Wake Up Call: London Law Firms Shun Private Equity Approaches

Welcome to Bloomberg Law’s Wake Up Call, a daily rundown of the top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel.

• Private equity funds are aggressively courting UK law firms, but most top firms remain wary of selling stakes. While investors promise capital for expansion, leading firms—from Pinsent Masons to Macfarlanes and Fieldfisher—say the risks of lost control, cultural disruption, and diluted profits outweigh the benefits for now. A few outliers, like Shoosmiths, are open to PE for specific business lines, and some leaders hint they might consider outside capital in the future. (Private Equity News)
• Former Cooley lawyer Logan Brown left Big Law to launch Soxton, a tech-driven, low-cost legal services startup for early-stage founders. The startup has already raised $2.5 million in pre-seed funding from investors including Moxxie Ventures. Soxton provides direct legal help for startups, offering $20 templates and $100 custom contract reviews delivered within hours. (Business Insider)
• New York’s highest court broke 342 years of precedent by letting a verdict in a criminal case delivered by an 11-member jury stand. (The New York Times)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Meghan Cocci joined Kirkland & Ellis as a partner in its real estate practice. She joins from Latham & Watkins.
• Carmelo Gordian joined Holland & Knight as a partner in its corporate, M&A, and private equity practices in Austin. He joins from A&O Shearman.
• Will Barnette joined King & Spalding as a partner in its business litigation practice in Atlanta. He joins from Home Depot.
• Christopher DiPompeo joined Willkie Farr & Gallagher as a partner and co-chair of its bankruptcy litigation practice in Washington. He joins from Jones Day.
• Saif I. Shah Mohammed joined Fried Frank as a partner in its asset management M&A practice in Washington. He joins from Kirkland.
• Robert Graham joined Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder in its private equity practice in Chicago. He joins from Katten Muchin Rosenman.