Hogan Lovells’ secondaries lawyers join Paul Hastings

Three lawyers from Hogan Lovells who focus on secondaries and private equity are leaving the law firm to join rival Paul Hastings, Secondaries Investor has learned.

London-based partner Ed Harris and counsel Leanne Moezi and Washington DC-based partner Adam Brown are all joining as partners, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Harris leads Hogan Lovells’ private equity practice in London.

Paul Hastings confirmed the move.

“We’re continuing to grow our market-leading private equity practice, expanding the firm’s ability to help clients navigate increasingly complex, global transactions,” Seth Zachary, chairman of Paul Hastings, said in a statement seen by Secondaries Investor. “The addition of this global team is another example of the calibre of talent our private equity practice attracts and our commitment to our clients.”

Harris said: “The focus that Paul Hastings has to grow its corporate, funds, and private equity practices in London is impressive. I found the firm and practices’ trajectory, together with the entrepreneurial spirit and excitement for the future at Paul Hastings, incredibly attractive.”

It is unclear if more lawyers are joining the trio.

Harris’s practice includes advising on secondaries, private M&A, joint ventures, co-investments and leveraged buyouts. He has represented Pantheon on numerous transactions including co-investments and secondaries, according to his Hogan Lovells biography.

Moezi has also worked with Pantheon, including on the 2010 acquisition of a portion of portfolio company interests owned by Candover Investments as part of the spinout of Arle Capital.

Brown focuses on securities and investment transactions for private equity funds and their portfolio companies.

This is the second time in 2019 that a secondaries team has changed law firm. In June, two senior members of the private funds group at O’Melveny & Myers left for Akin Gump, Secondaries Investor reported. They joined two former colleagues who left in March.

Hogan Lovells declined to comment.