Knowledge Management Attorney - Fund Formation

Freshfields hires Weil Gotshal's white collar practice co-chair. Sept. 10, 2026, 4:00 AM PDT Weil, Gotshal & Manges white collar practice co-chair Daniel Stein is joining Freshfields' New York office, where he will co-lead the firm's global investigations practice. Stein served for a decade as an assistant US attorney in the Southern District of New York, ending his tenure in 2016 as chief of the criminal division. He joined Weil in 2022 after being a partner at Mayer Brown. His hire announced Thursday reflects increased client demand on civil and criminal matters across federal and state levels, Freshfields said in a statement. "He is exactly the kind of practitioner we have been looking to add," said Beth George, head of the firm's US litigation, arbitration and global investigations practice. The move adds to a string of litigation partner hires Freshfields has made and extends a string of leadership departures from Weil. The Weil departures include Chris Machera, co-head of private equity, who joined Paul Weiss, and Stephanie Srulowitz, co-head of Weil's U.S. private funds practice, who joined Simpson Thacher. Bloomberg Law has reported that Simpson Thacher is poised to hire a group of Weil partners. Weil, however, made a notable addition this week when it re-hired Damian Ridealgh, who'd left the firm in 2023 and served as Freshfields' global co-head of private credit and capital solutions. Freshfields has been busy this year bolstering its white collar, investigations, and strategic risk management groups in the US. The firm last week hired former federal prosecutor Danny Grooms in Washington from Cooley. Freshfields in May added a former Skadden partner, Alessio Evangelista, to the group. And it brought on former State Department advisor Nema Milaninia in January. This week it also hired a former Cravath M&A partner, Bethany Pfalzgraf, in New York. "I have spent my career at the intersection of government enforcement and private practice," Stein said. "I see a tremendous opportunity at Freshfields to bring those experiences together." Bloomberg Law provides trusted coverage of current events enhanced with legal analysis.

Cooley bolsters private equity bench with fund formation hire in Chicago. Tuesday, September 8, 2026 Michael Black has joined Cooley's Chicago office as a partner in the firm's fund formation practice, further strengthening Cooley's private equity fund capabilities to meet the evolving needs of its growing client base. Joining Cooley from Kirkland & Ellis, Black deepens Cooley's capabilities serving emerging and established sponsors in the middle markets. "Michael is an outstanding addition to our fund formation team and to Cooley's Chicago office," said John Clendenin, partner and chair of Cooley's global fund formation practice. "He combines a sophisticated technical skill set with a practical, collaborative approach and a deep understanding of the needs of emerging and established private equity managers. Michael is highly regarded in the market and exceptionally effective with clients." Black brings a versatile practice spanning the full life cycle of private investment funds. He counsels established and emerging managers on the formation, structuring and operation of private investment funds - including buyout, growth equity, search, debt, real estate and single-asset funds - and special purpose vehicles. Black has significant experience leading fund closings representing billions of dollars in aggregate committed capital, and advising on the formation of private investment funds, including funds established by first-time sponsors. In 2026, Cooley has continued to strategically invest across its fund formation platform, with Black following the additions of partners Derek Pease, Corey Zarse and Jon Brose. "A fundraise sets the foundation for a partnership that can shape how a firm operates for the next decade. Middle-market managers need counsel who understand the significance of those decisions and can provide advice tailored to their needs," said Black. "Cooley combines that judgment with the ability to execute at the highest level." The firm's fund formation practice is among the largest and most active in the country, providing primary counsel to more than 1,000 investment fund clients. The team advises managers across the full spectrum of strategies and fund structures, including private equity, venture capital, growth equity and other private investment funds, supporting sponsors from formation and fundraising through ongoing operations, liquidity solutions and strategic transactions. Analysis | Jobs | News

Commercial litigator heads to King & Spalding. King & Spalding has added disputes firepower in New York with the appointment of an 'outstanding' lawyer from Cooley. Trial lawyer Philip Bowman has bid farewell to Cooley after an eight-year tenure to join Cooley's New York-based business litigation practice as partner. The hire was confirmed today (3 September). With a focus on high-stakes commercial litigation, Bowman frequently represents clients in proceedings relating to life sciences collaboration and licensing, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), antitrust, trade secret and restrictive covenant issues, as well as litigation involving clients in the private equity, investment management, venture capital and technology sectors. Bowman acts before both state and federal courts across the US, as well as in domestic and international arbitrations. "Phil is an outstanding trial lawyer with a sophisticated commercial litigation practice that aligns closely with many of the firm's strategic priorities and enhances our ability to handle complex disputes across a range of industries," said Damien Marshall, co-leader of King & Spalding's Business Litigation practice group. "Phil's arrival enhances our bench in New York, expands opportunities for collaboration across practices, and demonstrates King & Spalding's continued investment in our premier litigation platform." Bowman began his legal career with a four-year stint at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, before departing for Boies Schiller Flexner in 2006. He went on to spend 12 years at Boies Schiller before joining Cooley in 2018. It has been a busy year for King & Spalding on the lateral hire front, with 64 partners welcomed to the firm over the past nine months, including 23 additions to the business litigation practice group. Notable appointments include those of Sydney-based regulatory and disputes lawyer Mandi Jacobson, Dallas-based litigation partners LeElle Slifer, John Sullivan and Katrina Eash, a US litigation team led by global trial head Tom Melsheimer, and Atlanta-based product liability and mass torts partner Rebeca Ojeda. This week alone has seen two other lateral hires welcomed to the firm with the arrival of international arbitration partner Thomas Voisin in Paris and private equity M&A partner Nicola Yeomans in Singapore.