Directory · Service providers
Legal counsel
27 firms carry this category. Categories are tags, so several of these also appear elsewhere.
What is meant by Legal counsel?
Legal advisers serving investment firms: fund formation and documentation, regulatory advice, and the ongoing questions of operating a regulated business across jurisdictions.
Who uses Legal counsel?
Management and compliance.
What gets confused with Legal counsel?
Fund formation services, which package the mechanics of launching a vehicle. Counsel advises; a formation service executes, often using counsel.
What should you ask a vendor about Legal counsel?
Ask which of their named partners will actually do the work.
This definition is Buyside Fintech’s own editorial work, not a vendor’s. The products listed below carry the sources we read.
Legal counsel firms
27 FIRMS
Appleby — Funds & Investment ServicesApplebyAdvises investment managers, institutional investors, family offices, administrators and custodians on the formation, registration, launch and operation of offshore private equity, hedge fund and managed account structures.Carey Olsen — Investment FundsCarey OlsenOffshore counsel on fund formation, listing, regulation and winding up in Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey, across hedge, credit, real estate, private equity, venture and infrastructure strategies.Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP — Hedge Funds / investment management practiceCole-Frieman & Mallon LLPWest Coast boutique for startup and established hedge fund managers, noted for digital asset and cryptocurrency funds.Conyers — Investment FundsConyersOffshore counsel for funds domiciled in Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands, from establishment and structuring through to a fund's continuing regulatory and compliance obligations.Debevoise & Plimpton LLP — Funds/Investment ManagementDebevoise & Plimpton LLPPrivate fund formation and structuring, investor-side representation, continuation vehicles and funds regulatory work.Dechert LLP — Private FundsDechert LLPFund formation across US, European and Asian jurisdictions, with the page stating clients run from first-time managers to some of the largest money managers.Foley Hoag LLP — Hedge Fund FormationFoley Hoag LLPHelps emerging managers launch a first fund and build the management company and compliance programme, and also acts for large established managers.Gunderson DettmerGunderson DettmerLaw firm for venture capital funds, emerging companies and their investors.HarneysHarneysOffshore law firm advising on fund and corporate matters in BVI, Cayman Islands, Luxembourg, Jersey, Bermuda and other jurisdictions.Kirkland & Ellis LLP — Investment FundsKirkland & Ellis LLPVery large fund formation and GP advisory practice, with over 620 dedicated funds attorneys and separate offerings for first-time sponsors and for institutional investors.Kleinberg KaplanKleinberg KaplanLaw firm with a private funds and investment management practice representing hedge fund, private equity and real estate fund managers.Lowenstein Sandler LLP — Investment Management Group (including an Emerging Managers practice)Lowenstein Sandler LLPOver 100 lawyers on hedge, credit and private equity fund formation and adviser compliance, with a named Emerging Managers sub-practice for launches.Maples Group — Funds & Investment Management (legal services)Maples GroupOffshore and onshore fund counsel covering the whole life cycle of a fund, advising on British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Ireland, Jersey and Luxembourg law.McDermott Will & Schulte — Investment ManagementMcDermott Will & SchulteGlobal law firm with an investment management practice; the former Schulte Roth & Zabel web address now redirects to this firm's site.Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP — Private Investment FundsMorgan, Lewis & Bockius LLPFund formation, separate accounts and adviser compliance, with the page saying it acts for hedge funds from startups to well established managers.Mourant — Investment FundsMourantAdvice on fund domiciliation and structuring across the Cayman Islands, Luxembourg, Jersey, Guernsey and the British Virgin Islands, covering hedge, real estate, infrastructure, private equity, venture, credit and listed funds.Ogier — Investment FundsOgierOffshore law firm advising on hedge fund and private equity fund formation across BVI, Cayman, Guernsey, Ireland, Jersey and Luxembourg law.Paul Hastings LLP — Private Investment FundsPaul Hastings LLPOver 70 professionals advising sponsors and institutional limited partners on fund formation, adviser registration, subscription lines and ongoing compliance.Proskauer Rose LLP — Private FundsProskauer Rose LLPMore than 275 lawyers covering fund formation plus secondaries, GP stakes, continuation funds and fund finance across buyout, credit and hedge strategies.Riveles Wahab LLP — Riveles Law Group, the firm's hedge fund practiceRiveles Wahab LLPBoutique that launches small and emerging hedge funds on flat fees, covering offering documents, offshore entities and adviser registration; its page cites client funds of $1m to $300m.Ropes & Gray LLP — Investment FundsRopes & Gray LLPPrivate fund formation and fund management advice for sponsors, advisers and investors, including sovereign wealth funds and state-owned investors; cited to Chambers because the firm's own site refuses our verifier.Sadis & Goldberg LLP — Investment FundsSadis & Goldberg LLPBoutique financial services law firm that states it has created and launched more than 1,000 private funds, including digital asset and independent sponsor structures.Seward & Kissel LLP — Investment ManagementSeward & Kissel LLPFund formation, tax structuring and regulatory counsel for launches, stating it acts for first-time and early-stage firms as well as multi-billion-dollar institutional managers.Sidley Austin LLP — Investment FundsSidley Austin LLPAbout 150 lawyers covering hedge fund formation, adviser and derivatives regulation, trading documentation and registered fund work.Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP — Private FundsSimpson Thacher & Bartlett LLPOrganises private equity, hedge, credit, real estate and infrastructure funds, with dedicated fund formation teams in 13 offices and a stated focus on large institutional sponsors.Walkers — Asset Management & Investment FundsWalkersOffshore law firm whose funds practice sets up and advises fund vehicles from offices in Bermuda, BVI, Cayman, Guernsey, Ireland, Jersey, Dubai, Hong Kong, London and Singapore.Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP — Private FundsWillkie Farr & Gallagher LLPFund formation, regulatory, tax and ERISA advice for sponsors, plus GP-led and LP secondary liquidity work.