New York (October 15, 2024) – Freshfields announced today that Claire James has joined the firm and will serve as Head of New York Private Equity. Claire’s broad skill set allows her to lead a wide range of private equity transactions for clients across different industries and investment strategies.

Global Co-Head of Private Capital Neal J. Reenan stated: “Claire is an exceptional and broadly experienced M&A lawyer, a leader and a practice builder who adds a significant additional dimension to our US practice leadership. I’ve been fortunate to work with Claire first-hand and we’re excited to bring her expertise, client service ethic and breadth of experience to work with our Private Capital clients on their most strategic matters.”

For over 14 years, Claire has led deals including buyouts, minority investments, complicated co-invests, and hybrid capital strategies for strategics and large, mid-market and emerging sponsors. Claire advises her public and private clients on acquisitions and divestitures, joint ventures, capital raising transactions, securities law compliance and corporate governance.

Claire noted: “Freshfields has an extraordinary platform that will allow me to focus primarily on private equity transactional clients while still contributing to the larger US private capital growth strategy. The collaboration across the firm’s global corporate team has shown how genuine they are about giving their clients the best advice in an ever-changing market and I’m excited to contribute to that work.”

Freshfields is a globally recognized market leader for private equity. Over the past two years, the firm has expanded its private capital offering with a number of strategic hires in private equity, leveraged finance and private funds and secondaries across the U.S., Europe and Asia. In the U.S., those additions include New York-based Global Co-Head of Private Capital Neal J. Reenan, Head of U.S. Private Capital Ian N. Bushner, Head of US Leveraged Finance Allison Liff, Global Co-Head of Private Funds and Secondaries Timothy J. Clark, Head of U.S. Private Credit & Capital Solutions Damian Ridealgh, as well as partners Ivet Bell and Eva Mak.