Global law firm Ropes & Gray has strengthened its transatlantic restructuring and special situations offering with the appointment of Samuel Norris as a partner in its capital solutions and finance group, based in London.
Sam is one of Europe’s leading special situations lawyers, with particular experience in advising credit funds and alternative lenders on complex distressed transactions. His expertise also ranges from bespoke lending solutions and asset-based financing, to distressed M&A and leveraged buyouts. His clients include credit funds, public companies, hedge funds, and specialty and special situations investing firms.
Sam joins one of the world’s leading special situations teams, featuring more than 20 partners and 50 associates, who regularly work on deals in this area of the market across the globe.
Based in London, he will further strengthen the team’s transatlantic offering, working closely with business restructuring partners Matt Czyzyk, who joined the firm’s London office in June 2020 and Ryan Dahl, who has joined this month, based in the firm’s New York and Chicago offices. Sam’s arrival also builds on the appointments over the past two years of business restructuring partners Cristine Pirro Schwarzman and Matthew Roose, alongside capital solutions and finance partner Leonard Klingbaum and finance partner Andrea Hwang, all based in the firm’s New York office.
David Djaha, managing partner of Ropes & Gray, said: “We are one of the few select global law firms that have the geographic footprint – spanning Asia, Europe and the US – as well as the market insight and investment knowledge to act on the most sophisticated special situations matters in the market. Sam will play a key role in further strengthening our offering in this area, both in London and globally.”
“As companies and investors continue to deal with new economic realities and disruption, Sam’s arrival will help us meet an increasing demand from our clients, add additional depth to our capital solutions and finance group, and complement the firm’s growing restructuring practice,” said David Blittner, co-chair of Ropes & Gray’s private equity transactions group.
Will Rosen, managing partner of Ropes & Gray’s London office, said “Our strategy is focused on becoming London’s pre-eminent international law firm for private capital clients. Sam’s appointment is another step towards that goal, building on the appointments not just of Matt Czyzyk in June, but of funds partner Tom Alabaster in May and financial regulation partner Eve Ellis, as well as the promotion of private equity partner Elizabeth Todd, in 2019. We will continue to invest in areas such as funds and restructuring, as well as PE and finance.”
Sam joins Ropes & Gray from the London office of a global law firm, where he was a partner.