Debevoise Bolsters London Secondaries Team with Veteran Lawyer Mary Lavelle — Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

Event summary

Mary Lavelle joins Debevoise & Plimpton as a partner in its London Private Fund Transactions and Investment Management Groups on September 21, 2026.
Lavelle specializes in complex secondary transactions, including continuation vehicles, LP portfolio sales, co-investments, and recapitalizations.
She previously served as Global Co-Head of Private Funds and Secondaries at another leading international law firm.
Lavelle holds a B.A. in Modern Languages and Philosophy from the University of Oxford (2005) and completed her legal training at BPP Law School (2007).

The big picture

Debevoise's addition of Mary Lavelle underscores the firm's strategic focus on strengthening its secondaries practice amid rising demand for liquidity solutions in private capital markets. The move comes as secondary transactions become increasingly complex, requiring specialized legal expertise to navigate continuation vehicles, LP portfolio sales, and other structures. Lavelle's extensive experience positions Debevoise to better serve sophisticated sponsors and investors in an evolving market landscape.

What we're watching

Market Positioning: How Debevoise's expanded secondaries team will influence its competitive standing in the European private capital market.
Client Demand: Whether the growing complexity of secondary transactions will drive increased demand for specialized legal services.
Regulatory Adaptation: The pace at which regulatory frameworks for secondary transactions evolve, impacting legal strategies.