Akin is a dominant force for secondary transactions, housing a top-tier buyside secondaries practice. Fundraising, fund formation and fund restructuring mandates are other common features of the team’s workload. Practice head Daniel Quinn is recognised for his prowess in GP-led secondary transactions and is a go-to for leading fund managers. Simon Ellis has a broad practice, handling on the one hand, fundraisings and coinvestment arrangements and on the other, complex LP portfolio sales. Qasam Mahmood is also singled out for his experience on secondaries transactions across asset classes.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Raquel Gordon is exceptional—intellectually rigorous, operationally sharp, and somehow manages to be both machine-efficient and deeply human.’
- ‘Daniel Quinn brings top-tier deal experience and a steady hand to any transaction. He knows the market cold and navigates negotiations with both credibility and clarity. Simon Ellis is meticulous, commercially astute, and always a step ahead—he simply doesn't drop the ball.'
- ‘Akin’s secondaries team stands out for its depth, responsiveness, and ability to work as a true extension of the client. They combine legal expertise with strong commercial judgment. The team is consistent across transactions and quick to adapt to different fund types and counterparties.'
- ‘Highly approachable, good sector knowledge and current market expertise through the blend of GP and LP side work, especially secondaries buyside and institutional LPs.’
- ‘Versatile team able to handle fund formation, co-investment, LP work and secondaries. An integrated practice capable of running an entire complex GP led / continuation vehicle transaction without the need to involve an additional M&A practice.’
- ‘Simon Ellis: strong client focus, short turn-around times, willing to go the extra mile to keep the client happy, easy to work with and provides good advice.’
Key clients
- Adelis Equity Partners Aliph Capital Aliter Capital Apollo Global Management Ares Management Company Clipway Coller Capital Echo VC Partners Everstone Expedition Growth Capital Glendower Capital Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) ICG Key Capital Partners National Trust of Scotland Oakfield Capital Partners Ocean Fund LP Oriens Pearl Diver Capital Phoenix Equity Partners Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners RIT Capital Rubicon Partners Stratus Group Sunridge Partners Turkven Private Equity Varsity Capital Wren House Infrastructure Management Limited
Work highlights
Acted for Adelis Equity Partners in the short and oversubscribed fundraise for Adelis Equity Partners Fund IV, a EUR 1.6 billion fund.
Advised CVC Secondary Partners and Pantheon Ventures as the co-lead investors in a GP-led secondary transaction raising €1.4bn, initiated by Astorg, a leading pan-European private equity firm.
Advised Phoenix Equity Partners on the formation of a £200 million continuation fund through which Phoenix extended its partnership with large-scale trade exhibitions company, Nineteen Group, and private pay dental group, Envisage Dental.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Daniel Quinn
Other key lawyers
Simon Ellis; Qasam Mahmood