A pair of recent hires by Willkie Farr & Gallagher is the latest sign of a hot market for private equity lawyers. Matthew Rizzo, based in New York, practiced at Sidley for almost seven years and led the firm's private equity practice. In joining Willkie, he returns to the firm where he started his career. Partner Jessica Sheridan, who will work out of the firm's Houston and New York offices, is also making the move from Sidley. “Our clients are quite active, and law firms are quite anxious to build out private equity expertise as result of that,” Rizzo said Tuesday. leaving Kirkland & Ellis Kirkland for Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.