Carey Olsen is active advising managers on the formation of, inter alia, private equity, real estate and debt funds and downstream transactions, and has a notable client base of LSE-listed funds. Practice head Ben Morgan has experience in advising both public and private funds on the formation and launch of new structures, in addition to assisting them with financing and transactional arrangements. Andrew Boyce‘s practice centres on the formation of open and closed-ended funds and related credit products, while the restructuring of such funds falls under David Crosland‘s remit. ‘Font of knowledge’ Annette Alexander focuses on alternative investment structures, advising on the regulatory regime governing them.

Mourant assists clients operating a range of investment structures, targeting a broad spectrum of asset classes, including private equity, venture capital, and technology funds, among others. Under John Rochester‘s stewardship, the practice advises managers, including listed funds, on a variety of financing arrangements, with Darren Bacon also assisting with capital markets transactions. Frances Watson specialises in advising listed and private equity funds in addition to family offices on the launch of new investment vehicles, while James Cousins, who made partner in August 2023, maintains a broad practice covering the lifecycle of hedge funds and other alternative investment structures.

Ogier‘s ‘friendly and efficient team’ assists asset managers with the launch of a range of complex investment structures, including protected cell companies, and is also on hand to provide regulatory counsel where necessary. The practice is managed by Byron Rees, Tim Clipstone and Richard Sharp, with Rees and Clipstone advising on the creation of open-ended investment schemes and transactions in the regulated funds space, while Sharp specialises in insurance-related matters. Michelle Watson Bunn is frequently called upon for advice relating to private equity funds.

Walkers accompanies fund managers across the lifecycle of their structures, supporting them from launch, to downstream transactions and regulatory challenges, and on to overseeing liquidations. The practice is headed by Craig Cordle, who acts for both private and listed funds targeting real estate and private equity investments, and managing partner Matt Sanders, who handles fund structuring, restructuring and migration. Chris Hutley-Hurst assists with fund formation mandates in addition to transactional matters. The funds practice was strengthened with the arrivals in June and August 2023 respectively of Annaliese McGeoch and Charlotte Gonçalves, both arriving from Mourant.

Bedell Cristin devises optimised solutions for its funds clients across a range of asset classes, with noted expertise in ESG-focused investment vehicles, alongside more traditional private equity and real estate work. Dylan Latimer leads the practice, specialising in private equity funds but also acting for listed clients in relation to their transactional and financing challenges. John Scanlan ‘knows his stuff’ in relation to the formation of closed and open-ended funds and the regulatory regimes governing their activities.

Collas Crill‘s newly formed financial services & regulatory team acts for private banks and sovereign wealth funds on their key investments, with further expertise in the structuring of open-ended vehicles. Practice head Wayne Atkinson brings his ‘deep industry knowledge and technical expertise’ to bear when advising regulated entities on their investments in burgeoning asset classes, including medicinal cannabis, and also advises a raft of PE clients on their transactions. Paul Wilkes‘ funds practice is augmented by his work as a partner at a VC fund, covering structuring and downstream transactions. Gareth Morgan and Ian Petherbridge have helped the firm grow its client base in South Africa, assisting them with financing challenges.

Ferbrache & Farrell LLP ‘delivers outstanding and creative legal solutions’ across the gamut of fund matters, with particular expertise in assisting fund managers to secure financing, and in restructuring existing Guernsey-based investment vehicles. Practice head Gavin Farrell leverages his ‘solid fund knowledge’ to advise on the full spectrum of transactional matters in the sector. Helen McGeoch combines a strong transactional practice with in-depth understanding of regulatory challenges in the Guernsey market.