Industry focus
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP maintains its excellent reputation for private funds, advising on traditional fund formation mandates for major fund sponsors, alongside alternative capital raising. The team is highly skilled across the full breadth of fund-related issues, covering tax and regulatory aspects across the UK, Europe and the US. Leading the team is Geoffrey Kittredge who draws on two decades of experience to advise on fundraisings with multijurisdictional elements. Shawn D’Aguiar, who joined from Goodwin in July 2024, is well-versed in a broad scope of investment fund matters, from capital raising and carry planning to continuation vehicles and coinvestments. Matthew Dickman regularly assists international sponsors. John Rife is particularly active, leading a number of the team’s marquee transactions. Splitting her time between the London, Paris and Frankfurt offices, Patricia Volhard is lauded for her ‘excellent commercial support’.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Mentions
Profile
Work Department
Funds and Investment Management
Position
Matt Dickman, a London-based partner and member of the firm’s Funds/Investment Management Group, advises on the formation, management and reorganisation of private investment funds. Mr. Dickman is also a leader in the firm’s Alternative Assets Transactions and Liquidity Solutions Group, where he regularly advises fund sponsors and investors on GP staking transactions, including internal reorganisations and internal economic and governance arrangements, as well as seed investments in emerging fund sponsors and secondary transactions.
Mr. Dickman represents a broad range of international private equity and other private investment funds and their sponsors, including recent experience advising technology and venture capital funds.
Career
Mr. Dickman first joined Debevoise as an associate in 2012. He later became a partner at an international law firm in its San Francisco office before returning to Debevoise in London in 2018. This international experience gives Mr. Dickman a broad perspective on the funds markets in both the U.S. and Europe.
Education
Mr. Dickman received his B.A. in 2000 from Dartmouth College, his M.B.A. in 2007 from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and his J.D. in 2007 from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. He is admitted to the Bar in New York and California. He was previously a financial analyst in the mergers & acquisitions group of JP Morgan.
Content supplied by Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The firm has a unique fund formation team in terms of technical skills and market knowledge, allowing them to fit the best solution to clients' needs.’
‘I have been working with Shawn D'Aguiar and his team. He has shown a unique expertise and positive attitude. He has a long-standing niche experience.’
‘Very strong senior associate level across the teams. Good communication and collaboration between teams means a seamless service is provided through one contact point. Market knowledge is swiftly gathered.’
‘Kay Hunter is excellent - fully involved on our matters, very knowledgeable and on top of multiple workstreams, willing to make decisions where appropriate. Matt Dickman is good, reliable and available and has useful solutions-led suggestions but is sometimes a step removed from the action. Within the tax team, Veronika Polakova provides excellent, commercial support.’
Key clients
- LCM Capital LLP Tishman Speyer Glendower Capital, LLP Wafra Inc. LGT Capital Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. Park Square Capital Apera Asset Management LLP Metric Capital FitzWalter Capital Limited Exponent Private Equity LLP LeapFrog Investments DBAY Advisors Limited Igneo Infrastructure Partners AlbaCore Capital Partners
Work highlights
Advised FitzWalter Capital in connection with the raising of FitzWalter’s second fund, FitzWalter Capital Partners II, at c.$1.4bn, exceeding the target of $1.25bn.
Representing LeapFrog Investments in raising its fourth Emerging Consumer Fund, which will make equity and equity related investments in businesses that provide financial services (including insurance and adjacent products) or health care products and services to primarily low income and under-served people.
Advised LGT Capital Partners in connection with the fundraising of their latest secondaries flagship, Crown Global Secondaries VI, which has held a final close at more than $7 billion of capital commitments, exceeding the target size of $6 billion.