A Conversation With Alum Daire Carr, European Counsel at H.I.G. Capital

At the outset of his career as an editor in the publishing industry, Daire Carr could never have imagined he would dramatically switch gears professionally to play a pivotal legal role in advising a leading private equity fund. Yet however unlikely the switch from wordsmith to lawyer, the versatility and diversity of experience he gained in the process ultimately set him up for success.

Carr now serves as European Counsel at the global alternative investment firm H.I.G. Capital, acting as head of legal for the PE fund’s European business operations. He collaborates with external advisers to identify solutions to legal matters surrounding the fund and then shares his commercial solutions with executive management. Since joining H.I.G. in 2021, Carr has come to realize the true impact of his role: “I’m a lawyer, but it feels very much like I am a key business partner within the firm.”

Carr began his career as a commissioning editor for one of the last independent academic presses in London. After three years, however, he grew weary of the challenges posed by the rapidly evolving market, driven by the consolidation of publishing houses, and the advent of digital publishing. Seeking an alternate path, he became drawn to the legal profession, which offered its own kind of academic challenges.

He was struck by how advanced Big Law in London was regarding the social and cultural dimensions of the work environment. “What I found was that these big firms were really at the cutting edge of thinking more broadly about what it is to work in a professional culture, and what that means to the people who work there.”

Carr soon landed a two-week work experience placement with Sidley in 2010, brought about by a networking connection to Robin Parsons, an insolvency and restructuring lawyer at the firm. He soon noted how intelligent people were at Sidley, the open-door policy held by everyone, and the time partners invested in him — even when they were swamped with client work. Of the latter, he said, “It sent just the right signal.” After completing his two-week work experience placement, Carr was invited to interview for and was subsequently offered a training contract at Sidley, which he started in 2013 following two years at law school. He praised the firm for viewing his age and prior non-legal experience as assets.

Carr was then offered an associate position in 2015 with Sidley’s Corporate M&A team. He immediately appreciated that everyone was encouraged to assume as much responsibility as they desired. Focusing on corporate and PE real estate deals, Carr worked closely with the partners and senior associates on a number of challenging matters. “I took on large, complex, very demanding deals, which were incredibly enjoyable at the same time. This was at a time when real estate was becoming an extremely attractive asset class for PE firms in Europe. That meant there was a conveyor belt of work coming through on PE real estate mandates.”

After fulfilling roles as both an associate and — after 2021 — senior associate, Carr opted to seek experience working in-house, directly for a client. In 2020, he was offered a secondment with KKR & Co. Carr remembers relishing the opportunity to ply his legal skills on the client side. “This was the ideal transition to in-house counsel, having a beautiful continuity with my previous role where I can still work within my Sidley network. It did not feel like I was leaving Sidley.”

One of Carr’s mentors at the time was Tom Thesing, now Managing Partner of the London office. He remembers that when he was considering going in-house, Thesing and many others were fully supportive. A collaborative process ensued: The partners went to their clients and cast a wide net for available in-house opportunities. This collaborative effort culminated in Carr obtaining his current position with H.I.G.

Sidley had played a pivotal role in Carr’s current success and position in his career. He continues on as not only an alumnus, but a valued connection in Sidley’s network.

Published October 2024

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