KWM appoints administrators

The European arm of King & Wood Mallesons called in administrators today, after it missed its original deadline of the January 9th.

The firm has seen a wave of high profile private equity lawyers leaving the firm, including private equity pioneer, Jonathan Blake, who has since joined O’Melveny & Myers.
Other private equity departures include top billing Paris heads of fund practice, Nathalie Duguay, who reportedly joined Wilkie Farr & Gallagher as an asset management partner.

Duguay’s co-head of funds in Paris, Arnaud Davis, left to join international US-based firm Reed Smith. The role under negotiation is unclear.

Recently pfm reported that Simon Witney, a former private equity partner and consultant at KWM, was headed to Debevoise & Plimpton, an international US-based firm, to take up a similar role.