Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is well placed to act for a diversity of investment management businesses, ranging from newly established firms and boutiques to leading multi-strategy alternative asset firms and large financial institutions. The investment management group is made up of a fund formation practice and an investor side team that continues to be a popular choice on the structuring and expansion of businesses, regulatory and compliance matters as well as on fund related transactions. Rebecca Silberstein co-leads the team, and her key strengths lie in advising on the formation and ongoing administration of buyout funds, among others. Fellow co-head Lorna Bowen advises some of the firms’ landmark clients and their funds, including Global Atlantic Financial Group and KKR, and they are both based in New York. The deep bench also includes Andrew Ahern, who is based in both the New York and San Francisco offices and advises on secondaries transactions on both the sponsor and investor side, while New York based Jonathan Adler works on establishing private equity funds in the US and across Europe and Asia. Justin Storms and Jason Auerbach are further key names in New York, while Marc Ponchione  and Sheena Paul bolster the Washington DC location, frequently acting for financial services companies on transactional and regulatory mandates. Among the recent team changes were the promotions of Joe Binder in San Francisco and Luke Eldridge in New York to partner in July 2023.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP maintains a strong position in the private equity space, serving a broad client roster that spans across middle-market and smaller managers to preeminent private equity firms and global investors. The team covers private fund formation and maintenance across every asset class, appearing on behalf of both the sponsor and investor on complex fund formations, restructurings, transactions and related regulatory matters. Practice head John O’Neil is a preeminent name in this space and services funds of all kinds from the Chicago office. Erica Berthou and Andrew Wright bolster the firm’s New York office, with the former having experience in fund formation in emerging markets, next to advising on strategic private investments, while the latter has extensive experience with funds focused on industry sectors. Further key names in New York are Katrina Rowe, whose broad advisory offering encompasses buyout, credit and distressed debt funds, co-investment arrangements as well as compliance and regulatory matters and Daniel Lavon-Krein who is co-head of the firm’s strategic GP Advisory practice. In Chicago, Kelly Ryan and Katie St. Peters are names of note, while Nicole Washington is a key contact in Washington DC. In January 2023 John Senior joined the New York office from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, and is part of the liquidity solutions team, while in November of the same year, David Sherman rejoined the practice from Latham & Watkins LLP. James Donohue joined from Goodwin in Boston in April 2024.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is reputed for its strength in real estate funds and on managing secondaries transactions. The team is well versed in private equity fund raises, co-invest vehicles and on establishing separately managed accounts for high profile sponsors and asset managers, with notable names including Blackstone, The Carlyle Group and Oaktree Capital Management. Practice head Michael Wolitzer advises well known private equity funds sponsors and private investment funds across diverse asset classes and sits in New York. Further strengthening the New York office are preeminent corporate and private funds partner Barrie Covit, Jonathan Karen, who is well versed with infrastructure and real estate funds and secondaries transaction expert Lauren King. Los Angeles based Thomas Wuchenich advises on high-value fund formations and on strategic fund transactions, and is supported by John Kreager and Matthew Kemp, both of whom made partner in January 2024, while in New York Sage Hughes and Jessica O’Connell were made partner in January the previous year.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is well regarded in the private equity funds space and has a wealth of experience advising on the formation of traditional funds, funds of separately managed accounts and co-investment vehicles. The group receives mandates from a diverse client base, among which are leading financial institutions, asset managers, real estate and infrastructure investors as well as family offices and emerging fund sponsors. A trio of practitioners oversee the department: Shukie Grossman and Edward Sopher in New York, who bring with them extensive experience in the formation and operation of private equity funds, alongside Jennifer Bellah Maguire in Los Angeles, who focuses on investor and sponsor side asset manager transactions. Further key names are New York based Roger Singer, who specializes in funds investing in real assets and Bill Thomas in Washington DC, who frequently acts for fund sponsors, institutional investors and joint venture partners. John Senior left the firm in January 2023, while in June 2023 Kevin Bettsteller joined the team from DLA Piper LLP (US), further strengthening the firm's regulatory expertise.

Latham & Watkins LLP's investment funds team handles the full spectrum of private equity sponsors, ranging from emerging managers and middle-market sponsors to high-profile global asset managers. The group has extensive experience in the formation and structuring of private equity funds and alternative products including comingled funds, co-investments and fund of funds while additionally advising on GP led secondaries and liquidity solutions. New York based Matthew Chase took over leadership of the investment funds team in November of 2023, and covers the full gamut of fund formation matters for significant sponsor clients. Also in New York is Andrea Schwartzman, a key partner in the team who is well regarded for her experience in capital raises, secondary transactions and portfolio investment structuring, alongside Edward Nelson, whose expertise in leveraged buyout and venture capital is beneficial for fund structuring. Barton Clark and Aaron Gilbride round off the team in Washington DC. The team was strengthened in February 2023 when Michael Milazzo joined the firm from Kirkland & Ellis LLP, while David Sherman left the team in November 2023.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP‘s stellar client roster includes several of the most prominent asset managers and middle market firms, who regularly turn to the firm for support on launching and forming flagship funds and private equity style products, fund raises, novel structures for impact and ESG focused funds as well as continuation funds and secondaries transactions. Leading the New York based team is Marco Masotti, who’s broad funds practice spans various asset classes, including private equity, credit, growth capital and real estate, among others, where his focus lies in large scale fund raises. Further notable names in New York include Victoria Forrester, who advises on business alternative asset management and related regulatory issues and secondaries transactions, Amran Hussein, who focuses on sponsor side representation relating to private investment funds, co-investments and secondaries transactions, and Maury Slevin and Robert Tananbaum who were both made partner in January 2023. Conrad van Loggerenberg, Matthew Goldstein and Lindsey Wiersma are further key names in the funds group, who work with some of the firm's most preeminent funds clients, including Apollo Global Management, The Blackstone Group, KKR and Crestview Partners. The team grew in 2023 with the addition of Brad Brown from 3G Capital in September.

Proskauer Rose LLP‘s private investment funds practice is praised by clients for its ‘deep bench and terrific expertise on both fund formation and regulatory work’. The team advises on the structuring and maintenance of private funds, among which are buyout, growth equity, credit and funds of funds, as well as having a particular strength in secondaries transactions and expertise across related tax and regulatory matters. Monica Arora and Howard Beber jointly lead the US based private funds group, with the former being based in New York and specializing on sponsor side advice to funds across diverse asset classes while the latter sits in Boston and focuses on private fund formation, secondaries transactions, including GP-led transactions. Other key names in Boston include venture capital and growth equity fund formation expert Robin Painter, David Tegeler, who is well versed in secondaries transactions and asset manager M&A deals and secondary fund liquidity solutions specialist Mike Suppappola. Credit funds specialist Chip Parsons and secondaries attorney Christopher Robinson are key members of the team based in New York.

Ropes & Gray LLP has a strong investor and sponsor side private funds practice that covers endowments, fund of funds and sovereign wealth funds across diverse asset classes, particularly buyout, venture capital, credit and real estate. Four practitioners oversee the team; In New York Morri Weinberg advises clients on primary, secondary and co-investment private funds, in San Francisco is Melissa Bender, who works with funds using novel hybrid structures, while in Boston jointly leading are Leigh Fraser and Peter Laybourn, with the latter advising on domestic and international fund formations, fundraising, and transactions. Marc Biamonte and John Ayer are further key points of contact, in New York and Boston respectively. The asset management group grew in 2023 with the additions of Warren Goodworth from Kirkland & Ellis LLP in May and Jonathan Rash from Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP in November, while in the same month Catherine Skulan was made partner.

Prominent asset management firms, institutional investors and private fund managers across real estate, venture capital, energy and credit turn to Akin for their expertise on diverse private fund types. The team is regarded for being ‘knowledgeable about the market’, with a standout feature being their expertise on emerging market funds. Barbara Niederkofler leads the team out of New York and is supported in the team by credit funds expert Blayne Grady in Washington DC, and Dennis Pereira in New York, who clients recommend ‘without hesitation’. Notable team developments in 2023 include the partner promotions of Jason Glennon in Dallas and Amanda Butler-Jones in Washington DC.

Goodwin‘s ‘top notch’ private investment funds team covers the full spectrum of private investment fund types across various asset classes, where the team has a strong track record with real estate funds, where institutional and high net worth individual investors operating on a national and global level comprise their client base. Mandee Gruen chairs the team and a member of the firm’s real estate industry and ESG and impact practices, with these areas being a focus of her private funds work. Gruen is based in New York, as is John Ferguson, who similarly advises on real estate funds, alongside infrastructure, debt and credit, private equity and fund of funds, while Paul Verbesey is a key name in Washington DC and Matthew Giles and up-and-coming partner Lynette Elam are key names in in Boston. James Donohue left the firm in April 2024.

Fund sponsors and institutional investors in private funds, including notable public pension plans comprise some of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP‘s key clients. The firm's wide-ranging practice handles the forming of new funds, separate accounts, co-investments, secondaries transactions and GP led restructurings. The team is jointly led by Jedd Wider in New York and Stephen Tirrell in Boston, with Wider focusing on global hedge, secondary, private equity and venture capital funds with a particular focus on funds of one and managed accounts and Tirrell advises on seed capital and compensation arrangements as well as the structuring and maintenance of various private fund types across diverse asset classes. Preeminent institutional investor partner Louis Singer leads on a wide range of matters and is based in New York, Courtney Nowell in Washington DC counts sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, family offices and endowments while in San Francisco Peter Phleger is a key name.

Alongside asset managers and private fund sponsors Paul Hastings LLP is a popular option for sovereign wealth investors, pension systems and other institutional investors. The practice covers a broad range of asset classes, including buyout, distressed and mezzanine debt, and venture capital with a high level of knowledge and experience in real estate funds. The team is largely based in New York and jointly led by Josh Sternoff who is praised by clients for his ‘excellent legal advice’, Michael Rosella , and John Budetti, who joined the firm in April 2023 from Kirkland & Ellis LLP and strengthens the firms offering across a gamut of matters in the private funds space. Max Rosenberg is a notable practitioner advising on co-investment vehicles, carried interest arrangements and secondary sales of fund interests where he handles some of the firms stand out clients, including Artemis Real Estate Partners and Oak Hill Advisors. Esther Chiang joined the firm in May 2023 from Goodwin, and deals with private equity funds, infrastructure funds, GP stakes funds and fund of funds.

Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP is well equipped to handle a broad range of funds in the private equity space, where they cover credit funds, special opportunity funds, real assets as well as new developments in the area such as hybrid funds focused on blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Overseeing the New York based department are Stephanie Breslow, who has expertise in the formation of private equity funds and the management and structuring of investment management businesses, Peter Greene, who is well versed in compliance and regulatory requirements for asset management companies, and alternative investments lawyer David Nissenbaum. Further key names in the team are liquidity funds lawyer Heather Wyckoff, real estate funds expert Phyllis Schwartz , and Joseph Smith, who clients praise as ‘first rate’. Among the team changes in the last year were the partner promotions of Daniel Blumenthal and John Weldon in January 2023.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP acts for prominent asset managers, namely Brookfield Asset Management and Sixth Street Partners, but is also frequently assists middle market and emerging clients in the space, where they cover the full spectrum of assets, with their recent workload including a multitude of buyout and growth equity funds. Practice head Jonathon Soler works on the sponsor side advising funds and institutional investors on formation matters and minority interest sales. Andrew Chizzik works with fund sponsors and limited partners on structuring and negotiating terms of private equity funds, real estate funds and venture capital funds, while Stephanie Srulowitz has extensive experience in secondary transactions, fund restructurings and continuation funds. All lawyers mentioned are in New York.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is a popular choice for financial institutions and wealth managers, private equity sponsors and managers who praise the ‘highly knowledgeable and responsive team’ for their ‘strong representation across traditional product structures and the evolving product landscape’. The practice covers liquidity solutions including LP secondary transactions, GP-led transactions as well as fund formations and restructurings across diverse asset classes. New York based partners Phillip Isom and Lior Ohayon jointly lead the practice, with the former counting spin-out transactions and buyer and seller representation during secondaries transfers to some of his areas of expertise, and the latter focusing on private equity, credit, infrastructure and real estate funds, both on a national and a global level. Further key members of the department also based in New York include Arash Farhadieh who advises private funds across the US, Europe and other emerging markets, Laura Friedrich, who works with private equity, venture capital and hedge funds and Matthew Block, who is well versed in secondaries and liquidity solution focused transactions and joined the practice from Kirkland & Ellis LLP in August 2023. Chicago lawyer Nathaniel Marrs joined the team in April 2024, bringing with him a focus on funds investing in the infrastructure sector from his previous position at DLA Piper LLP (US).

Notable US-based asset managers, including Apollo Global Management, Blackstone Credit and TCW Asset Management are key clients for the Clifford Chance private funds group, with the team frequently advising on credit fund formations, real estate debt funds, GP-led restructurings and secondary transactions mandates. The New York-based team is especially strong on cross-border mandates is jointly led by credit funds and real estate focused funds expert Michael Sabin and Clifford Cone, who works on fund formations across hedge, private equity and registered funds for the firms major clients. Further key practitioners in this space are Susan Burkhardt who is praised by clients as being ‘top tier for debt funds’, and Daniel Drabkin who is well regarded for his work with private credit secondaries funds. Enoch Varner joined the firm's Houston office in June 2023 from Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Cooley LLP is well known on the market for its venture capital funds expertise with regards to their formation and financing, where it remains a popular choice for both large venture capital investment funds and high-growth emerging fund managers. Practice head John Dado is located in the Palo Alto office and is a preeminent name in the areas of venture capital fund formation and buyout partnerships. Alongside Dado in Palo Alto are Shane Goudey and John Clendenin, who among them advise the firms notable venture capital clients including, Neo, Lux Capital and Industry Ventures, while in San Francisco Eric Doherty who handles various aspects of fund formation for US based and international private investment funds. Matt Smith joined the firm’s Boston office in May of 2023 from Kirkland & Ellis LLP, while Elizabeth Reese in San Francisco was made partner in January. Nicole Peppe left the firm in 2023.

Dechert LLP is engaged primarily by private equity firms and investment advisers in the financial services space, where the team regularly receives fund formation, structuring, capital raising and regulatory mandates. The team works sponsor side on various fund types, with recent examples including buyout, private equity, private credit and venture capital. Practice head Omoz Osayimwese is active in the firms New York office and works primarily with private equity and credit funds clients on fund formations and their ongoing management. Further key members of the practice are Tricia Lee in Austin, who works with high value private equity, real estate and credit funds, Lindsay Trapp in Charlotte bolsters the teams offering on cross-border fund formation matters, particularly Irish funds, and Carl de Brito in New York, who has a well-established practice working with notable global private equity funds, asset management firms and financial institutions.

DLA Piper LLP (US) has particular strength representing investors on the entire fund formation and management lifecycle, where they assist clients across real estate and infrastructure, energy, credit and private equity. Additionally, the team is well versed in GP led secondaries and advising on venture capital strategies. The leadership team is spread across Austin and Chicago. In Austin, David Parrish and Nicole Brennig focus on institutional investor clients and their alternative investments, while the Chicago office features Jesse Criz, who is particularly strong in the tax aspects of investment fund structures, and corporate and finance lawyer John Cusack. The team was bolstered in September 2023 when four partners joined the investment management and funds team from White & Case LLP, Evan Zhao, Mara Topping and Katherine McCullough joined the Washington DC office, while Andrew Kreisberg joined the team in San Diego. Former practice co-head Nathaniel Marrs left the team in April 2024.

K&L Gates acts for global institutional investors, asset management firms and on behalf of fund sponsors on diverse private equity fund formations and launches, on senior loan investments and major transactions. A further strength of the firm is its cross-practice capabilities, where clients benefit from expertise across tax and regulatory on fund formation mandates. Four practitioners oversee the practice: in Washington DC are Mark Amorosi and Ndenisarya Bregasi, while Michael Caccese and Clair Pagnano are in Boston. Sasha Burstein is a key practitioner and is based in San Francisco, where she covers private equity funds, credit and distressed credit debt funds as well as hedge funds and Edward Dartley is based in New York and focuses on alternative investment asset classes for institutional investors and private fund managers.

Hogan Lovells US LLP‘s growing investment funds practice stands out for its expertise advising Small Business Investment Company licensees and applicants on various fund formation and organizational matters. The team grew and added to its real estate capabilities significantly in November 2023, when Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP dissolved and New York-based partners across several departments joined Hogan Lovells, including infrastructure funds expert Richard Madris, Brayton Dresser, who focuses on real estate investment firms and David Olstein, who covers ERISA matters. Washington DC-based David Winter leads the team and has a broad practice representing both diverse sponsor and institutional investor clients. Further names to note are Bryan Ricapito and Madelyn Healy Joseph, both in Washington DC, Adam Brown in Northern Virginia, and venture capital expert Todd Schwartz, who joined the Silicon Valley office in September 2023 from Paul Hastings LLP.

Credit funds, real estate funds and insurance funds are the areas in which the Mayer Brown is particularly active, with the team acting primarily for fund sponsor clients on the structuring and formation of private funds, fund raising and regulatory compliance matters. In New York Timothy Clark advises private equity, venture capital, hedge and sovereign wealth funds on their formation and is additionally well versed in secondaries transactions, while in Chicago Wendy Dodson Gallegos has standout capabilities in real estate related investment strategies and together, they lead the practice. Tram Nguyen splits time between Washington DC and New York and is praised by clients for being ‘a real expert in SEC regulatory issues’ and Jim Kelly in Salt Lake City supports across a range of issues.

McDermott Will & Emery LLP has extensive experience acting as investment fund counsel over the entire lifecycle of a fund; from the initial fund raise, through to the operation and eventual exit. The firm acts for clients across the mid-upper market segment across various asset classes, most notably those in connection with the healthcare sector. Ian Schwartz leads the New York-based team and advises boutique sponsors and institutional investors across all private fund related matters, including regulatory and compliance. Further names to note are Luc Jansen and Prem Amarnani, who are both well versed in transactional matters, Erica Moscarello who specializes in hybrid funds, including those in the credit and real estate space and David Nestler who continues to advise on private investment funds for a growing mid-market client base.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP has a strong focus across the finance, technology, energy and infrastructure sectors for a global client base, where the private investment funds group primarily advises venture capital funds, including early stage and emerging sponsors, an area of expertise for practice head Dolph Hellman, who is based in San Francisco. Among the key practitioners are Washington DC-based Mary Wallace, who has expertise in co-investment structures and debt and equity transactions, while New York's Perry Teicher is well versed in fund formation matters and portfolio transactions. and Kenneth Rasamny in Orange County addresses regulatory matters for venture capital funds, private equity funds and debt funds.

Seward & Kissel LLP‘s investment management team is well regarded for their ‘excellent understanding of their market’ and ‘long term expertise in this area of law’. The firm frequently works on fund formation matters for middle market private equity funds, primarily on behalf of sponsors, across a variety of strategies and asset classes and has particular strength in regulatory aspects relating to every stage of the fund lifecycle. Patricia Poglinco and Robert Van Grover lead the team and are supported by Kevin Neubauer, whose broad practice covers private equity funds, private credit funds, venture capital funds and hedge funds and Joseph Morrissey provides advice to middle market fund sponsors and notable private equity firms regarding fund structuring and regulations. The team is based primarily in New York, where Christopher Riccardi and Dan Bresler are further names to note. Regulatory and corporate expert Daniel Viola joined the firm from SADIS & GOLDBERG LLP in August of 2023.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP‘s strengths lie in institutional investor representation, where they serve as fund counsel to government plans, universities, ERISA plans and private pension funds. The team is jointly led by Robert Bodansky in Washington DC, who is an expert in investment transactions for public and private pension funds and Steven Richman in Atlanta, who advises pension funds, endowments and family offices on their pooled investments, including in private equity and real estate. Michael Jordan and Evan Sarosi are among the names to note in Chicago, who both cover a wide range of investment strategies for the firms client base. Trevor Tullius in Washington DC is well versed in comingled funds and has experience working on emerging markets.

Winston & Strawn LLP represents both private fund sponsors on the structuring of funds spanning across various asset classes and institutional investors on co-investments and secondaries transactions, with a particular focus on middle market funds and investments. Meg Frey in Chicago and Scott Naidech in New York make up the leadership team, with the former having expertise advising both on the buyer and seller side of secondaries transactions, and the latter represents institutional investors and family offices on private fund investments as well as on regulatory and compliance matters. Bradley Mandel is based in Chicago is well regarded for his experience with secondaries transactions, with further key names to note in this location being Megan Devaney and Alan Roth, the latter of both specializing in SBIC licensing and regulatory compliance matters.

Besides private sponsors, managers and investors, Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP also frequently works with sovereign wealth funds. The team guides clients through the formation of new funds and fund raising, the restructuring of existing funds, drafting and negotiating related documentation, as well as on any regulatory matters. Practice head Carl Ruggiero who sits in New York is adept at the full range of alternative investment management. Key contacts also based in New York are Randy DeSmyter , who advises some of the firms’ major clients on the structuring, formation and regulatory issues related to funds, and Shaun Reader, who primarily works with sovereign wealth funds and high net worth clients.

Jones Day advises both fund sponsors and institutional investors on fund formation and maintenance across leveraged buyouts, real estate, infrastructure, venture capital and private credit assets, often in a cross-border capacity. Chicago based Michael Earley oversees the department and handles fund structuring, portfolio investments, secondaries transactions as well as co-investments for private funds clients. In Chicago are real estate private equity partner Trisha Mowbray and Jessica Thwing, who focuses on transactions for investment funds and their investors. Anna Moscioni and Thomas Devaney are further key funds lawyers to note and are based in the Cleveland and New York offices respectively.

Vedder Price is praised as ‘well-equipped to handle complex and sophisticated matters’ within the private fund formation space. The team handles all aspects of the fund formation process, including the launch of fund-of-one structures, across a variety of asset classes, on both the sponsor and investor side. Chicago based Joseph Mannon leads the practice and covers private equity, venture and real asset funds and he stands out particularly for his regulatory and compliance advice. Todd Lurie  from MetLife and Christine De Pree from Franklin Templeton were welcomed to the team in June and July of 2023 respectively, while Robert Crea left the firm in March 2023.