12 Jan 2026
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer hires Stuart Brinkworth as partner in Finance practice
"Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has hired Stuart Brinkworth as a partner in its London Finance practice, where he will focus on leveraged finance and private equity-related transactions."
Stuart joins the firm from Mayer Brown, where he was a leveraged finance partner. A highly experienced lawyer with two decades practising as a partner, he advises UK and international sponsors, bidding consortia and lenders on UK and cross-border leveraged finance transactions. He acts across sectors including healthcare, media, technology, sport, real estate, financial services, business services, retail and leisure, and advises on private equity-backed leveraged buyouts, management buyouts/buy-ins, public bids, M&A and recapitalisations. He also has experience advising lenders, sponsors and borrowers on distressed situations and restructurings. Highly rated in the leveraged finance market, Stuart was at the forefront of the development of unitranche financing in the European leveraged finance market and is ranked in Band 1 for mid-market leveraged finance by Chambers & Partners.
His arrival is part of the firm’s ongoing investment in its Finance capabilities across Europe, following recent hires in Frankfurt, Paris and Milan.