Key Takeaways
- • Freshfields has recruited David Seymour and Will Bryant as partners from Ropes & Gray, expanding its London private equity real estate practice after each spent more than a decade at their former firm.
- • Both partners bring deep experience advising Sixth Street, Bain Capital Real Estate, and Baupost Group on cross-border real estate transactions spanning data centers, logistics, retail, and social/educational assets across European and global markets.
- • The hiring increases Freshfields' London real estate partner count to six and strengthens the firm's capabilities in private capital real estate at a time when transaction complexity and cross-border activity are accelerating.
- • Seymour and Bryant will report to Alexander Watt (co-head of global real assets), Niko Schultz-Suechting (head of global real estate), and James Scott (UK PE head), positioning them to leverage Freshfields' global platform.
- • The move reflects broader market dynamics where real estate represents the largest asset class in private capital, with increasing demand for specialized cross-border advisory services among institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices.
Summary
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has expanded its London private equity real estate practice by hiring David Seymour and Will Bryant as partners from competitor Ropes & Gray. Both partners bring over a decade of experience from their previous firm, where they built substantial track records advising leading private capital investors including Sixth Street, Bain Capital Real Estate, and the Baupost Group.
The two lawyers specialize in cross-border real estate transactions and advise European and global private equity funds, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and family offices across diversified asset classes. Their experience encompasses data centers, logistics, major retail assets, and social and educational investments—sectors that have commanded significant institutional capital deployment in recent years. Before joining Ropes & Gray in 2012 and 2013 respectively, both Seymour and Bryant trained as associates at Slaughter and May.
At Freshfields, they will operate within the firm's global real assets platform, working closely with Alexander Watt, co-head of global real assets; Niko Schultz-Suechting, head of global real estate; and James Scott, head of UK private equity. Their arrival increases Freshfields' London real estate partner contingent to six. According to Schultz-Suechting, the hires respond to increasing transaction complexity and cross-border activity in real estate markets, where the asset class now represents the largest component of private capital allocations globally.
Watt highlighted the timing of the appointments, noting that they strengthen Freshfields' ability to service "the full range of private capital and strategic investors in the real estate sector" as institutional demand for specialized cross-border advisory continues to expand. The move underscores competitive dynamics among magic circle firms competing for specialized real estate talent and positioning within the structurally growing private capital real estate market.
The two lawyers specialize in cross-border real estate transactions and advise European and global private equity funds, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and family offices across diversified asset classes. Their experience encompasses data centers, logistics, major retail assets, and social and educational investments—sectors that have commanded significant institutional capital deployment in recent years. Before joining Ropes & Gray in 2012 and 2013 respectively, both Seymour and Bryant trained as associates at Slaughter and May.
At Freshfields, they will operate within the firm's global real assets platform, working closely with Alexander Watt, co-head of global real assets; Niko Schultz-Suechting, head of global real estate; and James Scott, head of UK private equity. Their arrival increases Freshfields' London real estate partner contingent to six. According to Schultz-Suechting, the hires respond to increasing transaction complexity and cross-border activity in real estate markets, where the asset class now represents the largest component of private capital allocations globally.
Watt highlighted the timing of the appointments, noting that they strengthen Freshfields' ability to service "the full range of private capital and strategic investors in the real estate sector" as institutional demand for specialized cross-border advisory continues to expand. The move underscores competitive dynamics among magic circle firms competing for specialized real estate talent and positioning within the structurally growing private capital real estate market.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.