Key Takeaways
- • Mark Rajbenbach and Victoria Butcher, two corporate real estate partners with approximately eight years tenure at Taylor Wessing, have joined Mayer Brown's London office as partners, departing just days after Taylor Wessing partners approved a merger with Winston & Strawn.
- • Rajbenbach previously practiced at Paul Hastings and SJ Berwin, building specialist expertise in hotels and leisure sector transactions; Butcher made partner at Taylor Wessing in 2022 and advises across all aspects of real estate investment deals, also with hotels and leisure focus.
- • The hires strengthen Mayer Brown's London real estate practice, which comprises over 150 lawyers globally and maintains a strategic focus on private capital and cross-border investment mandates, particularly for clients operating across UK, Europe, and US jurisdictions.
- • Both departing partners bring demonstrated experience in US sponsor-side work and established relationships with leading private equity real estate (PERE) clients, positioning them to leverage Mayer Brown's finance, private equity, and funds teams for multi-jurisdictional transactions.
Summary
Taylor Wessing has experienced a significant departure of real estate talent to Mayer Brown's London office, with partners Mark Rajbenbach and Victoria Butcher announcing their move on February 3, 2026—just days after Taylor Wessing's partnership voted to approve a transformative transatlantic merger with US-based Winston & Strawn. The combination will create Winston Taylor, expected to launch in May 2026.
Both Rajbenbach and Butcher spent approximately eight years at Taylor Wessing, building substantial expertise in real estate investment work. Rajbenbach previously held positions at Paul Hastings and legacy firm SJ Berwin, where he developed a recognized practice in hotels and leisure sector transactions. Butcher achieved partner status at Taylor Wessing in 2022 and maintains broad experience advising on comprehensive real estate investment deal structures, with parallel specialization in the hotels and leisure sector.
The timing of their departure reflects broader competition for corporate real estate talent among elite London firms. At Mayer Brown, the pair joins a deep London real estate practice anchored by Andrew Hepner (London real estate leader) and Chris Harvey (global co-lead for real estate). Dominic Griffiths, Mayer Brown's London managing partner, characterized the hires as strategic reinforcement of the firm's capacity to capture high-value, sophisticated real estate mandates. The incoming partners' expertise in US sponsor-side work and their existing relationships with leading private equity real estate (PERE) clients position them to create natural synergies with Mayer Brown's finance, private equity, and funds practices, particularly for clients executing multi-jurisdictional transactions across the UK, Europe, and United States.
Mayer Brown's global real estate practice comprises over 150 lawyers across four continents, reflecting the firm's commitment to cross-border and local real estate capabilities. The addition of Rajbenbach and Butcher further consolidates Mayer Brown's competitive positioning in corporate real estate during a period of significant market consolidation and talent mobility within the global legal sector.
Both Rajbenbach and Butcher spent approximately eight years at Taylor Wessing, building substantial expertise in real estate investment work. Rajbenbach previously held positions at Paul Hastings and legacy firm SJ Berwin, where he developed a recognized practice in hotels and leisure sector transactions. Butcher achieved partner status at Taylor Wessing in 2022 and maintains broad experience advising on comprehensive real estate investment deal structures, with parallel specialization in the hotels and leisure sector.
The timing of their departure reflects broader competition for corporate real estate talent among elite London firms. At Mayer Brown, the pair joins a deep London real estate practice anchored by Andrew Hepner (London real estate leader) and Chris Harvey (global co-lead for real estate). Dominic Griffiths, Mayer Brown's London managing partner, characterized the hires as strategic reinforcement of the firm's capacity to capture high-value, sophisticated real estate mandates. The incoming partners' expertise in US sponsor-side work and their existing relationships with leading private equity real estate (PERE) clients position them to create natural synergies with Mayer Brown's finance, private equity, and funds practices, particularly for clients executing multi-jurisdictional transactions across the UK, Europe, and United States.
Mayer Brown's global real estate practice comprises over 150 lawyers across four continents, reflecting the firm's commitment to cross-border and local real estate capabilities. The addition of Rajbenbach and Butcher further consolidates Mayer Brown's competitive positioning in corporate real estate during a period of significant market consolidation and talent mobility within the global legal sector.
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