Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is praised for its ‘broad expertise across various investment products’ and adeptly handles complex fundraising processes for a global client base. Chaired by Phillip Isom alongside asset management co chairs Margery Neale and Lior Ohayon in New York, the team advises sponsors on fund formation, management company structuring, governance and economics, and the documentation that supports fundraising and ongoing operations. A significant feature of the practice is liquidity and strategic transactions, including continuation vehicles, secondary transfers, GP stake investments, seeding and team spinouts. Matthew Block is key to this secondaries and liquidity solutions-focused work, and Arash Farhadieh has recently been active on the closing of major flagship funds. Laura Friedrich and Brian Greene advise US domestic and international private equity sponsors on fund formation and investment strategy.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Brian Greene - Partner and trusted advisor and day to day contact. Insane work ethic. Mindful of timing and deadlines. Tremendous experience with private funds as well as with our business and HNW channel.'
- ‘The Willkie team consists of highly experienced individuals who we have worked with for at least a decade. They have built significant trust and expertise with the business. Overall, Brian Greene is excellent partner who finds the right balance of being commercial while still highlighting key issues for consideration. Also very strong junior level support. They are quick, thoughtful and efficient.’
- ‘WFG has broad expertise across various investment products. They are top notch and bill very efficiently.’
- ‘Deep bench of quality attorneys to do deal work for our venture capital funds.’
- ‘The team at Willkie is not only excellent at the technical work but they are also commercial and business oriented.'
- ‘Willkie Farr’s Private Equity Funds Practice demonstrated exceptional skill in guiding us through a complex transaction involving the integration of an insurance company and an asset management platform.'
- ‘Stand out partner: Arash Farhadieh. Stand out senior associate: Matt Pei. My assessment of Willkie's practice is based on these individuals -- therefore, what I said about the practice, I would say about them. They know all the terms, the implications of various tradeoffs, and how to accomplish their clients' goals. In addition, they execute very well, both negotiation and carrying a transaction across the finish line. They are very responsive.’
- ‘Willkie's private equity funds group is simply very, very good. They know all the terms, the implications of various tradeoffs, and how to accomplish their clients' goals. In addition, they execute very well, both negotiation and carrying a transaction across the finish line. They are very responsive.’
Key clients
- Acceleration Resources
- Access Capital Partners
- Alliance Consumer Growth
- Apogem/NYLIM
- Aquiline Capital Partners
- Arch Capital Group Ltd.
- Arrowroot Capital Management
- Artist Capital Management LLC
- Asland Capital Partners
- Astorg Partners
- Auldbrass Partners
- Banneker Partners
- BlackFin Capital Partners
- Blue Water Energy
- Bridge Growth Partners
- C2 Energy Capital
- Cibolo Energy Partners
- Demeter Partners
- Discovery Americas
- Ekkio Capital
Work highlights
Represented Insight Partners in connection with the closing of its thirteenth flagship fund with a dedicated co-investment fund for buyout transactions, as well as the closing of its structured equity fund, Opportunities Fund II. The funds closed with total capital commitments of $12.5 billion.
Represented Post Oak Energy Capital, LP in connection with the $600 million close of Post Oak Energy Partners V, LP, and the formation of an approximately $164 million co-investment vehicle.
Advised Venrock on the formation of Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners XP, L.P. (VHCP XP) at $500 million.
Practice head
Phillip Isom; Margery Neale; Lior Ohayon
Other key lawyers
Matthew Block; Arash Farhadieh; Laura Friedrich; Brian Greene; David Hong; Larissa Marcellino; Terence Rozier-Byrd; Matt Pei