Kirkland & Ellis International LLP has a premier private funds team, which advises on the full breadth of issues concerning the formation of funds. The team is sought out by a stellar clientele of private equity sponsors, and the firm’s top-tier reputation attracts a significant number of first-time sponsors. Richard Watkins is a go-to for fund formation, fundraising, and the fund-related aspects of major acquisitions. Christopher Braunack is well known for assisting investment firms with the formation of funds across a broad range of asset classes. Theodore Cardos, an expert on continuation funds, has an impressive track record in the secondaries market. Amala Ejikeme regularly advises on multi-billion-dollar closings, while Anand Damodaran advises on an array of fund products, including traditional closed-end private funds, funds-of-one, and evergreen products. Aleksander Bakic has a strong track record in GP-led secondaries transactions; Andrew Shore is proficient in the structuring of private funds; and Amy Fox is well-versed in complex sub-sectors, including co-investment and carried interest arrangements.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Kirkland's private funds team is highly experienced and very knowledgeable. Their advice is always considered, timely and pragmatic.’
‘Kirkland & Ellis’s private funds team stands out for its deep market knowledge, commercial approach, and ability to handle complex fund structures with ease. Clients benefit from their global reach, consistent responsiveness, and highly strategic advice.’
‘The individuals at Kirkland & Ellis are reliable, highly responsive, and very knowledgeable. They combine deep technical expertise with a commercial, solutions-oriented approach. I’ve valued their clarity, consistency, and ability to handle complex matters with confidence and efficiency; their client-first mindset and professionalism truly set them apart.’
‘K&E have a leading position in the private equity fund formation and GP-led secondary market. Their market knowledge is unmatched in my opinion. Given the velocity of our fundraising, the resourcing of our mandates has been great; I would highly recommend them.’
‘I particularly rate Andy Shore and Aleks Bakic very highly. ’
Key clients
- Ares Management Corporation
- Basalt Infrastructure Partners
- Chorus Capital
- EQT
- FSN Capital IK Partners
- Inflexion
- Nordic Capital
- Preservation Capital Partners
- Proventus Capital Partners
- Resolution Life
- Thoma Bravo
- Triton
Work highlights
Advised Nordic Capital on its second mid-market fund, Evolution Fund II, closing at €2bn.
Advised IK Partners on the formation of its buyout fund IK X, which recently held its final close at over €3.3bn.
Advised Vitruvian Partners on the formation of Vitruvian Investment Partnership V (VIP V), which recently held its final closing at €7.3bn.
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
Richard Watkins; Christopher Braunack
Other key lawyers
Theodore Cardos; Amala Ejikeme; Anand Damodaran; Aleks Bakic; Andrew Shore; Amy Fox