Biography: Private funds

A partner in the corporate department and head of the investment management group, Robert M Hirsh focuses on the organisation, operation and restructuring of private investment funds, including buyout funds, hybrid funds and venture capital funds. He also focuses on international funds, including those targeted at China, India and Japan.

Mr Hirsh has handled organisational work for numerous buyout fund sponsors, including Aisling, Haas Wheat, KPS, Oak Hill, Perseus, Roark, Trilantic, TowerBrook, Unison, Wellspring and Wicks. Participating in the development of the terms for the individual funds, Mr Hirsh has acted as adviser with regard to the preparation of the funds' offering materials and fund raising strategies, and the preparation and negotiation of the definitive organisational documents.

Mr Hirsh has also handled transactional work involving funds, including employment arrangements and multi-billion dollar private equity fund spin-outs and restructurings, including the spin-outs from JPMorgan of JPMorgan Partners and the Bear Stearns merchant banking businesses and the spin-outs from Lehman Brothers of both Lehman merchant banking business and Lehman real estate private equity business. He is recognised as a leading lawyer in the area of investment funds by Chambers USA and Legal 500.

Mr Hirsh taught in and administered educational programmes in poverty areas and prisons for six years before entering law school, and for three years while attending law school. He began at the firm in the tax department in 1977, shifted to the corporate department in 1980 and began the investment funds group in 1995.