Key Takeaways
- • Akin Gump recruits two senior energy-focused transactional partners, Shaun Lascelles and Simon Rootsey, from Vinson & Elkins to strengthen its London office private equity practice, effective October 2026.
- • Lascelles brings deep expertise in cross-border M&A, private equity, and international joint ventures with particular focus on oil & gas and emerging markets (Africa, Russia); Rootsey specializes in downstream/midstream energy, infrastructure, and healthcare/life sciences transactions across Africa and Latin America.
- • The hire represents a continuation of Akin Gump's strategic expansion of its global private equity platform, building on recent London recruits including Gavin Weir (September 2019) and a four-partner funds investment team (mid-2019).
- • The expansion aligns with the firm's stated strategic objectives to deepen its transactional private equity and corporate capabilities internationally, particularly in energy sector deals involving emerging market jurisdictions.
Summary
Akin Gump has announced the recruitment of two senior energy-focused transactional partners to its London office, strengthening its global private equity practice. Shaun Lascelles and Simon Rootsey, both currently at Vinson & Elkins, are expected to join Akin Gump in October 2026. The move underscores the firm's commitment to expanding its private equity platform across major international markets.
Lascelles brings substantial experience in transactional public and private cross-border M&A, private equity structuring, and international joint ventures. His practice has concentrated on advising private equity firms, infrastructure investors, and corporate clients on complex, high-end transactions, with particular expertise in oil & gas and energy sectors across emerging market jurisdictions including Africa and Russia. Rootsey's practice similarly focuses on cross-border M&A and private equity work, but spans a broader sectoral range—energy (particularly downstream and midstream operations), infrastructure, and healthcare/life sciences. His transaction experience also extends across Africa and Latin America.
The appointment follows Akin Gump's earlier London recruitment efforts, including the 2019 hire of Gavin Weir and a four-partner team of investment funds specialists (John Daghlian, Danny Quinn, Aleks Bakic, and Mary Lavelle) who joined mid-2019. According to Akin Gump Chairperson Kim Koopersmith, "The expansion of our transactional private equity and broader corporate practice sits very well with the firm's strategic objectives and our existing practice in London and internationally." Koopersmith noted that Lascelles and Rootsey's capabilities in energy-sector private equity transactions involving emerging markets, particularly Africa, will complement the firm's recent hires and strengthen its global corporate, private equity, and funds teams.
The recruitment is part of a broader strategic initiative to position Akin Gump as a market-leading private equity and corporate legal platform across major jurisdictions, with particular emphasis on complex cross-border energy and infrastructure transactions.
Lascelles brings substantial experience in transactional public and private cross-border M&A, private equity structuring, and international joint ventures. His practice has concentrated on advising private equity firms, infrastructure investors, and corporate clients on complex, high-end transactions, with particular expertise in oil & gas and energy sectors across emerging market jurisdictions including Africa and Russia. Rootsey's practice similarly focuses on cross-border M&A and private equity work, but spans a broader sectoral range—energy (particularly downstream and midstream operations), infrastructure, and healthcare/life sciences. His transaction experience also extends across Africa and Latin America.
The appointment follows Akin Gump's earlier London recruitment efforts, including the 2019 hire of Gavin Weir and a four-partner team of investment funds specialists (John Daghlian, Danny Quinn, Aleks Bakic, and Mary Lavelle) who joined mid-2019. According to Akin Gump Chairperson Kim Koopersmith, "The expansion of our transactional private equity and broader corporate practice sits very well with the firm's strategic objectives and our existing practice in London and internationally." Koopersmith noted that Lascelles and Rootsey's capabilities in energy-sector private equity transactions involving emerging markets, particularly Africa, will complement the firm's recent hires and strengthen its global corporate, private equity, and funds teams.
The recruitment is part of a broader strategic initiative to position Akin Gump as a market-leading private equity and corporate legal platform across major jurisdictions, with particular emphasis on complex cross-border energy and infrastructure transactions.
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