CHARLOTTE (February 10, 2026) – Paul Hastings LLP today welcomes a second wave of hires to the premier Fund Finance team that recently joined in Charlotte. The new attorneys — coming together from three of the top practices in the fund finance space — join forces with the powerhouse combination that the firm announced last month.
The latest move unites a team from Cadwalader led by partner Danyeale Chung and including partners Olivia Stewartand Brian Kettmer; of counsel Matt Downer from Mayer Brown; and of counsel Meghan O’Reilly from Haynes Boone, with previously announced additions from Haynes Boone – led by partner Holly Loftis and including partners Aleksandra (Aleks) Kopec and Mark Nesdill – who established Paul Hastings’ Charlotte office two weeks ago. The group also reunites with recent London partner addition Jennifer Passagne and adds multiple associates as it builds to 15-20 attorneys.
“As the global leader in finance and financial services advising virtually every major bank and direct lender in the world, adding premier talent like Olivia, Brian and this group of top fund finance attorneys, in a vital banking and financial center like Charlotte, immediately strengthens Paul Hastings’ position among the top firms in the fund finance market, which is set to reach more than $2.5 trillion by the end of the decade,” said Fund Finance practice chair Eric Schwitzer. “We’re thrilled to welcome the team to the Paul Hastings platform.”
Chung, whose move was announced last week, represents some of the largest and most prominent lenders in the fund finance industry in structuring, negotiating, documenting and syndicating multijurisdictional and multicurrency subscription facilities and other lending arrangements, often across from top-tier sponsors. She previously practiced with Loftis at both Cadwalader and Mayer Brown.
“Reconnecting with Holly and building a top-tier group of fund finance lawyers was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” said Chung. “The market has been seeking a single provider for all lending transactions, so what better firm to join than Paul Hastings, with its global finance platform ranked Band 1 across Banking & Finance, Private Credit and Capital Markets. We’re extremely well positioned to meet demand and deliver superior service and efficiency to clients.”
Named a Fund Finance Rising Star by the Fund Finance Association, Stewart represents banks and financial institutions as lenders and lead agents in structuring, negotiating and documenting subscription credit facilities, NAV-based facilities, hybrid facilities, umbrella facilities, subordinated tranche facilities, term loan facilities and other adjacent types of fund financing transactions for private equity funds.
Kettmer advises banks and financial institutions on a broad range of subscription-based financing solutions for private equity funds. His practice encompasses the structuring and negotiation of revolving credit facilities, term loans, umbrella facilities, NAV-based lending arrangements, hybrid structures, subordinated tranches, separately managed accounts and other customized fund finance products.
Downer focuses on fund finance and representing lenders in negotiating and documenting subscription credit facilities to private equity and real estate funds. O’Reilly counsels leading commercial and investment banks and other financial institutions on fund finance and other finance transactions.
Collectively, the group has advised financial institutions such as Bank of America, Citizens Financial Group, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, J.P. Morgan, PNC, Société Générale and Wells Fargo.
In 2025, the Paul Hastings Global Finance team scored 15 No. 1 year-end rankings and more than 30 top-five rankings from the leading league tables. The group closed more than 500 debt financing and preferred equity transactions, totaling over $260 billion in aggregate financing, advising lenders and underwriters in financing transactions ranging from $10 million to over $20 billion.
Paul Hastings is a Chambers USA Band 1 firm for Banking & Finance, Private Credit and Capital Markets: High-Yield Debt, as well as recognized by Chambers UK for Banking & Finance: Lenders: Big-Ticket, and has been recognized as Banking Law Firm of the Year by Chambers USA. One of the world’s leading legal advisers for leveraged finance, fund finance and private credit, Paul Hastings represents virtually every top investment bank and direct lender, including Apollo, Atlas, Bank of America, Blackstone, Brookfield, Goldman Sachs, Franklin Templeton, KKR, Morgan Stanley, Nuveen, PIMCO and Wells Fargo.
