Silke Bernard > Linklaters > Luxembourg, Luxembourg > Lawyer Profile
Linklaters Offices
AVENUE JOHN F. KENNEDY 35
L-1855 LUXEMBOURG
Luxembourg
- Firm Profile
- Go to...
Silke Bernard
Work Department
Investment Funds
Position
Silke is a Partner in the Luxembourg Investment Funds Group and is currently heading the practice.
Silke specialises in alternative investment funds, being the key contact for some of the largest global fund sponsors in private markets.
Her practice covers the full range of investment funds including retail and professional funds, with special expertise in alternative investment funds such as private equity, real estate, private credit and other alternative asset funds and investment management arrangements. Silke has been the counsel for several ground-breaking deals for some of the largest asset managers. Her practice includes the structuring, establishment and regulation of funds and asset management businesses, including the setting-up of co-investment structures, tailored managed accounts e.g. for sovereign investors and regulatory work (e.g. licensing and passporting procedures) in the asset management sphere. Silke covers all types of diversified, regulated, unregulated and tailored investment structures including beyond a typical fund set-up.
Besides her alternatives business Silke further has deep knowledge of retail investor funds (UCITS and UCIs) and is the legal counsel to a number of flagship funds distributed by some of the biggest asset managers around the world.
Languages
French, English, and German
Memberships
Silke is heavily involved in the activities of the fund industry organisations in Luxembourg. She is chairing several working groups of the Luxembourg fund industry association (ALFI) and of the Luxembourg Private Equity Association (LPEA). She has been leading Luxembourg’s industry efforts on European Long-Term Investment Funds (ELTIFs) and currently on the Pan-European Personal Pensions Product (PEPP). Her industry involvement further covers various other fields such as e.g. infrastructure, private equity or private debt. She is a committee member of the European asset management association (EFAMA) in Brussels and is a regular speaker at various national and international conferences and industry roadshows.
Country of Admission: Germany and Luxembourg
Education
>2004 Second State Examination, Germany
>2001 Master of Law (D.E.S.S.) in France
>2000 First State Examination, Germany
Lawyer Rankings
Luxembourg > Investment funds
(Leading individuals)With ‘strong bench strength from the partners down to junior associates’, Linklaters has the the critical mass to handle a tremendous volume and range of work for many of the highest-profile international fund managers, particularly within the alternative asset space. Here the team excels in advising on complex cross-border matters and is noted for its cohesion ‘and excellent ability to work well with other offices in the network’, including London. Team head Silke Bernard is ‘very well plugged in to many of the key industry forums and bodies’, ensuring she is abreast of market trends, including as these relate to the growing importance of ELTIFs. Of counsel Hermann Beythan is ‘very well connected’ and is a ‘reassuring presence’ across a wide range of matters, including the structuring of RAIFs and funds of funds, as well as the creation of AIFMs and other regulatory issues. Other key members of the team include the ‘thoughtful and commercial’ Claire Prospert, as well as the ‘highly technical’ counsel Adrien Timmermans, who along with Martin Mager spearheads the team’s investor-side work.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Banking, finance and capital markets
- Commercial, corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution
- Investment funds
- Private equity
- Real estate and construction