Investment Funds: Private Equity | Europe

A commanding force in the private equity space, Kirkland & Ellis handles an exceptional volume of high-profile formation work. The funds group is well versed in raising buyout funds and complex funds of funds or infrastructure funds, as well as large secondary transactions. The firm represents a large number of the leading European asset managers and private equity sponsors. The funds practice is complemented by tax, regulatory, securities and ERISA expertise at the firm. The team is also able to draw on the experience of a wide range of international teams to assist on cross-border matters for global clients. Kirkland & Ellis's real estate funds capabilities has enjoyed notable growth within recent years.

With a dominant private funds group, Clifford Chance has expertise across the range of structures and asset classes. The team is well known for debt, real asset and upper mid-market private equity fund formation work, and especially for its market-leading real estate debt offering. The firm's global resources are fully utilised by the London team, which is able to offer advice to clients from around the world. It acts for an impressive list of clients including high-profile UK, European and global fund managers.

Debevoise & Plimpton has a strong private equity funds practice that is regularly called upon for large pan-European formations by managers, large secondary transactions for buyers or sellers, and complex alternative capital raises. Debevoise's funds team also has additional experience in acting for investors in private funds. Funds targeting assets in emerging markets continue to be a core focus for the department, which offers sponsors full compliance and tax advice for both the US and EU regulatory landscapes.

Goodwin has a strong presence in the London real estate funds market, with a bench of respected specialists and an ever-increasing workload of European formation matters. The team also offers a notable team of experts in the private equity funds sphere. With the additional strength of the firm's sizeable US platform, Goodwin offers a full service for leading real estate managers looking for transatlantic coverage and expertise. The team is also adept in handling everything from fund establishment to restructurings and closures.

Proskauer Rose has an impressive global client base consisting of sponsors and institutional investors. The team has a standout buyout fund formation offering while also maintaining a flourishing buy and sell-side secondaries practice that acts for some of the largest funds of funds. The firm is also notable for its work relating to debt and venture funds.

Akin has a notable private funds group that advises on hedge and private equity fund formation, as well as advice on regulation. The team has broad experience across an array of asset classes, including real estate, infrastructure and credit. It comes highly recommended in the hedge fund space, where it boasts deep expertise in US and EU regulations, tax and complex restructurings. Akin also advises many large alternative asset managers as well as startups.

Paul Hastings' investment funds team is known for its substantial private equity and investment funds offering. It ably assists clients on fund management, raising, closing and other corporate and transactional mandates. The team readily advises on debt and equity funds, as well as providing extensive support to clients setting up venture capital funds. The investment funds group is further known for its work with investors and LPs.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges has an exceptional private funds team that is active across EMEA and the USA, offering integrated and holistic fund services in formation, marketing, tax and secondary transactions. Private equity, real estate and infrastructure are the focuses of the team. The London team counts large fund managers among its client base.

Latham & Watkins advises on raises for some of the largest funds in the market, while also working with sovereign wealth funds and cornerstone investors. In addition to fund formation, the team advises on co-investments and secondaries matters. Its client base is truly international, receiving instructions from clients in the Middle East, South America and Asia.

Linklaters boasts a comprehensive investment funds group with a global reach, bolstered by significant teams in Luxembourg and Frankfurt. It is regularly called upon to advise on complex and high-value mandates across a broad range of asset classes. The department focuses on real assets and private equity formation alongside fund restructuring work. It represents some of the largest international asset managers and sovereign wealth funds on both GP and LP mandates. The funds group is known to be a leader in the debt fund space, with an excellent direct lending funds practice.