In the clubbish world of private equity, few lawyers have more sway than Mike Francies. As the London managing partner of Weil Gotshal & Manges, the New York-based firm, he cuts an unassuming figure in person but has a reputation as one of the hardest-working lawyers in the City. His departure ten years ago is still lamented at Clifford Chance. "If any firm in the City was to take out key man insurance it should be Weil," one rival says. Under the guidance of Francies, the firm swiped much of Lovells' private equity practice and became the first American firm to take the lead in a bid for an FTSE100 company, representing Terra Firma in its £11 billion bid for Alliance Boots. It then acted for the private equity house on another headline-grabbing deal, helping it to snare the music group EMI for £3.2 billion. Born in Israel and raised in North London, Francies, 51, graduated from Manchester University and supports Watford FC.

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