Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison has hired from Kirkland & Ellis again as it continues to build its London practice at a clip. 

Prem Mohan has joined the firm as a partner and head of European financial services regulation after 10 years at Kirkland. He advises on the regulatory aspects relating to the structuring and formation of private funds and M&A and private equity transactions.

“As our full-service private equity practice grows, so, too, does the need for sophisticated regulatory counsel,” said Roger Johnson, co-head of Paul Weiss’s London office. “Prem has extensive experience advising private investment funds and investors on complex transactions in the financial services sector, which will be critical for our M&A practice.”

Mohan is the fourth partner to move to Paul Weiss from Kirkland’s London funds team this year after James King – who joined in February to launch the European funds practice – Jeremy Leggate and David Pritchett. 

A Kirkland spokesperson said of Mohan’s departure: “We thank Prem for his contribution to the firm and wish him well.”

Paul Weiss, which had been left with just three partners in the City following the defection of office head Alvaro Membrillera for Kirkland in August 2023, has recruited 15 partners from the Chicago giant in London since the summer of last year as it builds a top-tier practice around private equity. 

While Kirkland has been the source of most of its hires, Paul Weiss has also targeted UK firms Linklaters, Clifford Chance and Macfarlanes for talent as well as US rivals including Ropes & Gray, Simpson Thacher and Akin. It now has more than 30 partners in London, according to its website. 

The firm’s ambitions in London have also been underscored by the market-topping £180k it will dish out to the newly-qualified lawyers who complete its new UK training contract. The first cohort will begin their training contracts at the firm in 2026.