Kirkland & Ellis International LLP is noted for its strength advising investment funds and private equity firms, covering the full range of tax matters. The group demonstrates expertise acting both within the UK and internationally. Key names include Mavnick Nerwal, whose specialism is M&A and restructuring work, Alexander Cox, who is a leading name for the structuring of investment funds, and private equity expert Peter Abbott. Ceinwen Rees, who joined the group in January 2024 from Macfarlanes LLP, is ‘a real talent’, with strength in investment funds tax. James Morgan, whose practice covers corporate transactions and financings, also joined in 2024, shifting from Linklaters LLP. Frixos Hatjantonas covers tax matters relating to M&A, debt financing, and private fund formation, among other issues.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
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Accolades
Client satisfaction
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Great reputation for fund formation and transactional work for funds.’
‘Ceinwen Rees has joined K&E from Macfarlanes and is a real talent.’
‘The K&E London tax team are top drawer and comprise an embarrassment of riches.’
‘Art Ward is frustratingly intelligent. He knows the answer before you have asked the question, and he is unusually clear and eloquent in communicating both the problem and the solution.’
‘Ceinwen is commercial and technically excellent. She is eager to help and can navigate complex issues and distil them to easy to understand advice. Also, genuinely a lovely person and a pleasure to work with.’
‘The team have up-to-the-minute market knowledge and are super responsive when needed.’
‘Peter Abbott is clearly extremely knowledgeable, but it is also his communication, relationship building, network and responsiveness that marks him out from his peers.’
‘Kirkland has an outstanding reputation in fund formation, including related tax aspects. They offer a well-integrated fund formation service to mutual fund clients, which makes it great to work with them. ’
‘The partners I often work with are Ian Ferreira and Emma Faulkner-Hill. They are both up to speed with tax aspects in relation to investment funds.’
Key clients
- 17Capital
- GIC
- Morrisons Group
- Blackstone
- Brookfield
- EQT
- GLP Capital Partners
- Kohlberg Kravis Roberts
- ASDA Group
- Apollo
Work highlights
Advised ICG on the structure for ICG’s EUR1.5 billion pan-European distribution and industrial platform, Metropolitan Last Mile.
Represented Asda Group in the acquisition of EG Group’s UK and Ireland operations for an enterprise value of c. £2.27 billion.
Represented Morrisons Group and its shareholder Clayton Dubilier & Rice on the pre-sale reorganisation and subsequent sale of its forecourts business for EV development to the Motor Fuel Group.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Other key lawyers
Alexander Cox; Mavnick Nerwal; Ceinwen Rees; James Morgan; Peter Abbott; Alan Walker; Ian Ferreira; Art Ward; Emma Faulkner-Hill; Frixos Hatjantonas