Investment Funds

White & Case’s coordinated investment funds team has the geographic presence and resources to understand your options and the ability to think holistically about your strategic objectives to devise optimal solutions. With extensive experience advising on both the formation of, and investment in, private funds, our team provides legal sophistication and crucial insight into all major investment strategies. 

We represent the full range of private equity, real estate, infrastructure, credit and secondaries funds, as well as hedge and hybrid funds. White & Case is uniquely  positioned within the alternative asset industry as a practice that covers both closed-end and open-end funds work. Having advised a broad range of clients that include sponsors in both developed and emerging markets, and global institutional investors, our dedicated investment funds practitioners span all major jurisdictions, including New York, Boston, London, Luxembourg, Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Our team maintains relationships with leading investment managers, placement agents, advisors, prime brokers, fund administrators and other industry players to ensure that we have the comprehensive industry knowledge our diverse client base requires.

What sets us apart?

One-stop shop: Guiding funds through their entire lifecycles

Our clients choose us because we are able to serve as a one-stop shop to assist with all phases of a fund’s lifecycle, covering the structuring and organization of upper-tier management entities, the structuring, marketing and maintenance of investment fund vehicles, downstream transactions, fund restructurings, exits, and wind-downs. 

Whether a client is an established fund sponsor or a new entrant seeking to raise its first fund, White & Case can assist with structuring investment vehicles, considering the diverse needs of the sponsor and its particular investment objectives, and providing the critical guidance necessary to successfully negotiate the fundraising process. We are ideally situated to advise fund sponsors regarding structures that are designed to meet their commercial objectives and cater to the evolving tax, regulatory and operational requirements of the fund’s investors, regardless of where those investors may be domiciled.

We regularly advise clients on their investments into private funds, co-investments, secondaries transactions, separately managed accounts and other fund-related transactions. Due to the variety of cross-border mandates we are instructed on, our team benefits from wide-ranging exposure to market terms and practice in the global private funds marketplace.

Global reach, local knowledge

Our dedicated investment funds practice is one of the few that truly spans the globe, with lawyers based in New York, Washington, DC, London, Luxembourg, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and other cities around the world. The integrated practice works seamlessly with members of our specialty groups, including regulatory (such as CFTC, BHCA, ERISA, FDI reviews and CFIUS), private equity and M&A, tax, antitrust, debt finance, and disputes practices worldwide. This capability ensures quality, confidentiality, responsiveness and control of work streams on all transactions, from blind pool fund investments to bespoke co-investment transactions requiring sector and/or regulatory expertise. We are a leading firm in the fields of private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, venture capital, technology and ESG among other key industries for our clients. Each of these practices and industries work closely with our investment funds team to provide comprehensive and trusted advice to our clients, whether on the sponsor or investor side.

Fund Finance

White & Case has a market-leading, global debt finance practice with deep experience in lending to private funds and their portfolio companies. Our expertise spans the full range of debt products available to private funds, including subscription, hybrid and NAV facilities, GP facilities, 'topco' financings, margin loans, TRSs, preferred equity transactions, acquisition finance and deferred consideration facilities. Our global reach and active market participation keeps us at the forefront of this ever-evolving practice.    Our extensive private equity, fund formation and secondaries experience provides critical understanding of investment fund-specific issues and needs, as well as broad-based contacts among investors and general partners. We have a strong track record of advising in connection with financings for bulge-bracket and middle-market borrowers—and are deeply familiar with prevailing terms in these markets.

Related services: Capital Markets, Energy, ESG and Sustainability, Financial Institutions, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Reviews, Infrastructure, Mergers & Acquisitions, Debt Finance, Private Credit and Direct Lending, Private Equity, Real Estate, Regulatory & Compliance, Tax, Technology

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AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Highly Recommended for W&C M&A funds database
Financial Times Innovation Award 2023

Highly Recommended for Private Equity, Fund Structuring and Corporate/M&A in Luxembourg
Leaders League 2022

Ranked Tier Two for Investment Funds in Hong Kong
Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2023

Ranked as a Leading Firm for Investment Funds in Asia-Pacific and Greater China
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2023

Ranked among the “Elite” law firms for Corporate/M&A in the United States and New York 
Chambers USA 2023

Ranked Band 1 for Banking & Finance Globally
Chambers Global, 2023

“Private funds-related work is the team’s core strength and its versatility at advising on both closed and open- ended vehicles has seen it regularly instructed on both standardised, as well as highly bespoke hybrid structures.”
“The firm has deep experience and expertise in fund formation and structuring across various strategies and geographies. Client-oriented culture and very close team work to deliver high-quality product on time.”
Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2023

Client quote: “They are able to understand and support our team’s commercial requirements…White & Case are efficient, responsive and offer commercial advice.”
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2023, Investment Funds: Private Equity and Hedge Funds (International Firms)

White & Case Luxembourg Funds team “is well-positioned to leverage the firm’s extensive global network and asset management connections.” 
Legal 500 2023 EMEA

“Noted for its expertise in matters involving real estate, finance and investment funds. Sources say: ‘we are very impressed with them as they have a good command of everything.’”
Chambers UK 2022

“Breadth of coverage and capability is mind-boggling.’”
Chambers USA: Private Equity 2022

“A true partner during the deal process. Always thinking outside the box and coming up with creative solutions and leverage strong negotiation tactics.”
The Legal 500 US, 2022: Finance – Advice to Borrowers