Linklaters has announced that David Irvine will join its Banking practice in London as a partner later this year. David will be returning to Linklaters after spending five years as partner in the debt team at Kirkland & Ellis’ Hong Kong office.

Gideon Moore, Firmwide Managing Partner, at Linklaters comments: “I am delighted that David is returning to Linklaters and our Banking practice. David’s broad knowledge and experience will serve to add to our existing market-leading team in the UK. Having worked with David previously when I was global head of the banking team, I am particularly pleased to see him back at the firm.”

David first joined Linklaters as a Banking associate in 2001 and spent seven years with the London team before being promoted to partnership in Hong Kong in 2008.

Davide Mencacci, Global Head of Banking at Linklaters states: ‘’We are pleased to welcome David back to our Banking practice in London. He has been at the forefront of the leveraged finance market in Asia and brings strong technical expertise, acute business sense and proven entrepreneurial abilities. David will be a strategic addition to our global banking practice which has advised on some of the most complex and globally significant transactions in recent years. With David on board, we look forward to growing our London Banking practice even further”

The leveraged finance at Linklaters represents leading banks, funds and financial sponsors in the European, Asian and U.S. markets. Some of the most prominent deals are listed here.