Relationships are important in any area of law, but in the world of private equity designation—where lawyers from opposing counsel help decide which lawyers a client should use—these links have added importance.

Power has been concentrated within a small group of sponsor lawyers, which themselves have favoured law firms and lawyers for lender-side work they designate regular mandates to.

Law.com International spoke with about 20 top U.K. private equity and finance partners and other commentators, to find out the institutions and individuals deemed to be operating at the top of this system.