Investment Funds: Real Estate | UK

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.

CMS has a strong real estate funds practice that is regularly called upon by its international client base to advise on high-profile fundraisings and investments. CMS also has an impressive offering in terms of authorised and retail funds as well as quoted investment trusts. Complex secondary offerings, IPOs and other securities work form the basis of the listed funds practice, and fund mergers and formation and UCITS advice comprise the group's open-ended offering. The team maintains longstanding relationships with leading asset managers, particularly those based in Scotland, and continues to advise them on a number of investment fund products. The funds group is also able to draw on expertise from its international offices to assist in cross-border work.

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.

A&O Shearman often acts for managers looking to target assets in Europe, Asia or Africa, and has noted experience with Luxembourg and Cayman-domiciled funds. In addition to its GP-side work in the real asset space, the firm has a flourishing practice acting for institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds making high-profile cornerstone investments into funds.

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 in 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.

Greenberg Traurig maintains a well-developed practice that focuses on providing extensive support to real estate and infrastructure funds. It can handle matters concerning both large-scale debt and equity funds. The team at Greenberg Traurig provides all-round assistance to clients on fundraising, joint ventures, secondary transactions and final fund closing, among other matters.

Hogan Lovells has a strong real assets funds practice with extensive expertise in fund formation and a core focus on infrastructure funds. It regularly advises clients investing in social infrastructure and other PPP assets. The team receives instructions from institutional managers, cornerstone investors and large brokers, and is as well versed in listed closed-ended structures as in traditional private funds.

A commanding force in the private equity space, Kirkland & Ellis handles an exceptional volume of high-profile formation work. Its funds group is well versed in raising for buyout funds, funds of funds and infrastructure funds, as well as large secondary transactions. The firm represents a large number of the leading European asset managers and private equity sponsors. Its practice is complemented by tax, regulatory, securities and ERISA expertise at the firm. The department 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 has enjoyed notable growth in its real estate funds capabilities in recent years.

Osborne Clarke offers a comprehensive service to alternative asset managers and cornerstone investors in private fund matters. Real estate forms the basis of the practice, which has a focus on commercial and residential properties, and real estate debt. The group demonstrates adept handling of secondaries matters and boasts an integrated regulatory offering. The investment funds department also has one of the most significant venture capital practices in the market.

Ashurst has a noted private funds practice that acts for private equity sponsors on both high-cap and mid-market fund launches. Private equity, infrastructure and credit are among the areas in which the team has strength. It also advises large institutional investors.

BCLP maintains a real estate fund-focused practice with strength in private equity-style real estate funds, joint ventures and other complex fund formation work. The team is able to advise on the full gamut of matters spanning the life cycle of a fund. It also handles large acquisitions and disposals, and provides tailored LP-side investment advice. The group frequently acts on cross-border deals involving international acquirers and investors. It is also able to leverage a market-leading general real estate department to best serve its client list of large institutional fund managers.

Stephenson Harwood boasts an impressive deal flow, combined with an enviable client list and a deep bench of specialists, which justifies a strong international reputation for both its closed-ended listed funds group and private equity secondaries team. It acts for the bulge bracket investment banks, brokers and investment trusts on listings, placings and complex secondary offerings. The firm enjoys plaudits for its distinguished GP-led transactional practice, in addition to its renowned investor-side prowess. The team is also well versed in real estate fund matters and has notable regulatory expertise.

Weil 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 department counts large fund managers among its client base.