Key Takeaways
- • David Walker, a 30+ year M&A veteran and former Global Co-Chair of Latham & Watkins' Private Equity Practice, has departed Clifford Chance after 13 years to join Latham & Watkins, signaling continued competition for elite PE legal talent between top-tier firms.
- • Walker's departure marks another high-profile exit from Clifford Chance's private equity practice, following a pattern of attrition that includes Tom Evans, who also moved to Latham & Watkins, indicating potential vulnerability in Clifford Chance's PE capability.
- • Walker brings recognized institutional credibility to Latham, having been named one of the 50 Most Influential in Private Equity (2021) by Financial News and serving as an author and editor on specialist PE literature including *Private Equity Exits: A Practical Analysis*.
- • His deal experience spans complex, multi-billion-pound transactions including the £5.75 billion ECP/KKR take-private of DCC Energy, £1.5 billion Grain LNG acquisition, and €13.7 billion Verisure IPO, demonstrating deep relationships across major institutional PE sponsors.
- • The move reflects Latham's deliberate expansion into private equity through high-caliber partner recruitment, positioning the firm to compete with traditional PE legal powerhouses on transactional depth and institutional relationships.
Summary
David Walker, an M&A lawyer with over 30 years of experience in UK and international private equity transactions, has ended his 13-year tenure at Clifford Chance to join Latham & Watkins. Walker previously held the position of Global Co-Chair of Latham & Watkins' Private Equity Practice and Global Vice Chair of the Corporate Department, underscoring his seniority within the legal sector's PE ecosystem.
The departure compounds recent attrition at Clifford Chance's private equity practice. Tom Evans, another Clifford Chance private equity partner, has followed Walker to Latham & Watkins, suggesting a broader shift in competitive dynamics among elite legal advisors to the PE community. This pattern of exits raises questions about Clifford Chance's capacity to retain top PE talent amid competition from aggressive recruiting by rival firms.
Walker brings substantial institutional credentials to his new role. He was recognized as one of the 50 Most Influential in Private Equity by Financial News in 2021 and has authored and edited specialist publications on PE strategy and execution, including *Private Equity Exits: A Practical Analysis*. His transaction experience encompasses deals with major institutional sponsors including Energy Capital Partners, KKR, Goldman Sachs, Hellman & Friedman, and General Atlantic across significant deal values. Notable transactions include advising on the £5.75 billion ECP/KKR take-private acquisition of DCC Energy, the £1.5 billion Grain LNG acquisition from National Grid, and the €13.7 billion Verisure IPO on Nasdaq Stockholm, demonstrating deep relationships across the institutional PE landscape.
Latham & Watkins' recruitment of Walker reflects the firm's deliberate strategy to strengthen its private equity platform through senior partner acquisitions. The firm has emphasized its thoughtful approach to expansion, with Walker noting the firm's strategic mindset. This move positions Latham as a more robust competitor in elite PE transaction work, capitalizing on deep relationships and transaction experience that institutional sponsors value in complex, multi-jurisdictional deals.
The departure compounds recent attrition at Clifford Chance's private equity practice. Tom Evans, another Clifford Chance private equity partner, has followed Walker to Latham & Watkins, suggesting a broader shift in competitive dynamics among elite legal advisors to the PE community. This pattern of exits raises questions about Clifford Chance's capacity to retain top PE talent amid competition from aggressive recruiting by rival firms.
Walker brings substantial institutional credentials to his new role. He was recognized as one of the 50 Most Influential in Private Equity by Financial News in 2021 and has authored and edited specialist publications on PE strategy and execution, including *Private Equity Exits: A Practical Analysis*. His transaction experience encompasses deals with major institutional sponsors including Energy Capital Partners, KKR, Goldman Sachs, Hellman & Friedman, and General Atlantic across significant deal values. Notable transactions include advising on the £5.75 billion ECP/KKR take-private acquisition of DCC Energy, the £1.5 billion Grain LNG acquisition from National Grid, and the €13.7 billion Verisure IPO on Nasdaq Stockholm, demonstrating deep relationships across the institutional PE landscape.
Latham & Watkins' recruitment of Walker reflects the firm's deliberate strategy to strengthen its private equity platform through senior partner acquisitions. The firm has emphasized its thoughtful approach to expansion, with Walker noting the firm's strategic mindset. This move positions Latham as a more robust competitor in elite PE transaction work, capitalizing on deep relationships and transaction experience that institutional sponsors value in complex, multi-jurisdictional deals.
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