Sidley Austin has appointed Eleanor Shanks as a partner based in London. Shanks, who will be a member of Sidley’s global M&A and Private Equity practice, joins from Proskauer Rose LLP.
“Eleanor is one of the most respected private equity lawyers in London and highly regarded for her work across the European transactional market,” says Tom Thesing, managing partner of Sidley’s London office and member of its Executive Committee. “She has also been recognised as one of the leading women private equity lawyers in Europe. Her arrival supports our strategy to continue diversifying our team and investing in key practices that support industry sectors like life sciences, infrastructure, real estate and financial services, sectors in which Sidley is historically strong.”
Shanks’ practice covers a wide array of private equity and corporate transactions, including cross-border acquisitions and disposals, real estate, infrastructure and life sciences transactions, and joint ventures. She also advises clients in shareholder arrangements and managed equity plans, co-investments, and corporate governance and general corporate matters. Her clients include leading private equity sponsors, investors and funds, financial institutions, corporates and management teams.
“We now have one of the leading private equity practices in Europe, built through strategic investment in key markets, and preeminent talent,” says Erik Dahl, co-leader of Sidley’s Private Equity practice and member of its Executive Committee. “With more than 90 transactional lawyers in London and Munich, Eleanor was attracted to our dynamic European team and will be a tremendous asset.”
Sidley’s global Private Equity practice is made up of lawyers around the world principally focused on advising private equity clients across the broad spectrum of private equity transactions, from multibillion-dollar leveraged buyouts (LBOs) to growth equity investments in premium middle-market companies.
