Most Highly Regarded Firms: Private Funds 2012
In this section we analyse the findings of our research in greater depth to identify the firms and practitioners who stand out worldwide.
| THE INTERNATIONAL WHO’S WHO OF PRIVATE FUNDS LAWYERS 2012 | |
|---|---|
| Most highly regarded individuals | |
| Lawyer | Firm |
| Jason Glover | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, London |
| Mark Mifsud | Kirkland & Ellis International LLP, London |
| Stephanie Breslow | Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP, New York |
| Paul Roth | Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP, New York |
| Iain Cullen | Simmons & Simmons LLP, London |
| Bridget Barker | Macfarlanes LLP, London |
| Thomas Bell | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York |
| Iain Mcmurdo | Maples and Calder, Cayman Islands |
| Andreas Rodin | P+P Pöllath + Partners, Germany |
| Jeffrey Tabak | Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, New York |
Walkers is the top performing firm in this year’s rankings with 14 listings. The firm offers a global service to clients in the funds industry and we feature lawyers representing seven of their nine offices. Jonathan Tonge is the firm’s managing partner of regions and of the firm’s Jersey office with an “excellent reputation” in the industry. Mark Lewis is the managing partner of clients and is “extremely well-versed” in hedge funds. Ian Ashman is the firm’s managing partner of practices, and is based in Dublin where he concentrates his practice on private equity and is “highly knowledgeable” in fund formation. Anne Forbes-Harper in the London office of the firm is a “brilliant technician” and her practice encompasses fund formation work for private equity and hedge funds, with a focus on emerging markets. Based in Jersey, Jonathan Heaney is “well-known” for his investment funds expertise, which covers both hedge funds and private equity.
At Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, 13 lawyers gain recognition, eight of whom are based in the New York office. Co-chairs of the private equity group David Schwartz and Michael Harrell are nominated for their “exceptional work” in the field of private equity fund formation. Schwartz represents sponsors in the formation of private investment funds and Harrell, who is also co-chair of the investment management group, is experienced in advising sponsors in a range of private investment funds including buyout, growth capital, distressed debt, media and telecommunications and mezzanine funds. Rebecca Silberstein is an “excellent lawyer” and advises investment banks, financial institutions and boutique firms as sponsors of funds. Jennifer Burleigh is another well regarded name, and focuses her practice on alternative assets, in particular private investment funds. Three lawyers feature from the London office, including “star performers” Geoffrey Kittredge and Anthony McWhirter who both receive high praise for their work in this field. Kittredge represents a broad range of private investment funds and their sponsors comprising leveraged buyout, mezzanine, real estate, secondaries funds and funds of funds. McWhirter advises on multi-jurisdictional funds and is particularly experienced in fund-related taxation issues. Chair of the firm’s private equity practice in Asia, Andrew Ostrognai is based in the Hong Kong office and noted for his “extensive experience” in private equity fund formation.
SJ Berwin LLP fields a strong team of 13 lawyers including six from the London office. The firm’s senior partner, Jonathan Blake, has a “longstanding reputation for excellence” in the private funds sector and Victoria Younghusband is an “outstanding practitioner” with a wide range of asset management experience that encompasses advising investment funds and their directors, asset managers and sponsors for closed ended and open ended funds. Sonya Pauls divides her time between Munich and London and advises both national and global fund managers, with a focus on emerging markets. Founder and managing partner of the Paris office, George Pinkham is a “superb practitioner” with a prominent practice specialising in the creation of private investment funds. The “excellent” Benjamin Aller manages the Dubai office and his practice focuses on closed-ended funds for institutions investing into a wide range of vehicles, including private equity real estate funds and mezzanine funds.
Ten lawyers are selected for inclusion from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Based in New York, Thomas Bell oversees the firm’s private funds practice and is consistently highly nominated in our research. Alongside him, Michael Wolitzer focuses on alternative asset management and is praised for his representation of some of the most high profile sponsors of private equity funds such as Blackstone and Silver Lake. In London, Jason Glover is “outstanding” and represents many of the most high profile European and developing market private equity firms. Philip Culhane, in the Hong Kong office has an Asian and international presence and is considered “first rate”.
NORTH AMERICA
Almost a third of the lawyers included in this edition reside in the USA, with 105 US lawyers being recognised for their excellence in this field. Of these, 64 are based in New York, 15 in California and 11 in Massachusetts.
Two leadings individuals stand out at Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP: Stephanie Breslow and Paul Roth. Co-head of the investment management group, Breslow is “first class” and advises on fund formation of liquid-securities funds and private equity funds. Roth is chair of the investment management group and a founding partner, he has over 40 years of experience in the private investment funds sector and is “a definite inclusion to any list of the best”.
Marco Masotti at Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP is deputy chair of the corporate department and is “well-known” in the global alternative asset management industry for his counsel to a variety of investment fund vehicles.
Co-founder of Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP and chair of the firm’s financial services, private funds and capital markets group, Michael Tannenbaum is a “highly regarded individual” and is “greatly respected” in the industry. Jeffrey Tabak is co-head of the private equity fund formation practice at Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP and is a “distinguished” lawyer in the field. At Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, Yukako Kawata is co-head of the investment management/private funds group. A “top name” in the industry, she advises clients on the formation of funds with diverse investment strategies.
Nine lawyers feature from Canada. Nicholas Dietrich is a partner in the Toronto office of Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP and has advised on the formation of over 200 private equity and hedge funds in Canada and overseas. Patricia Koval at Torys LLP also ranks highly and has advised sponsors and managers of a range of funds. Alix d’Anglejan-Chatillon from Stikeman Elliott LLP is a “great lawyer” with a client list including North American and European based investment funds.
EUROPE
England lays claim to more leading lawyers in the private funds sector than any other European jurisdiction, with 47 lawyers chosen for their outstanding expertise.
At Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Mark Mifsud is “first-class” and has experience in a number of jurisdictions advising private equity managers in relation to fund formation. Bridget Barker of Macfarlanes LLP is head of the investment funds and financial services group and has “extensive experience” in advising clients on both onshore and offshore private funds. Iain Cullen at Simmons & Simmons specialises in the formation of hedge funds and is “internationally renowned”. At Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, David Billings heads the investments funds practice group and his main focus lies in the representation of private investment funds and their sponsors.
In Luxembourg, four lawyers are listed from Arendt & Medernach. Among them is Claude Kremer, a founding partner and head of the firm’s investment management industry group and a “trusted advisor” to the global fund and asset management industry.
Jacques Elvinger is one of three lawyers selected from Luxembourg-based firm, Elvinger Hoss & Prussen. Head of the investment funds practice, Elvinger is “highly recommended” by peers and clients.
David Dillon, founding partner of Dillon Eustace in Ireland is another “leading light” in Europe, and advises a number of US hedge fund managers on the formation of hedge funds. P+P Pöllath + Partners fields four lawyers, including Andreas Rodin; one of the “foremost practitioners” in Germany for structuring private investment funds.
OFFSHORE FIRMS
Offshore firms remain popular choices for seeking counsel by many private fund managers and our research recognises the depth of expertise these firms possess with their multiple representations throughout this edition.
Maples and Calder also performs well with 11 lawyers selected. Iain McMurdo, global head of the private equity group, advises on the formation of private equity funds and on the structuring of hedge funds and is an “excellent lawyer”. David Brooks is also “highly recommended” and his practice focuses on the establishment of offshore hedge funds and private equity funds.
Ogier earns nine listings in this edition. Peter Cockhill is “highly regarded” by peers and clients and is managing partner of the Cayman office and co-head of the firm’s global investment funds team. James Bagnall, also based in the Cayman Islands is a “great technician”. Head of the Guernsey office, William Simpson specialised in investment funds and is “highly knowledgeable” in the sector.
Five lawyers are featured from Mourant Ozannes. Managing partner Neal Lomax is a “prominent lawyer” with an “impressive skill set” making him a popular choice for clients.
EMERGING MARKETS
In the emerging markets we see nine lawyers based in Hong Kong making the list. At Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Justin Dolling receives recognition for his private equity investment funds practice and in particular his ability to structure complex multi-jurisdictional funds.
Based in Beijing, China, Richard Guo at Fangda Partners specialises in private equity fund formation and RMB funds. His “impressive” client list includes Blackstone and Carlyle and he is the sole practitioner from China selected for this edition.
Based in Chile, Felipe Cousiño at Alessandri & Compañía performs well in our research, and is a “top name” in Latin America.
In the Middle East, six Dubai-based lawyers are recognised for their expertise in the sector. Zubair Mir at Herbert Smith LLP is praised for his expertise in the formation of conventional and Islamic investment funds.