Goodwin Procter picks up Travers Smith property finance partner

Lyons has been a banking partner at Travers since 2003, focusing on real estate finance and leveraged finance on the lender and sponsor sides.

He advises banks on debt originations and restructurings, as well as clients in the real estate and private equity funds sector.

His clients include Lloyds Banking Group and RBS. He was also part of the Travers team advising Metric Property Investments on its recent £800m merger with London & Stamford Property (3 December 2012).

He will serve the City firm’s standard notice period of six months and is not being put on gardening leave.

Goodwin Procter said Lyons would also support the expansion of the firm’s London private equity practice.

London chair Davis Evans, who joined the US firm from Ashurst in late 2011, said in a statement: “Paul brings significant expertise in all aspects of real estate debt finance to our growing London team. As real estate debt markets continue to evolve in Europe, particularly with the expansion of the non-bank lending sector, new opportunities are emerging. Paul will further strengthen Goodwin’s ability to serve its clients as they capitalise on these market shifts.”

Firm chairman Regina Pisa added: “We are committed to continued, focused expansion in London and are pleased that Paul has chosen Goodwin as the platform for his future practice.”

The hire follows a recent recruitment spate that has seen Goodwin Procter hire real estate funds partners Evans and Samantha Lake Coghlan from Ashurst (11 October 2011) and Linklaters property partner Joe Conder last year (14 May 2012).

Travers managing partner Andrew Lilley said: “I, as we all do here, wish Paul well. He’s somebody we’ve enjoyed working with and we hope to continue to do that.”