Key Takeaways
- • Private equity partner Lewis Blakey is set to leave Weil for Simpson Thacher, per Non-Billable, bringing the number of London partners who have joined or are set to join Simpson Thacher from Weil since August to nine.
- • Simpson Thacher's total haul from Weil since August stands at 14 partners across London and New York, according to Non-Billable.
- • Weil's leadership recommended winding down the 95-year-old firm, following weeks of partner departures on both sides of the Atlantic.
- • Blakey co-led Weil's advice on the €7.8 billion take-private of InPost and the $3.45 billion sale of Ultra Maritime to Lockheed Martin, and his departure highlights the scale of change in Weil's London partnership.
Summary
Simpson Thacher is continuing to expand its London and New York benches with partners from Weil, according to Non-Billable. Private equity partner Lewis Blakey is expected to leave Weil for Simpson Thacher, a move that would bring the number of London partners who have joined or are set to join from Weil since August to nine. Simpson Thacher did not respond to a request for comment on Blakey's hire.
The London moves follow a series of departures. M&A partner Murray Cox moved in August, and in October secondaries partners Simon Saitowitz and Charles Cooper-Isow were announced as recruits. Weil's London finance head Tom Richards and finance partners Alex Eagle, Patrick Brendon, Gilles Teerlinck and Kai Zhang are also expected to join Simpson Thacher. In New York, the firm has recruited former Weil US private funds co-head Stephanie Epstein Srulowitz, along with Brian Parness, Andrew Nichol, Corey Dietrich and Alexander Miachika. Including completed and expected London moves, the total haul from Weil since August reaches 14 partners. A City recruiter described the flow as "a firm within a firm."
The departures come as Weil's leadership recommended winding down the 95-year-old firm on Wednesday after weeks of partner departures on both sides of the Atlantic. Blakey joined Weil as a trainee in 2009 and became a partner in 2020, building a private equity practice that advised sponsors including Advent, Blackstone, Bain Capital and SilverTree Equity. In July he co-led the team advising Advent portfolio company Cobham Ultra on the $3.45 billion sale of Ultra Maritime to Lockheed Martin, and the prior year he led the team on the $1.55 billion sale of Ultra PCS to Eaton.
Blakey also co-led the team advising the buyer consortium on the €7.8 billion take-private of Polish logistics company InPost, announced in February. The InPost deal illustrates the extent of changes to Weil's London partnership: fellow lead partner David Avery-Gee has left for Sullivan & Cromwell, and Richards, Blakey and Zhang are now expected to join Simpson Thacher. Finance partner Andrew Hagan and antitrust partner Jenine Hulsmann, also on the InPost team, remain at Weil.
The London moves follow a series of departures. M&A partner Murray Cox moved in August, and in October secondaries partners Simon Saitowitz and Charles Cooper-Isow were announced as recruits. Weil's London finance head Tom Richards and finance partners Alex Eagle, Patrick Brendon, Gilles Teerlinck and Kai Zhang are also expected to join Simpson Thacher. In New York, the firm has recruited former Weil US private funds co-head Stephanie Epstein Srulowitz, along with Brian Parness, Andrew Nichol, Corey Dietrich and Alexander Miachika. Including completed and expected London moves, the total haul from Weil since August reaches 14 partners. A City recruiter described the flow as "a firm within a firm."
The departures come as Weil's leadership recommended winding down the 95-year-old firm on Wednesday after weeks of partner departures on both sides of the Atlantic. Blakey joined Weil as a trainee in 2009 and became a partner in 2020, building a private equity practice that advised sponsors including Advent, Blackstone, Bain Capital and SilverTree Equity. In July he co-led the team advising Advent portfolio company Cobham Ultra on the $3.45 billion sale of Ultra Maritime to Lockheed Martin, and the prior year he led the team on the $1.55 billion sale of Ultra PCS to Eaton.
Blakey also co-led the team advising the buyer consortium on the €7.8 billion take-private of Polish logistics company InPost, announced in February. The InPost deal illustrates the extent of changes to Weil's London partnership: fellow lead partner David Avery-Gee has left for Sullivan & Cromwell, and Richards, Blakey and Zhang are now expected to join Simpson Thacher. Finance partner Andrew Hagan and antitrust partner Jenine Hulsmann, also on the InPost team, remain at Weil.
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