K&L Gates Adds Prominent Private Equity and Corporate Partner to London Office

London - Global law firm K&L Gates LLP welcomes James Cross as a partner in the private equity and corporate practice of its London office. Cross joins K&L Gates from Reed Smith LLP, where he co-founded and served as the coordinator of the firm’s dedicated London private equity practice.
 
Cross’ broad international corporate practice spans a range of industry sectors with a particular focus on private equity. He has extensive experience acting both for investors and management, including on buy-outs, auction sales, secondary investments, restructurings, and acquisitions. Cross assists clients on domestic and cross-border matters, with particular experience advising Chinese and United States investors in Europe. He acts for a number of UK, European, U.S., and Chinese mid-market investors and corporate clients on their acquisitions and disposals.
 
“I am excited to be joining the corporate and private equity team at K&L Gates and am looking forward to helping the firm to further develop a leading private equity practice,” said Cross. “From my early discussions with the firm, I have already seen huge potential to work collaboratively with my new colleagues to integrate my practice and to leverage the firm’s capabilities and international platform to better serve my clients.”
 
Tony Griffiths, K&L Gates’ managing partner, Europe and Middle East, stated: “With fundraising again hitting record levels, we have seen the private equity sector play an increasingly prominent role in shaping the business landscape. This includes both traditional investment activity and alternative investments in areas such as infrastructure and asset finance. James is an important hire for us and immediately enhances our offering in the UK and Europe.”
 
Cross is the fifth new partner to join K&L Gates’ London office in 2018, with the arrivals of Paul Feldberg (investigations, enforcement and white collar) and Jeremy Farr, Charles Lockwood, and Clare Kempkens (energy disputes) having been announced in January.
 
Lawyers in K&L Gates’ private equity practice regularly represent the general and limited partners of funds that provide private capital, as well as the companies, management teams, and entrepreneurs who utilize that capital to acquire, create, and grow businesses around the globe. The practice’s work covers the entire spectrum and life cycle of transactions in the private equity markets, from formation to investment to exit, across a range of traditional and non-traditional sectors and work types.