Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison is continuing to strengthen its private equity and M&A practice in London hiring a partner from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. According to two people with knowledge of the move, Paul Weiss has hired partner Paul Foote, who joined Simpson Thacher in 2020 from Clifford Chance, and spent a year on secondment at asset management firm Blackstone in 2021 and 2017, according to his LinkedIn profile. Paul Weiss posted one of the highest ten year annualized growth rates in London at 23% as the firm's numbers have swelled since its major build-out in 2023. The hire builds on a busy 2025 of lateral hiring for the firm, when it brought in, among others, Francesca Stoney-Harris from Kirkland & Ellis in November and launched a litigation practice in April, hiring Richard Hornshaw from Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld. The firm promoted eight partners in December, bringing London lawyer numbers to around 250, including over 40 partners, a stark comparison to two years ago when the london office was viewed as a small outpost to its New York headquarters. Foote's move was first reported by Financial News. Neel Sachdev, co-head of the London office, told Law.com in September that the focus had shifted to the pipeline of talent within the firm rather than depending on laterals. Simpson Thacher strengthened its own private equity offering in October hiring Nick Appleton from Kirkland & Ellis. The firm regularly acts for private equity giant Blackstone, including a $20 billion partnership between Blackstone and Legal & General. A spokesperson for Simpson Thacher said: “We thank Paul for his contribution to the firm and wish him well for the future.”