Stephen Lucas

Kirkland & Ellis

Stephen Lucas has become so strongly identified with Kirkland & Ellis’s success in the UK that it is easy to forget he has had a stellar banking career at some of the City’s biggest names, such as Clifford Chance, Linklaters and Weil Gotshal.

But it is at Kirkland that Lucas has had the biggest impact, where he has created a formidable team with Neel Sachdev. Together, the pair have shaped the market in debt advice for private equity, and with an extraordinary track record of building teams, Lucas has been instrumental in building the biggest success in City law for a decade.

But this is not solely a story about effective management and leadership. The past 12 months saw Lucas advise on deals for Blackstone, CPPIB and Kirkbi on their recommended public offer for Merlin Entertainments; for portfolio company client FNZ on its recommended public offer for GBST; for Vista Equity Partners on its acquisition of Accelya; for BC Partners and Vista Equity Partners on their acquisition of Advanced Computer Systems; and for Lion Capital on its acquisition of Crafts Group Limited, as well as advising Partners Group on a string of bids.

It is always hands-on work for the indefatigable Lucas, a ball of energy who likes to lead from the front.