November 6, 2020
Peter Burrell, Gavin Gordon, Jerry Healy and Gemma Baker discuss trends across the litigation, compliance, investigations & enforcement, and private equity practices, lessons from the 2008 crash and the firm’s new training contract program in London.
Legal Cheek, a UK-based legal news website aimed at those starting their careers in law, recently profiled Willkie’s London office and its lawyers in two articles on the post-pandemic legal landscape. An October 29 article, “Life at a US law firm in London,” featured a panel discussion with London managing partner Peter Burrell, partner Gavin Gordon, associate Jerry Healy and graduate recruitment manager Gemma Baker. In the article, Mr. Burrell discusses the highs and lows of litigation cases and Mr. Gordon addresses the opportunities for private equity post-COVID. The article also discusses lessons learned from the 2008 crash and how the firm’s new training contract program in London fits into Willkie’s wider growth strategy.
“You can’t stop and tread water in this business,” noted Mr. Burrell. “It’s constantly evolving, and our clients are constantly needing us to help them whether it’s on a transaction, a contentious matter or on a restructuring — and it’s all about having the people to do that.”
An October 14 article, “The day-to-day life of a private equity partner explained,” profiled Mr. Gordon and discussed opportunities for private equity clients post-COVID-19. “There is a need arising from this pandemic for further investment in businesses,” explains Mr. Gordon. In the article, he notes whereas governments, central banks and other traditional lenders will be limited by a “constraint on resources and financing”, the trillions held in unused cash reserves by private equity firms (also known as ‘dry powder’) means more businesses will look to them as the “solution to their capital needs.”
Read: Legal Cheek: Life at a US law firm in London
Read: Legal Cheek: The day-to-day life of a private equity partner explained
