White & Case promoted Stephen Culhane and Henry Birch to Partner positions.
White & Case, a globally renowned law firm, has bolstered its private equity and investment funds capabilities with the appointment of two new partners: Stephen Culhane in New York and Henry Birch in London.
Stephen Culhane, a seasoned lawyer with extensive expertise in investment management, joins the firm. His practice focuses on the formation, structuring, and operation of fund products, including private equity, real estate, and private credit funds. Culhane's experience spans secondary investments, venture capital, international real estate, specialty finance, and special situations programs.
Before joining White & Case, Culhane served as a Co-Head of the Investment Management Practice at another leading law firm. He also held prominent roles at Goldman Sachs, where he served as an Associate General Counsel and the Legal Director to Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s Private Equity Group.
Henry Birch, an accomplished advisor to private equity funds and financial investors, also joins the firm. Birch's comprehensive approach ensures clients receive holistic advice throughout their investment lifecycle, from initial acquisition to exit. His arrival at White & Case follows a successful tenure at Kirkland & Ellis, where he was also a partner.
The appointments of Culhane and Birch significantly enhance White & Case's private equity expertise and investment funds practice. With Culhane's expertise in investment management and fund structuring, and Birch's focus on private equity transactions, the firm now offers a more comprehensive service to clients.
This strategic move improves the firm's global footprint in private equity and investment funds, allowing it to better serve clients across major financial hubs. Thierry Bosly, co-head of White & Case's Global Mergers & Acquisitions Practice, emphasizes the client synergies and strong bench that Henry Birch brings to the firm, particularly in Paris, London, Frankfurt, the Nordics, and the Middle East.
Oliver Brettle, White & Case partner and Vice Chair, highlights the firm's ongoing strategic priority to continue building globally to advise their corporate and financial sponsor clients on their most important and complex transactions. Emily Brown, Head of White & Case's Global Investment Funds Practice, also speaks of the synergy between Culhane's practice and the firm's global base of leading asset management clients.
Heather McDevitt, White & Case Chair, endorses Stephen Culhane as a respected lawyer with strong fund sponsor experience. She also notes that the appointments underscore the firm's commitment to expanding its expertise in private equity and investment funds, positioning itself as a leader in these areas.
According to Henry Birch, there was an increase in both investments and exits in private equity in 2024, and he expects this trend to continue in 2025. This optimistic outlook aligns with White & Case's successful 2024, which saw a 12.5 percent increase in revenue, driven in part by high levels of private equity activity that have continued into 2025.
In summary, the addition of Stephen Culhane and Henry Birch as partners at White & Case marks a strategic expansion in the areas of private equity and investment funds. This move brings significant synergies and expertise, enhancing the firm's capabilities in these critical sectors and positioning it as a leader in the global private equity landscape.
Stephen Culhane, given his proficiency in managing fund products such as private equity, venture capital, and specialty finance, will contribute to White & Case's finance-oriented business with his expertise. Henry Birch, an expert in advising private equity funds and financial investors, will utilize his comprehensive approach to provide clients with counsel from initial acquisition to exit, focusing on Business transactions.
