K&L Gates has expanded its finance practice by adding four new partners in the London office. Matthew G.J. Duncan, Theresa Kradjian, and Paul Matthews join the firm from Sidley Austin. Sean J.W. Crosky came from Norton Rose, according to a release from the law firm.
Duncan represents clients such as lenders, investment and commercial banks, funds, issuers, borrowers, trustees, insurers, and others in a wide range of finance matters. He primarily focuses on RMBS, covered bonds, and the establishment of new lending platforms. Aside from advising on the purchase and sale of institutions and asset portfolios, Duncan works with clients on spin-offs/divestitures/carve-outs, restructurings, warehouse financings, and outsourcing agreements.
Kradjian advises on a wide range of ABS and RMBS financings. She has considerable experience on various cross-border structured finance deals, repurchase transactions, and securities lending arrangements.
Focusing on derivatives, Matthews has been developing the role of swaps and repurchase agreements in cross-border finance deals for over 15 years specifically on credit derivatives and synthetic securitization. He works with a range of financial institutions and investors in the U.K. and internationally.
Crosky advises clients including international banks, commercial mortgage lenders, and car manufacturers, among others, on different securitization, loan, restructuring, and finance deals such as those involving derivatives and other tax-structured products. He also has represented arrangers, originators, and trustees in offerings in the U.K., U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. Additionally, he has advised on a number of Shariah compliant structures in Europe and the Middle East.
"The growth of our London CMBS structured finance capability has made a significant contribution to the office's 18% revenue growth over the past two years," said Tony Griffiths, administrative partner of K&L Gates' London office. "Sean's recruitment sees us building to strength in that area as well as in Shariah finance. Matthew's top-rated RMBS skills not only complement the CMBS practice but also our market-leading U.S. consumer finance practice. Theresa's experience in U.S. and UK capital markets links our structured finance capability on both sides of the Atlantic, and Paul's derivatives practice nicely strengthens our UK derivatives offering. We are delighted that they have joined us."
