Kirkland & Ellis restructuring partner Paul Atherton has backed out of a move to Greenberg Traurig Maher (GTM) and is set to continue at Kirkland's London arm.

Last week (25 March) the ambitious City start-up announced Atherton was set to join its team alongside fellow Kirkland restructuring partner Jason Salman. However, Atherton has subsequently decided to stay at the firm after considering his options. Salman is still set to make the move across the City.

Atherton joined Kirkland as a partner from the London office of Sidley Austin in 2008 where he had been an associate since 2002.

Kirkland's former head of restructuring, Lyndon Norley, left the firm last year to join GTM, having brought in both Salman – who joined from Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft – and Atherton.

Kirkland's European restructuring team, led by Kon Asimacopoulos and Partha Kar in London and Leo Plank in Munich, has had an active year so far, taking roles on some high-profile restructurings.

These include the Japan Airlines proceedings and the Readers Digest administration and Chapter 11 of its US parent company.

Chicago-based practice head James Sprayregen commented: "We are very happy with our restructuring group in London. They have been getting more and more important mandates for larger clients and we think of them, in combination with the team in Munich, as being very important strategically to our global position in the restructuring market."