Cravath private equity leader joins rival law firm Sidley

By Sara Merken

April 8 (Reuters) - Longtime Cravath, Swaine & Moore private equity lawyer David Perkins has joined law firm Sidley Austin as a partner in New York, marking the latest in a string of partner hires by the firm in recent days.

Perkins co-led the private equity group at Cravath, one of Wall Street's top firms. He said his practice cuts across private equity, fund formation and insurance sector clients.

He said he remains optimistic about the deal market, even as it has been chilled by uncertainty sparked by the Trump administration's policies. President Donald Trump's new tariffs, and the global equities sell-off they sparked, have rapidly scuttled acquisitions and IPOs.

Market turmoil could drive more transactions in some areas, such as in deals between asset managers, he said.

Cravath historically rarely lost partners to rival firms or made outside partner hires. That has changed in recent years as some partners have left and others have joined.

Sidley in the past week has hired several other partners in New York, including M&A lawyers Andrew Fadale from Milbank and George Hunter from Jones Day.

The firm also brought on former Weil, Gotshal & Manges partner Amy Rubin as co-chair of its employee benefits and executive compensation practice, which sits within the firm's M&A and private equity group.