White & Case London PE practice downsized

Six more private equity associates have left White & Case’s London office bringing the number of recent departures to 11, the law firm confirmed.

The exits began with the resignation of private equity partners Richard Youle and Katja Butler this month. Youle’s clients included CapVest, HgCapital, Terra Firma, Global Infrastructure Partners and Oaktree Capital. Youle and Butler both joined the London office of Skadden, Arps, Meagher and Flom, a global law firm, taking a team of five private equity associates with them.

A spokesman for White & Case did not comment on where the six departees are going. The firm’s London office has eight private equity partners and 30 private equity associates remaining.

The spokesman said White & Case was focusing on M&A and private equity as part of its growth strategy, but declined to comment on recruitment plans.