Sullivan & Cromwell has hired two London-based Weil, Gotshal & Manges partners as it continues to build out its private capital capabilities in the City. Christopher McLaughlin and Alastair McVeigh are joining Sullivan & Cromwell’s London office as partners, with McLaughlin set to lead the firm’s private equity sponsor and borrower acquisition and leveraged finance practices in London, and McVeigh tapped to lead S&C’s European private credit offering. The pair’s move underscores the firm's strategy of scaling up in London. Last year, Sullivan & Cromwell launched an ambitious hiring strategy in London, starting with the additions of Shearman & Sterling partner Barnabas Reynolds, Kirkland & Ellis restructuring partner Kon Asimacopoulos and Weil's Francies, in a move that fuelled market chatter about whether Sullivan & Cromwell was positioning for further lateral hires—potentially from both Kirkland and Weil. In the months that followed, the firm then returned to Kirkland for partners Aprajita Dhundia and Ian Fereira, as well as a number of associates. Firm leaders told Law.com in September that they want to grow the London office broadly in line with New York, while not expanding at the same scale or pace as some rivals, including Kirkland—and the latest Weil defections suggest the strategy is gaining traction on multiple fronts. London co-managing partners Asimacopoulos and John Horsfield-Bradbury said in a joint statement: “The arrival of Chris and Alastair to S&C is a major step in the execution of our private capital strategy in London. "They are top-tier lawyers across private equity acquisition and leveraged finance, private credit, direct and specialty lending. Together, they will play a key role in the growth of our finance offering in Europe. Their experience and approach align closely with our firm’s global platform and our market-leading U.S. finance practice.” Francies led Weil’s London office for more than two decades and is regarded as one of the City’s most influential U.S. law firm leaders. He was managing partner of Weil’s London office from 2000 to 2023, having joined the firm from Clifford Chance. Francies has experience across all types of public and private transactions, in both domestic and cross-border deals spanning multiple industry sectors. He is known for advising advises private equity funds, corporates, and financial advisers. Weil was contacted for comment.