David Higgins > Kirkland & Ellis International LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP Offices
30 ST MARY AXE
LONDON
EC3A 8AF
England
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David Higgins
Work Department
Corporate
Position
David Higgins is a partner in Kirkland’s corporate practice and a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee. He advises private equity funds and other financial investor clients on all types of cross border leveraged M&A including public and private acquisitions, carve-outs, take privates, consortium deals, distressed acquisitions and disposals.
David regularly acts for BC Partners, Blackstone, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Cinven, GIC (Singapore’s Sovereign Wealth Fund), Hellman & Friedman, Partners Group and The Carlyle Group.
Career
2018 to present Kirkland & Ellis International LLP; 2001-2018 Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Education
The University of Law, Chester (Law Society Finals 1991); Exeter University (LL.B.Hons 1990)
Lawyer Rankings
London > Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions – high-value deals (£250m+)
(Hall of Fame)‘City powerhouse‘ Kirkland & Ellis International LLP is variously praised by clients for its ‘deep market knowledge‘ and ‘high customer service’. It maintains a dominant position in the London market, acting for leading buyout names on multi-billion-pound acquisitions, exits, and take-privates. In recent months, the team has taken steps to concentrate its position further with the hire of infrastructure specialist Sara Pickersgill, who joined from Allen & Overy in January 2023. The large practice is jointly chaired by David Higgins, a key contact for many of the firm’s top clients, and Matthew Elliott, whose recent highlights include big-ticket acquisitions and divestments in the infrastructure and real estate sectors. Adrian Maguire is regularly engaged on multi-billion-dollar transactions, most recently in the manufacturing and life sciences arenas, while the ‘vastly experienced‘ Stuart Boyd is lauded for bringing ‘a real gravitas to the negotiating table.‘ Other names to note include Celyn Evans, whose sponsor-side practice is focused on the infrastructure and real asset sectors. David Holdsworth left to become general counsel at TDR Capital in January 2023, while Tom McCarthy left for a position at Triton Partners in October 2022. Rachel Wolfenden joined Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP in December 2022. Partner Roger Johnson left the firm in August 2023.
Lawyer Rankings
- Hall of Fame London > Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions – high-value deals (£250m+)
- Private equity: transactions – high-value deals (£250m+) London > Corporate and commercial
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Finance > Acquisition finance
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency
- Finance > High yield
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: M&A and acquisition financing
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: patents (contentious and non-contentious)
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals)
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Upper Mid-Market And Premium Deals, £750m+
- Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions – high-value deals (£250m+)
- Investment fund formation and management > Private funds
- Investment fund formation and management > Real estate funds
Firm Rankings
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Investment fund formation and management > Fund finance
- Real estate > Property finance
- Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Industry focus > Life sciences and healthcare
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium