June 30, 2022
New York, NY June 30, 2022 --- Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP today announced that it will add prominent leveraged finance lawyer Daniel Gendron as a partner, based in the Firm’s London office. Daniel will join the Firm’s Finance Practice Group from Linklaters where he is a partner. Prior to joining Linklaters in 2008, Daniel began his career at Borden Ladner Gervais in Montreal, Canada. He is the third lateral partner to join Willkie’s London office this year and the sixth lateral to join Willkie’s multidisciplinary private equity platform in this same time period, with others joining in Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
A well-established leader in the market, Daniel’s hire will further strengthen Willkie’s private equity and leveraged finance credentials in London and enhances Willkie’s reputation as a go-to firm for financing advice for sponsors, pension plans and special situations investors.
“Our global platform continues to prove itself as a destination for talented practitioners across the U.S. and Europe, and today’s announcement is the latest demonstration of that,” said Willkie Chairman Thomas Cerabino. “Dan’s extensive leveraged finance experience and work with private equity clients in particular will further expand our global private equity capabilities and complement our strong and growing team in London.”
Gavin Gordon, private equity partner in London commented: “Willkie’s private equity practice in London is already a major player in the UK and Dan’s arrival reflects our commitment to continuing to grow our market share in London and beyond. Dan’s reputation and profile in the market and impressive experience acting on high profile deals will deepen our finance capabilities further and will add significant value to our private equity and special situation clients.”
Ashley Young, co-head of Willkie’s European Finance practice added: “With extensive experience in leveraged finance and extensive private equity sector credentials, Dan is a top-tier practitioner who understands the complex financing challenges sponsors face in today’s market. His proven deal experience and client base represents a perfect fit for our European finance practice and complements our already strong London leveraged finance team.”
Daniel has more than two decades of experience advising clients on market-leading leveraged finance transactions, special situations and financial restructurings and is consistently recognized as a leading lawyer by third party publications including The Legal 500. He has strong relationships with many high-profile sponsors and borrowers including private equity firms, portfolio companies, credit opportunities investors, Canadian pension funds and a significant number of private capital providers at all levels of the capital structure.
Daniel commented: “I am thrilled to be joining Willkie. Given the Firm’s strong credentials in the private equity sector both in Europe and the U.S., and its keen ambition to grow the London and global private equity offering even further, I am excited about the value I can bring to Willkie’s truly world class international private equity and leveraged finance platform.”
Daniel’s arrival is the latest high profile lateral in London following the additions of Insurance Transactional and Regulatory partners Melanie James and Timothy Baumgartner in January, bringing Willkie’s partner cohort in London to 35. Willkie was recently ranked the fastest growing US law firm in London by The Lawyer.
Willkie’s global finance practice complements the firm’s private equity, M&A, restructuring, capital markets, structured finance, real estate and tax groups to provide clients with comprehensive tools needed to achieve their goals. Our London finance team advises borrowers, direct lenders, lending institutions and other traditional and non-traditional capital providers in a wide variety of transactions including private equity and acquisition financings, cross-border financings, unitranche, second lien and junior financings. The team recently advised Levine Leichtman Capital Partners in its investment in Global Loan Agency Services (GLAS), CVC Capital Partners on its acquisition of a majority stake in Cooper Consumer Health and Bain Capital Credit in its acquisition of GAIL’s Bakery.
Willkie is a preeminent advisor to private equity clients, having counseled sponsors and private equity targets for more than 50 years. Our lawyers, approximately 600 of whom regularly advise clients in this industry, have the knowledge and skills to handle private equity matters worldwide and unparalleled cross-border capabilities across North America and Europe. Willkie has developed a 360° platform to provide comprehensive advice to private equity sponsors and portfolio companies, advising on everything from fund formations, platform acquisitions, tuck-in acquisitions and joint ventures, to bank credit and other debt financings, IPOs, follow-on offerings, SPACs, PIPEs and ultimate exits. Because of this approach, clients regularly grow with Willkie over time. Our Private Equity Practice Group handles transactions and cross-border matters worldwide, with attorneys practicing in 13 key market centers across the United States and Europe.
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Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is an international law firm of approximately 1000 attorneys with offices in Brussels, Chicago, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Milan, New York, Palo Alto, Paris, Rome, San Francisco and Washington. The Firm is headquartered in New York City at 787 Seventh Avenue. The Firm is headquartered in New York City at 787 Seventh Avenue. Tel: 212.728.8000.
