Debevoise & Plimpton LLP announced today that Sam Whitaker has joined the firm as an international counsel in London.

Mr. Whitaker joins the firm’s Corporate Department. His practice is focused on employment and benefits, and includes advising on transaction-specific employment issues as well as stand-alone employment matters.

His transactional experience includes working on employment issues across various transaction types, including listings, share and asset transactions, joint ventures and other transactions.

Outside of the transactional context, Mr. Whitaker also has deep experience in areas such as employment and benefit arrangements for senior executives, executive severance arrangements, redundancy exercises and related consultation requirements, establishing share incentive and bonus plans, employment-related disputes and investigations, data privacy and compliance with regulatory requirements on remuneration.

Richard Ward, Co-Managing Partner of Debevoise’s London office, comments: “Sam is a stand-out advisor who has built considerable trust with major clients across a considerable spectrum of employment advice. I’m excited to be welcoming him to the team.”

Paul Bird, Head of Debevoise’s European Corporate Practice, added, “Sam’s experience in handling employment and benefits matters in complex cross-border transactions will serve our corporate and private equity clients well, and we look forward to his contributions to our international M&A practice.”

Prior to joining Debevoise, Mr. Whitaker was a partner at another international law firm where he worked in the Compensation, Governance & ERISA practice. He graduated in 1990 with an LL.B. from King’s College, London. He was admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales in 1995.