnership with Kiwi.com and its investment in PropertyFinder, and KLAR Partners on its investment in the Ventro group. Chambers UK recognized him as "Up and Coming" in 2026 in Private Equity: Buyouts (£500 million and above), and The Legal 500 named him a Leading Partner in 2026 for high-value private equity transactions.
MacDonagh's recent representations include advising Lone Star Funds on its sale of Novo Banco to BPCE, CVC Capital Partners on the sale of a stake in Syntegon, OMERS Private Equity on its sale of Alexander Mann Solutions and a stake in International Schools Partnership, and Providence Equity on its sale of CloserStill.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.