UK
Emerging fund structures, regulatory hurdles, technological developments and market volatility present both new opportunities and risks to the investment funds sector. Combined with an understanding of clients' objectives and vast experience in the sector, our investment funds lawyers provides clients with clear-cut legal advice in the investment funds sector.
Our Investment Management team is one of the leading advisers to the sector in the UK. The team brings together a wealth of talent covering funds, tax, regulatory, finance, derivatives, corporate and dispute resolution – enabling us to provide a full legal service to our clients.
With a long-established presence as an investment funds law firm, our clients include large institutions and investment banks, start-up boutiques and private equity fund managers and institutional and professional investors.
Our investment funds lawyers advise on listed fund structures and across a range of closed-ended private fund structures including credit funds, private equity and venture capital funds and real estate funds.
We also provide everyday asset management advice to help our clients build scale and capability, support them with regulatory change, and manage disputes that may arise from time to time.
We advise on a number of different types of fund structures and asset classes, working closely with lawyers across our sectors to provide you with tailored advice.
Our Investment Management team has a long-established presence in the UK advising investment trusts and investment companies, their boards, investment management houses and the investment banks and brokers that advise them. As recognised leading advisers to the sector, we deliver a highly effective service through a deep understanding of the industry and technical legal excellence.
We represent sponsors and managers in the structuring, formation, marketing and ongoing operation of all types of private funds, including private equity, venture capital funds, real estate funds, infrastructure, fund of funds and secondaries funds.
The team is able to advise clients on the best locations to establish their funds in all well-known fund jurisdictions, including Luxembourg, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Cayman Islands.
We have experience with all forms of fund structures including limited partnerships, co-investment funds, onshore and offshore funds, parallel funds and master-feeder structures.
Our team advises a wide range of investors and funds in connection with a variety of credit fund transactions, including fund launches and direct lending, special situations/mezzanine/distressed/high yield strategies and regulatory issues.
Our real estate funds lawyers advise large institutional investors and general partners (GPs) on complex transactions and has a particular presence in the social housing, specialist supported housing, senior living and retirement housing markets. The team deals with private closed-ended, platforms, club deals, joint ventures and deal-by-deal investment structures.
Our fund finance practice covers subscription and NAV facilities, pre-fund close bridge facilities, leverage and borrowing base facilities, co-investment facilities for a wide range of private equity, direct lending, secondaries and special situations funds.
Our Investment Management team advises on a whole range of asset management and fund matters including public and private M&A, specialist regulatory advice, commercial arrangements (including the implementation of technology projects, ESG advice, specialist regulatory advice (including managing any regulatory change) and regulatory investigations and disputes.
Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Limited
Advised Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Limited on its initial public offering to the specialist fund segment of the London Stock Exchange's main market and initial fundraising of £370 million.
Urban Logistics REIT plc
AIM admission, associated fundraising, subsequent placings and move up to the Main Market (premium listing segment). In excess of £500 million in aggregate - April 2016 - December 2021.
Life Science REIT plc
AIM admission of Life Science REIT plc pursuant to a placing, offer for subscription and intermediaries offer. £350 million raised in aggregate – November 2021.
Universities Superannuation Scheme
Advised the Universities Superannuation Scheme on a major investment in BP's freehold property estate of 199 UK forecourts.
GCP Student Living plc
Acted for GCP Student Living plc on a recommended cash takeover offer from a consortium of Scape Living PLC and iQSA Holdco Limited. The takeover offer valued GCP at £969 million on a fully diluted basis.
M&G Real Estate
The team advised M&G Real Estate on the setup and structuring of a c.£105 million JV investment. The fund was established to acquire a highly sought after office space in central Manchester.
Awards and accolades
We have acted on the highest number of main market IPO mandates since 2015 of any law firm in the UK, the majority of those transactions being the launch of listed funds.
In 2021, we acted on 26 equity capital market transactions with a cumulative value of in excess of £2.5 billion, which was approximately half of all transactions in the sector and more than double any other law firm.
We are ranked Tier One by The Legal 500 for listed investment funds. Kris Rogers, John Reed and Oliver Riley are ranked as leading individuals by The Legal 500 for investment funds.
Contact our team
If you are looking for advice in the investment funds sector in the UK, please contact a member of our team.