Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) has today announced the appointment of leading funds practitioner Mary Lavelle as a partner to its Private Capital team and Global Transactions practice in London. Lavelle will be appointed as Global Co-Head of the firm’s Private Funds & Secondaries (PFS) group alongside Tim Clark in the US.

Lavelle joins from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and advises investment managers and financial institutions on a broad range of investment fund formation and asset management matters, as well as related carry and co-investment structures, private equity-driven transactions using fund structures and investor representation on fund investments and co-investments. She focuses equally on secondary transactions and has built up an established practice advising secondary buyers and sellers on a wide range of secondary transactions, including portfolio sales and GP-led continuation fund deals, with secondaries experience in multiple asset classes including private credit.

London Transactions Head, Andrew Hutchings, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Mary to our London team and Global Transactions practice. She will work closely with Tim Clark to drive forward the growth of our Private Funds and Secondaries team in particular in order to enhance further the delivery of excellent client service. This latest appointment forms part of the firm’s wider plan for strategic growth in the private capital space.”

Global Head of Private Funds & Secondaries, Tim Clark, said: “Mary is a highly experienced secondaries and fund formation lawyer with an impressive market reputation and track record. Her secondaries and funds practice will complement our global M&A, private capital, and corporate practice. I am very pleased to welcome her to our growing team and look forward to working closely with her as Private Funds and Secondaries (PFS) practice co-heads in building a leading PFS practice within the firm’s global footprint.”