Linklaters snares first fundraising role for Cinven

Linklaters partner Jonathan de Lance-Holmes snatched the relationship off Ashurst partner Jeremy Sheldon last year (The Lawyer, 20 June 2011).

The magic circle firm is advising on Cinven’s e5bn (£4.35bn) fundraising. Cinven is expected to hold the first closing of at least half of the e5bn target for the ­private equity fundraising.

Ashurst partner Sheldon advised the London-­headquartered company on its £6.5bn fundraising in 2006 and on previous fundraisings. Sheldon has since retired.

Ashurst also advised Cinven on a number of other deals, including the sale of car park operator NCP to 3i Group for £555m in 2005.

The company was also a client of former Ashurst finance partner Erica ­Handling, who left the City firm to join Barclays Capital last year.

Another partner on the Cinven relationship, David Arnold, left for Kirkland & Ellis last summer (The Lawyer, 1 June 2010).

De Lance-Holmes was a partner in Linklaters’ Moscow office between 1995 and 2006 before moving to London, where he now heads the investment ­management group.