Willkie Farr & Gallagher has hired Solomon Wifa as partner in London office, as the firm expands its asset management practice.

Wifa joins from O'Melveny & Myers, where he was head of O'Melveny's London office and a member of the Investment Funds Practice.

Wifa, a well-established investment funds lawyer with experience across a diverse range of asset classes, has represented sponsors in the formation of, and institutional investors with respect to their investments in, global private equity, hedge, buyout, mezzanine and venture capital funds.

He has advised on a wide range of secondary transactions involving private equity and hedge funds and on formation of emerging market funds investing in Sub-Saharan Africa, China, India, Turkey and Central and Eastern Europe.

Wifa is Co-Chair of the African Venture Capital Association’s (AVCA) Legal & Regulatory Committee and a member of the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA) Legal and Regulatory Council.

Peter Burrell, head of Willkie’s London office, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sol to Willkie and to our London office. Our expansion in London continues to attract top talent, and Sol will be a key component in our growth. We expect to continue this expansion over the near term.”

Willkie’s London office provides comprehensive advice in the areas of private equity, cross- border M&A, capital markets, compliance and enforcement, financial services regulation, white collar criminal and civil litigation, restructurings and tax.