LONDON (FEBRUARY 13, 2026) – Sullivan & Cromwell LLP announced today that Patrick Bright and William Needham will join the firm as partners. Their arrival continues the momentum in S&C’s London office, reflecting increased client demand for the most sophisticated advice across high yield, private credit, restructuring and special situations.
“The addition of Patrick and Will marks another important milestone in the continued growth of our London office,” said Robert Giuffra and Scott Miller, Co-Chairs of Sullivan & Cromwell. “They are outstanding lawyers with deep experience in the private capital markets, and their arrival significantly enhances our ability to support sponsors, investors and lenders across the private capital spectrum in Europe. We’re delighted to welcome them as partners of S&C.”
Mr. Bright is a preeminent capital markets lawyer and joins to lead the firm’s high yield capability. He regularly acts for leading investment banks, sponsors, corporates and bond investors on marquee high-yield offerings and leveraged finance transactions. His experience also spans bond restructurings, complex capital markets transactions and general U.S. securities law matters, giving him a deep familiarity with capital structures across the debt cycle. Mr. Bright is ranked as a Leading Individual by Chambers UK for Capital Markets: High Yield Products, a Market Leader for Capital Markets: High Yield by IFLR1000 UK and as a Leading Partner for High Yield by Legal 500 UK.
Mr. Needham joins as Co-Head of S&C’s European Restructuring and Special Situations practice. He is a leading restructuring and special situations lawyer with first-hand experience as a principal investor. Ranked by Chambers UK for Restructuring and Insolvency, his practice focuses on complex cross-border restructurings, distressed debt, bespoke capital solutions and private credit workouts for asset managers, sponsors and corporates across Europe. Mr. Needham has advised on a wide range of prominent restructurings and special situations, including creditor committee roles, sponsor-driven restructurings and complex capital solutions involving high yield, private credit and hybrid instruments.
“Patrick and Will are not only recognised as market leaders in their respective fields, they also bring highly complementary practices at the intersection of high yield and restructuring,” said London Co-Managing Partners Kon Asimacopoulos and John Horsfield-Bradbury. “Our clients increasingly want exceptional lawyers who can operate seamlessly across the debt spectrum. Patrick and Will, together with our continued growth in specialty lending, acquisition finance, private equity and restructuring, are well placed to meet that demand.”
About S&C’s Credit and Leveraged Finance Practice
Lawyers in S&C’s Credit & Leveraged Finance Practice work on a wide range of financing transactions to meet the diverse needs of corporate borrowers, private equity sponsors, private credit providers, financial institutions and other market participants. We structure and execute financing arrangements for our clients with an emphasis on ensuring that financing terms align with business needs and objectives, and on efficient deal execution. Our practice is highly active across a wide array of industries: industrials, technology/AI, energy and natural resources, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, real estate and beyond.
About S&C’s Restructuring and Special Situations Practice
Sullivan & Cromwell’s Restructuring and Special Situations Practice represents debtors, creditors, owners, strategic investors and litigation parties on matters around the world. The practice has been widely recognized, earning The American Lawyer’s“Dealmakers of the Year,” Benchmark Litigation’s “Bankruptcy Firm of the Year” and a Law360 “Practice Group of the Year” for Bankruptcy, in addition to numerous awards for major transactions such as the global insolvencies of FTX and SVB Financial (the holding company for Silicon Valley Bank).
About Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP is a leading global law firm that advises on major domestic and cross-border M&A, significant litigation and corporate investigations, finance and corporate transactions, and complex antitrust, regulatory, tax and estate planning matters. Our firm’s hallmarks are the highest-quality independent advice and intense dedication to solving client problems. Founded in 1879, S&C has more than 1,000 lawyers located in offices in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Palo Alto, London, Frankfurt, Paris, Brussels, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo, Melbourne and Sydney.
