Profile
Work Department
Position
Partner
Career
Nicholas is based in Walkers' Ireland office where he is a partner and head of the Asset Management and Investment Funds group in Ireland.
Nicholas has twenty years' experience in the area of asset management and investment funds and has worked in both legal and finance related positions during this time. Nicholas has extensive experience advising funds, promoters and service providers on a wide range of asset management and investment fund related matters, including on the establishment, authorisation and operation of all types of Irish investment funds including UCITS, QIAIFs, RIAIFs, fund of funds, ETF's, master-feeder structures and closed-ended funds. Nicholas has experience advising across a wide range of asset classes and investment strategies including hedge fund, private equity and real estate strategies as well as more traditional liquid investment strategies, with particular expertise in advising managers of fixed income and debt focussed investment strategies.
Nicholas also has extensive experience advising on cross-border asset management and investment fund related matters and has previously advised on the establishment of investment fund platforms involving funds in jurisdictions outside of Ireland, including parallel investment fund structures.
Nicholas has participated in various industry association working groups and committees (including those at the Investment Association, ICI Global and EFAMA) and has attended meetings at ESMA in Paris in order to provide technical guidance on investment fund related matters. Nicholas currently sits on the AIF Regulation Working Group, the ILP Implementation Working Group and Brexit Steering Group at Irish Funds. Nicholas has spoken at a wide range of investment fund conferences and currently lectures on the Certified Investment Fund Director Institute programme which is delivered in London, Zurich and New York.
Memberships
Nicholas is also a member of the UCITS Product and Brexit Steering Groups at Irish Funds.
Nicholas is a trustee and board member of Kidscape, the UK anti-bullying charity.
Education
Bachelor of Business and Legal Studies (BBLS), University College Dublin
Masters in Business Administration (MBA), London Business School
Diploma in Applied Finance Law, Law Society of Ireland
Content supplied by Walkers
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Nicholas Blake-Knox has very good industry knowledge and provides detailed and commercial-minded advice on all aspects of Irish investment fund regulatory law.'
‘Aongus McCarthy - very hard working and completely responsive. Nicholas Blake-Knox - total expert and acknowledged in the market with great access.’
‘Great team, always responsive, well resourced and easy to deal with.’
‘Great people with a commercial and collaborative mindset.’
‘Walkers has built a very good reputation for investment funds in Ireland, with a particular focus on alternatives, including credit. This is well supported by their strong financial capabilities.’
‘The Walkers team have a deep knowledge of the Irish Funds industry and has gone to great lengths to ensure they are on top of all developments.'
‘Market leaders, pragmatic, knowledgeable, friendly and just brilliant law firms and individuals.’
'The Walkers team shine in the private funds space through their technical skills and capabilities in the provision of advice to global investment managers, managing cross-jurisdictional projects with efficiency and expertise. The team is friendly, well-organised, responsive and collaborative.’