April 8 (Reuters) - Longtime Cravath, Swaine & Moore

private equity lawyer David Perkins has joined law firm Sidley

Austin as a partner in New York, marking the latest in a string

of partner hires by the firm in recent days.

Perkins co-led the private equity group at Cravath, one of

Wall Street's top firms. Its website said his clients there

included American Securities, Brookfield, ECN Capital ( ECNCF ), Westbrook

Partners and White Mountains Insurance Group ( WTM ).

Yvette Ostolaza, chair of Sidley's management committee, in

a statement said Perkins has a "strong client following" and

that his hire expands the firm's growing private equity work,

particularly with middle-market clients.

Perkins did not immediately respond to a request for

comment. A Cravath spokesperson said the firm wished him well in

the move.

Cravath historically rarely lost partners to rival firms or

made outside partner hires. That has changed in recent years as

some partners have left and others have joined.

Sidley in the past week has hired several other partners in

New York, including M&A lawyers Andrew Fadale from Milbank and

George Hunter from Jones Day.

The firm also brought on former Weil, Gotshal & Manges

partner Amy Rubin as co-chair of its employee benefits and

executive compensation practice, which sits within the firm's

M&A and private equity group.