As counsel to many of the top private equity and hedge funds in the world, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP has helped clients raise, invest and realize billions of dollars. Our representation of a broad range of asset managers and institutional investors gives us proprietary insight on emerging trends in the private equity and hedge fund industries. This knowledge and experience is particularly valuable to clients as convergence across asset classes continues to play out in the marketplace. In every transaction, we consider a wide range of issues and, as the financial markets crisis continues to unfold, we are prepared to guide our clients through the complex global tax, regulatory and legal challenges of the new financial landscape.
We are known both for the global perspective we bring to our fund work, as well as for our experience with key industries and knowledge of emerging markets. “Our proactive, responsive and creative approach to structuring funds” (
Chambers USA 2008) is a hallmark of the investment funds practice of Akin Gump, and we are consistently ranked in the top tiers of many industry-leading publications such as
Institutional Investor magazine;
Alpha magazine;
Chambers and Partners USA, Global and UK; and
Legal 500 U.S. and U.K.
The services we offer are extensive and continue to expand as we anticipate and respond to changing client needs, new laws and regulations, and global events. Some of the services we offer include—
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structuring and negotiating the terms of alternative investment funds on behalf of fund sponsors and investors, including private equity funds, hedge funds, funds of funds, real estate funds, distressed funds and secondary funds, in each case with U.S., non-U.S. and global investment foci
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evaluating, structuring and negotiating manager-level transactions, such as seed capital investments in alternative investment fund managers, the creation of asset managers through joint ventures, and spin-outs of existing asset management teams (including proprietary trading desks)
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devising creative, cutting-edge structures to assist private investment fund sponsors in anticipating and reacting to the dynamic and increasingly complex financial landscape, including creative liquidity and withdrawal structures
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evaluating, structuring and negotiating private equity-style investments (minority and control), exit transactions (strategic sale, recapitalization, initial public offering (IPO)) and merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions (joint ventures, stock and asset sales)
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a pre-eminent practice in establishing private equity and hedge funds focusing on emerging markets
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extensive international tax experience, including structuring investment funds with an investment focus on, and portfolio investments in, the United States, Europe, Middle East, Russia, Asia, Latin America and combinations thereof (BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) funds, MENA (Middle East and North Africa) funds, etc.)
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advising on insider trading, conflicts of interest, fiduciary duties and other legal issues that arise in the operation of alternative investment funds, including compliance with the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 for both registered and unregistered investment advisers
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advising funds on regulatory, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and tax matters regarding their structure and formation, as well as advising funds in connection with their portfolio investments and employment issues
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advising on, and negotiating agreements with, service providers to alternative investment fund sponsors, including placement agents, prime brokers, administrators and financing counterparties (whether at the sponsor level, fund level or portfolio company level)
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advising on the formation and operation of investment management firms and related service companies, including carry plans and other employee incentive arrangements
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establishing, and listing of, permanent capital vehicles and special purposes acquisition companies (SPACs) on behalf of alternative investment sponsors
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advising on complex structured products, International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) swaps and other derivative products frequently utilized by funds.
The investment funds group is a core practice of the firm and of Akin Gump’s corporate practice, with over 70 lawyers dedicated to the practice. Our investment funds practice is diversified across offices that are located at global financial and political centers, including New York, Washington, D.C., London, Dallas, San Francisco and Beijing. The investment funds practice is also closely supported by skilled professionals in the firm’s tax, public law and policy, financial restructuring, labor and employment, employee benefits, corporate and litigation practices.
Throughout decades of counseling clients, our commitment has remained the same: to help clients overcome obstacles and expand opportunities for the long-term success of their firms and their investors.