Private funds

Clifford Chance is recognised as the global market leader in working with alternative fund managers to establish and operate the whole range of alternative private investment funds. We are particularly focussed on closed-ended private equity, real estate and infrastructure funds, and work closely with our colleagues in the firm's private equity, real estate and energy and infrastructure groups.

The firm also advises investors in such funds, including pension funds, insurance companies, funds-of-funds and many sovereign wealth and other supra-national institutions.

Whilst the core of this work is based around our Private Funds group in London, Hong Kong and New York, our recognition as a global leader in the field has been established due to our expertise across our international network.

The global nature of the private funds market means that our extensive network of offices is a major benefit to clients, with many of our international offices recognised as market-leaders in this field in their own right.

The firm advises managers on fund establishment, structuring and marketing as well as ongoing operational issues, secondary transactions and restructuring mandates.

We also actively advise our clients on their licensing and regulatory requirements, an area which has seen significant interest given the unprecedented regulatory change in the investment management industry, including the impact of the EU Alternative Investment Fund Management Directive, as well as ERISA and carry plan issues.

The breadth of our experience means that we are particularly well-placed to advise managers (and investors) on appropriate and new fund terms and other hot topical issues in the industry. Increasing public scrutiny of the industry is also creating further opportunities to advise on compliance issues and changing codes.