Key Takeaways
- • Hogan Lovells hired Michael James and Edward Meadowcroft, two partners from Paul Hastings with over a decade of experience, to strengthen its London private equity real estate team, with particular expertise in hotels and leisure transactions.
- • James achieved partner status at Paul Hastings in 2016, while Meadowcroft was promoted to partner in 2022; both moves represent part of a broader talent acquisition strategy across multiple jurisdictions.
- • The hires follow Hogan Lovells' earlier recruitment of two M&A partners, David Wang and Meka Meng, also from Paul Hastings, signaling a sustained effort to expand PE and funds capabilities in Greater China and London.
- • Hogan Lovells has expanded its PE bench across Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, and Italy during 2025, positioning itself as a comprehensive platform for private equity investors globally.
- • Paul Hastings has experienced multiple partner departures from its London office this year, including moves to competitors Linklaters and Freshfields, indicating competitive pressure in the UK legal market for PE and restructuring specialists.
Summary
Hogan Lovells has recruited Michael James and Edward Meadowcroft, two partners from Paul Hastings, to bolster its London-based private equity real estate practice. Both professionals bring substantial experience in hotels and leisure transactions, with James having achieved partner rank in 2016 and Meadowcroft promoted to partner in 2022. Their combined tenure at Paul Hastings exceeded a decade, establishing them as established practitioners in their sector.
The recruitment represents part of a coordinated expansion of Hogan Lovells' private equity and funds capabilities. The firm has simultaneously hired across multiple geographic markets in 2025, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, and Italy. Earlier in September 2025, Hogan Lovells also secured two M&A partners, David Wang and Meka Meng, from Paul Hastings specifically to strengthen its Greater China platform, underscoring the firm's strategic focus on emerging markets and specialized transaction expertise.
James commented on the move, stating: "I am looking forward to joining Hogan Lovells' high-quality Private Equity and Real Estate teams. The firm's commitment to growing its private equity offering coupled with its global presence and broad real estate offering provide a unique opportunity to support clients in this dynamic sector." Meadowcroft similarly emphasized the appeal of the firm's integrated platform: "The firm's strength across corporate, finance, real estate and private equity makes it one of the most compelling platforms in the market."
James Doyle, Hogan Lovells' corporate and finance head, framed the hires as strategic: "Michael and Edward's arrival reflects our ambition to be the firm of choice for our private equity investors in this space." The statement reflects broader positioning efforts within the firm's PE practice.
For Paul Hastings, the departures contribute to notable talent outflows from its London office during 2025. The firm has lost restructuring partner Mei Lian to Linklaters, leveraged finance partner Peter Hayes to Linklaters, and infrastructure specialists Jessamy Gallagher, Stuart Rowson, and Ally McKechnie to Freshfields, indicating significant competitive pressure in the UK market for specialized practice areas.
The recruitment represents part of a coordinated expansion of Hogan Lovells' private equity and funds capabilities. The firm has simultaneously hired across multiple geographic markets in 2025, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, and Italy. Earlier in September 2025, Hogan Lovells also secured two M&A partners, David Wang and Meka Meng, from Paul Hastings specifically to strengthen its Greater China platform, underscoring the firm's strategic focus on emerging markets and specialized transaction expertise.
James commented on the move, stating: "I am looking forward to joining Hogan Lovells' high-quality Private Equity and Real Estate teams. The firm's commitment to growing its private equity offering coupled with its global presence and broad real estate offering provide a unique opportunity to support clients in this dynamic sector." Meadowcroft similarly emphasized the appeal of the firm's integrated platform: "The firm's strength across corporate, finance, real estate and private equity makes it one of the most compelling platforms in the market."
James Doyle, Hogan Lovells' corporate and finance head, framed the hires as strategic: "Michael and Edward's arrival reflects our ambition to be the firm of choice for our private equity investors in this space." The statement reflects broader positioning efforts within the firm's PE practice.
For Paul Hastings, the departures contribute to notable talent outflows from its London office during 2025. The firm has lost restructuring partner Mei Lian to Linklaters, leveraged finance partner Peter Hayes to Linklaters, and infrastructure specialists Jessamy Gallagher, Stuart Rowson, and Ally McKechnie to Freshfields, indicating significant competitive pressure in the UK market for specialized practice areas.
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