By Olivia Fishlow | Updated on Oct 12, 2026 at 03:08 PM
DLA Piper is hiring three senior lawyers from Latham & Watkins to join its growing capital solutions business as it continues an aggressive push into the private credit market.
The group will be led by Jesse Sheff, who spent 16 years at Latham, and has advised asset managers including Apollo Global Management Inc., and BlackRock Inc., according to people with knowledge of the matter. Seung-Ju Paik and Preeta Paragash are also joining, the people said, asking for anonymity to discuss private information.
Sheff was a partner at Latham, while Paik and Paragash were both counsels. All three are moving to DLA Piper as partners.
The additions underscore DLA Piper’s ambitions in private markets as it goes on a hiring spree to build out its business advising on private credit, leveraged finance and strategic capital initiatives. Latham & Watkins ranked as the top legal adviser to lenders on US leveraged loans in 2025, both by deal count and transaction value, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
In March, DLA Piper started its capital solutions practice led by Ranesh Ramanathan, the former head of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld’s special situations and private credit business, and also brought on Alex Cushman and Daniel Wayte from the firm. The law firm expects to hire several more teams this year, the people with knowledge said.