White & Case Adds New Co-Head of Private Credit Group in Boston

White & Case is bringing on Proskauer Rose partner Vincenzo Lucibello as co-head of its U.S. private credit and direct lending group as the firm expands its Boston office.

Lucibello works with private credit providers, including specialty finance companies, private debt funds, business development companies, sovereign wealth funds and other private sources of capital on lending transactions.

“Private credit, obviously, particularly in the past couple of years, has just exploded,” Lucibello said in an interview.

His addition expands White & Case’s Boston operation, which opened in 2016 with a group of lawyers from McDermott Will & Emery, including the former head of that firm’s white collar and defense practice Michael Kendall. Since then, the office has grown to more than a dozen lawyers.

Boston has been a key market for expansion for law firms. Last week, London-headquartered Allen & Overy opened an office in the city with a group of intellectual property partners from Goodwin Procter.

Lucibello’s addition follows the hire of debt finance partner Brad Laken from Katten Muchin Rosenman in Chicago in November.

A former Baker McKenzie associate, Lucibello joined Proskauer in 2011 from Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom before becoming a partner in 2015.

“My trajectory has really been the trajectory of private credit in general,” he said.

White & Case is a full-service finance platform that does bank and syndicated finance for borrowers and lenders, in addition to private credit, which made it a “very appealing place to land,” Lucibello said.

As the private credit market expands, private equity clients are looking to direct lenders as an alternative financing option, said Eliza McDougall, White & Case’s Regional Section Head of Americas Banking, in a statement.

“Vinny has strong client relationships and a track record advising a wide range of lenders in the private credit space that have clear synergies with our existing practice,” she said.