Freshfields LLP has recently strengthened its energy and infrastructure practice by hiring Alistair McKechnie as a finance partner in London from rival firm Paul Hastings LLP. The appointment follows Freshfields’ earlier recruitment of Jessamy Gallagher and Stuart Rowson, who also joined from Paul Hastings in March 2025.
McKechnie brings expertise in infrastructure and acquisition finance, having previously advised both sponsors and major European financial institutions. Before his time at Paul Hastings, which he joined as a partner in 2023, McKechnie worked at Latham & Watkins as an associate.
According to Jessamy Gallagher, Global Co-Head of Energy and Real Assets at Freshfields, McKechnie’s arrival comes at a “pivotal moment” for the firm as it seeks to expand its global offerings across various sectors including energy, energy transition, and broader infrastructure. Gallagher emphasized that this appointment marks a strategic step in Freshfields’ accelerated growth plans across Europe, the United States, and beyond.
Alex Mitchell, Global Co-Head of Leveraged Finance at Freshfields, noted that McKechnie’s appointment demonstrates the firm’s commitment to providing private capital clients with market-facing technical expertise and strategic guidance for complex financing transactions.
This hire is part of Freshfields’ broader strategy to strengthen its private capital capabilities, with particular focus on energy transition and infrastructure sectors. The move represents the latest development in an ongoing talent acquisition effort, as Freshfields reportedly hired eight additional professionals from Paul Hastings for its global energy and infrastructure practice, including seven associates.
Meanwhile, Paul Hastings has been making its own strategic moves, recently appointing energy and infrastructure partners to co-head its new Abu Dhabi office and adding a Paris-based partner to strengthen its business
