Josh Frankel, a former PJT Partners MD, brings experience across secondary transactions, including CVs, tender offers, and structured liquidity solutions.
The transatlantic recruits expand Willkie's secondaries and GP-led liquidity solutions capabilities across London and Washington, DC.
The former Debevoise & Plimpton Counsel brings experience advising on GP-led and LP-led transactions, structured secondaries, and continuation funds.
Christian Vareika brings a decade of experience advising on continuation vehicle transactions, secondary purchases and sales, and structured liquidity solutions.
The hiring spree adds experience across GP stakes, GP-led secondaries, and continuation vehicle transactions, as competition among law firms for established secondaries talent intensifies.
"Our clients have told us that they need market leading secondaries capability. We listened," said UK Managing Partner Denise Gibson.
The former Freshfields Global Co-Head of Private Funds and Secondaries will advise on secondary transactions and related liquidity solutions, including CVs, LP portfolio sales, and recapitalizations.
The returning Akin Counsel advises sponsors and institutional investors on various matters, including secondary and GP-led transactions.
This marks the third notable departure from Kirkland so far this September, with former Partners Michael Farrell and Christopher Pristouris also joining competing law firms in liquidity-focused roles.
The New York hire adds experience across secondary funds and GP-led liquidity transactions to the firm's Private Capital & Funds Practice.
