Co-heads Robert Copps, Michael Voynich and Ted Cominos lead Eversheds Sutherland’s private equity offering, which blends sponsor and investor side advice with a strong cross border reach across the firm’s wider platform. The teams activity leans toward broader private equity transactions and regulatory support.

Freshfields fields an rapidly growing team across New York and London, headed in the US by Timothy Clark. Its expertise spans GP-led continuation vehicles, complex secondary transactions, and hybrid solutions.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP’s Investment Funds group is building real momentum in the private equity funds and venture space. Strengthened by key laterals including Eunice E. Choi and David T. Holland and supported by a deep national bench. The team advises sponsors and investors on fund formation and related structuring, with a particular emphasis on venture and growth platforms, cross border vehicles and operational and regulatory support.

Vinson & Elkins LLP is building momentum in investment funds, with a sponsor-side practice that is gaining profile in energy, infrastructure and real assets strategies. The group is led by Dallas-based John Grand, Houston-based Danielle Patterson and Sarah Morgan , who splits time between Denver and Houston.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP remains a leading advisor to private equity and venture capital sponsors on fund formation, with a practice that combines scale, technical depth, and consistent involvement in the market’s most complex fundraises. Based primarily in New York with a broad international footprint, the team counsels clients across the full spectrum of private funds, from flagship buyout and infrastructure vehicles to credit, growth, and venture strategies, as well as successor funds, co-investment programs, and separately managed accounts. Alongside fund formation, the group is also active on regulatory, compliance, and fund-related transactional work, reflecting the breadth of its investment management offering. The practice is jointly led by Rebecca Silberstein and Lorna Bowen who regularly act for global asset managers, investment firms, and financial institutions, including banks, on flagship and successor funds as well as broader platform-level mandates.  Senior partners such as Jonathan Adler, Justin Storms, Jason Auerbach, Andrew Ford, and Sally Bergmann Hardesty are closely involved in sponsor mandates across buyout, real estate, credit, and multi-strategy platforms, while Ali Nierenberg is increasingly active on large-cap infrastructure and complex sponsor-led fundraises.

Handling a substantial share of the market’s largest and most complex fundraises, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP occupies a central position in the U.S. private equity and alternative funds landscape. The firm’s asset management and private equity funds group advises sponsors across private equity, private credit, real estate, and hybrid strategies, with particular strength in flagship funds, successor vehicles, and increasingly sophisticated structures spanning closed-end, open-end, and evergreen products. The practice is co-led by Kenneth Rosh alongside Rebecca Zelenka and Lawrence Barshay, and the trio support sponsors throughout the full lifecycle of fund formation, from initial structuring and fundraising through to operational, regulatory, investment issues. Jeremy Berry, Jeffrey Schatz, and Audra Cohen are closely involved in credit, real estate, and hybrid mandates, while a broad senior bench supports high-volume fundraising programs for repeat institutional clients. Aside from Zelenka in Washington DC, all individuals are based in the New York office.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP maintains a prominent position in the private equity funds market, supported by the scale of its platform and broad sponsor coverage. The team regularly advises on the formation of flagship and successor vehicles across private equity, private credit, infrastructure and growth strategies, handling complex structuring, governance and fundraising considerations across a wide range of fund types. Team head Erica Berthou leads mandates for a number of the practice’s prominent sponsor-side clients, while co-head Daniel Lavon-Krein is closely associated with complex sponsor advisory and structuring work, and Andrew Wright is regularly involved in significant fund formation mandates. Chicago-based Kelly Ryan is a key contact for real assets fund work, while Boston’s Sean Hill advises investment managers on the formation of private investment funds. The wider team includes Chicago’s Chris Kallos, Jordan Murray and Washington DC-based Matthew Howard. Unless otherwise stated, the team is based in New York.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP continues to demonstrate strong visibility in the U.S. funds market, advising a broad roster of sponsors on the formation of large and structurally complex investment vehicles. The firm is regularly engaged on flagship and successor fundraisings, where its experience in handling intricate structuring, governance, and investor negotiation dynamics remains central to its market position. Barrie Covit, Jonathan Karen, and Michael Wolitzer co-lead the practice combining sponsor-side transactional expertise with regulatory, compliance and fund management capabilities, and regularly advising clients such as Blackstone, Centerbridge and Silver Lake. Lauren King is a key contact on liquidity solutions and fund transactions, while Thomas Wuchenich has been active on the formation and fundraising of flagship, lower middle market and real estate funds. Other than Wuchenich is Los Angeles, the team operates from the firm's New York office.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton’s private funds group is led by Elizabeth Lenas and combines fund formation advice with deep capability on liquidity and strategic transactions, drawing on a wider platform that supports cross-border structuring and regulatory considerations. The team acts for sponsors and investors across a range of strategies and is particularly noted for handling complex product design questions, including semi-liquid and retail-facing structures, as well as work adjacent to fundraises such as GP stakes and continuation-style solutions. Practice strength is underpinned by senior leadership from Michael Gerstenzang, whose practice includes secondary transactions and co-investment arrangements, alongside key partners Adrian Leipsic and Maurice Gindi who advise on the organization and operation of a range of funds. Jamal Fulton and Kenneth Blazejewski are increasingly visible on mandates that require coordinated sponsor solutions. The team is based in New York.

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP New York team continues to be called upon by many of the market’s largest financial sponsors on a broad spectrum of fund formation and management matters, supported by an expanding private funds offering. Led by Leor Landa, the group advises sponsors and managers on fundraises, bespoke structuring, seeding arrangements, finance-linked issues and sponsor-side transactions, with a steady flow of work also touching secondaries and strategic platform questions. Andrew Ahern is regularly involved in sponsor-side mandates across buyout, credit and growth-focused products, while Michael Hong is a key figure for complex formations and repeat sponsor relationships. Alisa Waxman and Sijia Cai add further partner-level coverage across a mix of strategies, and Luke Eldridge is active on venture-adjacent and sponsor solutions work. The wider bench includes Michael Brasher, Jennifer Grant Cooper, Benjamin Milder and Michael Stenbring, supporting day-to-day execution and investor side issues.

 

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP supports sponsors and selected investors on complex fund formations and related transactions, drawing on a sizeable bench across key US offices and an established international capability. The team continues to show breadth across traditional fundraises and sponsor solutions work, with regulatory and enforcement support forming a regular part of the wider offering. The group is led by Shukie Grossman who has a far reaching practice that covers fund formation and operation, regulation and internal governance matters. Roger Singer and Edward Sopher are central to sponsor work and fund transactions, and Bill Thomas oversees a variety of fund formation and operation mandates, particularly real estate funds, private equity funds, and credit funds. Recent senior additions include Kevin Bettsteller, Osman Nawaz and Jina Choi, strengthening coverage on examinations, investigations and compliance sensitive matters. Aside from Washington DC-based Thomas, the team operates out of the firm’s New York office.

Led by Matthew Chase in New York alongside Paul Kukish and Alex Kelly, Latham & Watkins advises sponsors on fund formation and related matters across private equity, growth, credit, real assets and other private capital strategies. The practice supports the full fundraising process, including structuring, documentation, investor negotiation and ongoing management issues, and is also active on liquidity and sponsor solutions such as continuation style transactions, tender processes and preferred equity arrangements. Andrea Schwartzman is a go-to advisor for top tier sponsors on formation, strategic capital and GP-led secondaries, and is particularly effective at guiding emerging and spinout managers through first time launches and product expansion. Edward Nelson and Mark Proctor bring longstanding experience across sponsor and investor mandates, and Nadia Sager, who splits her time between San Diego and Los Angeles, is a recognised innovator in permanent and long term capital solutions, regularly advising on novel private capital structures for major platforms and global investors. All individuals are based in New York unless otherwise stated.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP advises sponsors and managers on fund launches, follow-on raises and liquidity-driven restructurings, alongside fund-related aspects of strategic manager transactions, supported by a broadened bench across New York, Los Angeles and London. The practice combines sponsor-side formation with experience on continuation vehicles and other liquidity solutions, working closely with corporate, finance, tax and regulatory teams on structuring, governance and execution matters across multi-product platforms. Team head Marco Masotti is active across private equity, infrastructure, credit and continuation funds, while co-head Victoria Forrester brings further strength in alternative asset management, regulatory matters and seeding arrangements. Matthew B. Goldstein advises US and non-US investors on establishing customized private investment funds, and Conrad van Loggerenberg is another key contact for formation and operational matters. Steve Y. Yoo is noted for his experience handling continuation vehicles. Kirk Anderson, Udi Grofman, Ted McBride, Ross Oliver and Michael Ronca add further depth.

Led by Barbara Niederkofler in New York, Akin advises sponsors, managers and institutional investors across the private funds lifecycle, combining fund formation execution with fund-linked transactional support and bespoke structuring for liquidity and tax objectives. The team is particularly noted for integrated regulatory coverage spanning U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission-facing issues, Commodity Futures Trading Commission requirements and cross-border regimes including Financial Conduct Authority, with strong capability on Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive matters for United States-headquartered managers. Prakash Mehta splits his time between New York and Washington DC and advises an extensive roster of hedge and credit fund sponsors, while Washington’s Fadi Samman is routinely sought out for his ability to structure complex secondaries transactions. Washington’s Blayne Grady and Dallas-based James Deekan have extensive fund structuring and negotiation experience. Dennis Pereira focuses on private equity and credit fund work from the New York office.

 

 

Clifford Chance’s Funds & Investment Management team advises sponsors and institutional investors across the fund lifecycle, with a particular emphasis on credit, real estate and infrastructure vehicles alongside secondaries funds, GP-led solutions and GP stakes mandates. Headed by Alexandra Davidson, the group supports structuring, formation and marketing as well as ongoing operational, tax and regulatory needs, and is frequently engaged on complex leverage and fund finance features that sit alongside private credit strategies. The practice is further strengthened by the firm’s cross-border platform, enabling coordinated US and international fundraising across key jurisdictions and asset classes for global managers and sovereign-backed investors. Clifford Cone, Michael Sabin and Daniel Drabkin  are no longer with the firm.

With offices in Austin and Houston, the private equity team at Ebadat Law is highly specialized in handling various investment fund ventures, including the formation and structuring of venture capital, private equity vehicles, SPVs, and co-investment structures. The team is coordinated by Houston-based Soheil Ebadat, who leads the fund formation practice group and serves as outside fund counsel to an array of large-scale corporate clients. Supporting Ebadat in the Houston office is Michael Blue, a specialist in fund formation, M&A, and corporate transactions.

With a long-established Private Investment Funds (PIF) platform, Goodwin advises sponsors across private equity and adjacent strategies, pairing core fund formation with GP-led liquidity events, restructurings, secondaries and bespoke co-investment and managed-account arrangements. The team is led by Mandee Gruen in New York and Paul Verbesey in Washington, D.C., and is underpinned by integrated tax, regulatory and finance support to help managers raise and deploy capital across US and cross-border structures. New York’s John Ferguson advises on fund formation, partnerships and investment matters, while Silicon Valley-based Robert Fore is noted for his fund formation and operational experience. Boston’s Lynette Elam and San Francisco’s Ian O’Donnell are also recommended.

Known for pairing fund formation with day to day investment management support, McDermott Will & Schulte advises private equity sponsors and institutional investors across the full lifecycle of a fund. Co heads Ian M. Schwartz and Jason Kaplan lead a team that structures and documents new vehicles, negotiates investor terms and side letters, and builds the governance and economics that sit behind a manager platform. The group is also a steady hand on regulatory and compliance questions, including advisor registration and ongoing SEC facing issues that can arise during fundraising and operations with support from Joseph Smith. David Nestler handles the formation and operation of funds for a strong roster of middle-market private equity players, while Stephanie Breslow is reputed for her credit funds expertise. The team operates from New York.

Led in New York by Andrew Chizzik and Stephanie Srulowitz, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP handles fund formation and related governance work across private equity, credit, real estate, infrastructure and special situations strategies. Lawyers support negotiations on key commercial terms, disclosures, investor reporting and transfer mechanics, and they regularly manage side letter processes and bespoke investor arrangements. The practice also advises on continuation vehicles, fund restructurings and other liquidity driven transactions, alongside sponsor level questions such as economics, succession and internal governance. Regulatory advice is integrated, including registration and compliance issues and support through examinations and enforcement matters involving the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Jonathon Soler continues to be a significant dealmaker in the practice, overseeing formation, investment, and economic and governance matters.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is praised for its 'broad expertise across various investment products' and adeptly handles complex fundraising processes for a global client base. Chaired by Phillip Isom alongside asset management co chairs Margery Neale and Lior Ohayon in New York, the team advises sponsors on fund formation, management company structuring, governance and economics, and the documentation that supports fundraising and ongoing operations. A significant feature of the practice is liquidity and strategic transactions, including continuation vehicles, secondary transfers, GP stake investments, seeding and team spinouts. Matthew Block is key to this secondaries and liquidity solutions-focused work, and Arash Farhadieh has recently been active on the closing of major flagship funds. Laura Friedrich and Brian Greene advise US domestic and international private equity sponsors on fund formation and investment strategy.

Cooley LLP is chiefly recognized for advising venture capital and growth managers on fund formation, with a national practice that focuses on both early-stage and late-stage financings. The team, led by John Clendenin in Palo Alto, guides clients through the full lifecycle of a fund, from initial structuring and investor documentation through to ongoing governance, regulatory coordination, and operational questions that arise across successive raises. John Dado is a core figure in the practice, trusted by leading venture sponsors for high value fundraising mandates and the steady execution of complex sponsor side formations, from flagship growth vehicles to multi fund platforms. Eric Doherty combines a broad venture-focused formation practice with hands on structuring and lifecycle advice, offering sponsors support that carries through from first close mechanics to ongoing governance and operations. Washington DC-based Aaron Velli has recently been active on software and high-growth technology investment matters, while New York’s Jaclyn Rabin takes a leading role on complex fund formations.

 

Based within the Financial Services practice, Dechert advises sponsors and institutional investors on forming private funds, setting governance and economics, and managing the regulatory and operational issues that follow launch. The firm is noted for handling complex structures and for coordinating closely with its European offices where fundraising and investor negotiations span multiple jurisdictions. The practice is led in New York by Omoz Osayimwese who has a broad international remit that covers fund formation and operational matters. Gerald Brown is another key figure in the team and has a practice focused on the formation of closed-end funds. Arina Lekhel joined from Akin in July 2025 and is experienced acting on private funds, credit funds, and hedge funds.

 

DLA Piper LLP (US) advises both sponsors and institutional investors across the lifecycle of private funds, from formation and fundraising through ongoing governance, disclosure, and operational questions. The practice is co-led by Nicole Brennig in Austin and Jesse Criz in Chicago, alongside global co chairs John Cusack and David Parrish. The firm is sought out for its integrated regulatory support, with David Solander working closely with fund formation lawyers on advisor regulation, compliance planning, and interaction with regulators. The firm also supports a broad mix of strategies, including private equity, venture, real estate, infrastructure, and credit, with John Reiss active in credit focused structuring.

K&L Gates advises leading fund managers across the full lifecycle of funds work, covering a range of asset classes and cross-border mandates. Practice leaders Sasha Burstein in San Francisco and Edward Dartley in New York oversee a team handling private equity and venture fund formation, governance, disclosures, investor terms and ongoing fund operations, alongside work on private credit and other alternative products, including evergreen and semi-liquid structures, as well as secondary transactions and bespoke liquidity arrangements. San Francisco's Matthew Mangan adds further expertise in securities law matters alongside his fund formation and transactional work. Jason Kirk is active on investment funds focusing on private equity, venture capital, and real estate assets, advising from the firm's Seattle office.

Headed by Patricia Poglinco and Kevin Neubauer, Seward & Kissel LLP advises private equity sponsors and managers from first-time launches through established platforms, covering fund formation, investor negotiations, side letter work, closing mechanics, and the governance and disclosure support underpinning ongoing operations. New York-based David Mulle is a key contact for sponsors navigating complex structuring and regulatory constraints, while Kevin Cassidy  advises across fundraising cycles, with particular strength in coordinating investor terms and managing side letter processes, including for non-US sponsors addressing US requirements.

Hogan Lovells US LLP advises sponsors and investors on the formation and operation of private funds, with particular depth in complex structures alongside core fundraising work. Led by David Winter in New York and Washington, DC, the group covers sponsor-side fund formation across private equity, venture, real assets and credit, while also supporting LP investors on negotiations, side letters and investment documentation, with notable strength in SBIC-related licensing, structuring and ongoing compliance. Washington DC's Bryan Ricapito is active across a broad range of funds work, including formation, regulatory and compliance matters, as well as joint ventures and investments. Also operating from Washington DC, Adam Brown is valued by clients for his skill handling complex secondaries transactions. New York's Parikshit Dasgupta and Brayton Dresser, alongside Silicon Valley's Todd Schwartz, are also recommended.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe brings together a Private Funds Group and a broader Tech Companies Group to support both institutional investors and fund sponsors in private fund work. Co-headed by Dolph Hellman in San Francisco and Jim Jensen in Menlo Park and San Francisco, the team is particularly active in venture capital focused formations while also advising investors across buyout, real estate, infrastructure, and other alternatives, including co investments, separately managed accounts, and funds of one. The practice covers the core structuring and documentation pieces as well as the regulatory questions that tend to sit behind investor negotiations, including ERISA and CFIUS considerations where relevant. Washington DC’s Mary Wallace is a key advisor to a variety of public pension fund investors, and Orange County’s Kenneth Rasamny handles formation, operational and regulatory matters.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP runs a predominantly investor side platform through its Institutional Investor team, chaired by Steven Richman in Atlanta, and brings a sizeable bench to high volume private markets activity with support from Robert Bodansky. The group advises institutional investors on fund commitments across private equity, real estate, infrastructure, venture and private credit, including co-investments, secondaries, joint ventures and funds-of-one. The firm also stands out for combining private funds advice with direct real estate capability, supporting clients with significant allocations to property acquisitions, disposals and joint venture structures alongside commingled fund programmes. Chicago-based Michael Jordan has a broad practice spanning venture, growth, buyout, real estate and credit funds, while Atlanta’s Matthew Cohen is a key contact for institutional investors, with particular expertise in Middle East-focused funds work.

Winston Taylor maintains a broad private funds practice, advising sponsors and institutional investors on fund formation and investment matters. The team acts for fund of funds, pension plans and family offices, with experience spanning structuring, fundraising and ongoing operations across buyout, venture, private credit and infrastructure strategies, with additional strength in secondaries and liquidity solutions. The team is led by Margaret Frey and Scott Naidech, who are active on buyouts, investments, joint ventures, and secondaries. Megan Devaney is active across a wide variety of asset classes, New York’s Beth Kramer handles fund structuring and compliance matters, and Bradley Mandel is a go-to for secondaries. Unless otherwise stated, the team operate from Chicago.

 

 

 

Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP‘s New York-based team handles a significant volume of international private funds work, pairing sponsor side formation support with a steady flow of investor side advisory work. Led in New York by Carl Ruggiero , the investment management team helps clients design fund and SPV structures, negotiate offering terms and side letters, and manage the practical mechanics of launches, service providers, and ongoing fund operations. Key names include Randy DeSmyter, Shaun Reader and Marco Blanco, all of whom counsel domestic and international fund managers on formation and compliance issues.

With Steven Franklin at the helm, Gunderson Dettmer LLP‘s fund offering is driven from San Francisco and is built for sponsor side fund formation at true venture pace, pairing market fluency with a highly repeatable process for getting funds over the line efficiently. The team is strong on the practical mechanics that matter in real time: terms negotiation, fundraising execution, manager side governance and the documentation that keeps launches clean through subsequent closes. Key members include Sean Caplice, Malcolm Nicholls, III, and Nicholas Guttilla.

King & Spalding positions its Real Estate & Funds team as a full lifecycle platform for sponsors, managers and investors, spanning formation, GP-led liquidity solutions, financings and the longer tail of portfolio exits. Co-heads Jennifer Morgan and John Wilson sit in New York and lead a US bench of dedicated funds partners, with particular depth in real estate vehicles, including open and closed end structures and REIT adjacent products across multiple geographies and return profiles. Atlanta's Spencer Johnson is chiefly recognised for his public and private capital raising expertise, while Kathryn Furman, also based in Atlanta, focuses on fund formation mandates.

Lowenstein Sandler LLP’s advises fund managers and investors on the formation, structuring, and ongoing operation of private investment vehicles, pairing commercial drafting with day to day regulatory and compliance support. Headed by New York's  Robert Minion and Marie DeFalco and New Jersey's Scott Moss, the team is particularly active in the venture space, acting for managers from first time launches through successor raises, as well as venture funds of funds and secondary vehicles. New Jersey's Edward Nadel and New York's Ted Randolph cover hedge funds, private equity funds, real estate funds, and funds of funds, Edward Zimmerman is chiefly recognised for his venture funds-focused practice and operates out of New York.

Praised for its 'wide experience and industry knowledge', Sidley Austin LLP advises sponsors and institutional investors on high end fund formation across buyout, credit, secondaries and venture strategies. Boston's Elizabeth Shea Fries anchors a platform that is increasingly active on complex cross border launches, supported by senior partners including Chicago's John M. Muno and Palo Alto's Shane Goudey. The team also supports repeat sponsor mandates and offers integrated tax and regulatory coverage that helps clients manage fundraising, operations and compliance in a single coordinated service. Alyssa Grikscheit, Jennifer A. Spiegel and Scott Macdonald also come recommended and operate from New York.

Vedder’s fields an integrated investment services practice, advising private equity managers, investors and wealth platforms across the fund lifecycle. The team supports a range of strategies, including private equity, venture, private credit and real assets, with experience in fund structuring and cross-border matters, underpinned by dedicated tax expertise. Chicago-based leaders Joseph Mannon and Cody J Vitello anchor the practice, with the duo carrying extensive experience handling the legal, regulatory, compliance and governance matters of funds. Also acting from Chicago, Jeff VonDruska leverages previous in-house experience to comprehensively advise a broad variety of funds. David Soden also comes recommended.