Key Takeaways
- • Sidley Austin LLP has appointed James Sherlock as a partner in its M&A and Private Equity Practice in London, bringing him from Skadden Arps, where he was a member of the Private Equity Group.
- • Sherlock brings deep relationships with private equity sponsors, including infrastructure clients, and specialized expertise in complex cross-border transactions spanning acquisitions, disposals, carve-outs, co-investments, and full-lifecycle deal support across financial services, technology, infrastructure, business services, and consumer sectors.
- • The hire reflects Sidley's strategic investment thesis in London, where the firm has recently expanded capabilities across finance, restructuring, private equity, capital markets, and private funds to serve sponsors seeking consolidated legal counsel throughout the investment lifecycle.
- • The move aligns with a broader market trend where institutional PE sponsors are consolidating legal work with full-service firms capable of supporting sponsors, portfolio companies, and institutional co-investors from acquisition through exit.
Summary
Sidley Austin has expanded its London-based M&A and Private Equity Practice with the appointment of James Sherlock as a partner, marking a strategic hire designed to deepen the firm's capacity to serve private equity sponsors on complex, cross-border transactions. Sherlock joins from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where he was an established member of the firm's Private Equity Group.
Sherlock's practice focuses on advising financial sponsors across the full investment lifecycle, from initial acquisitions and bolt-on purchases through portfolio company management to exit strategies. His experience spans private acquisitions and disposals, carve-outs, co-investments, consortium deals, joint ventures, and group restructurings, with particular depth in cross-border transactions. His sector experience includes financial services, technology, infrastructure, business services, and consumer, with noted relationships among infrastructure-focused institutional investors and private equity sponsors.
According to Brian Fahrney, Chair of Sidley's Executive Committee, the hire addresses a market shift toward sponsor consolidation of legal work. "Sponsors are increasingly consolidating their legal work with firms that can support them, their portfolio companies, and their investors at every stage of the investment lifecycle," Fahrney said, noting that Sherlock's deep relationships and track record on significant cross-border deals strengthen the London team's competitive positioning.
Tom Thesing, managing partner of Sidley's London office, characterized the appointment as complementary to recent strategic investments the firm has made in the London market. Those investments span finance, restructuring, private equity, capital markets, and private funds capabilities—areas essential to serving institutional sponsors seeking integrated legal support across complex transactions and portfolio management activities.
The appointment underscores ongoing competition among major law firms to attract senior private equity laterals, particularly partners with established sponsor relationships and demonstrated expertise on the most complex transactions in the market.
Sherlock's practice focuses on advising financial sponsors across the full investment lifecycle, from initial acquisitions and bolt-on purchases through portfolio company management to exit strategies. His experience spans private acquisitions and disposals, carve-outs, co-investments, consortium deals, joint ventures, and group restructurings, with particular depth in cross-border transactions. His sector experience includes financial services, technology, infrastructure, business services, and consumer, with noted relationships among infrastructure-focused institutional investors and private equity sponsors.
According to Brian Fahrney, Chair of Sidley's Executive Committee, the hire addresses a market shift toward sponsor consolidation of legal work. "Sponsors are increasingly consolidating their legal work with firms that can support them, their portfolio companies, and their investors at every stage of the investment lifecycle," Fahrney said, noting that Sherlock's deep relationships and track record on significant cross-border deals strengthen the London team's competitive positioning.
Tom Thesing, managing partner of Sidley's London office, characterized the appointment as complementary to recent strategic investments the firm has made in the London market. Those investments span finance, restructuring, private equity, capital markets, and private funds capabilities—areas essential to serving institutional sponsors seeking integrated legal support across complex transactions and portfolio management activities.
The appointment underscores ongoing competition among major law firms to attract senior private equity laterals, particularly partners with established sponsor relationships and demonstrated expertise on the most complex transactions in the market.
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