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Kirkland & Ellis

Investment Funds: Private Equity

Europe Guide 2026 : UK

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Kirkland & Ellis

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About

Provided by Kirkland & Ellis

Kirkland & Ellis is a global leader in providing sophisticated advice to investment fund sponsors, institutional investors and other market participants in the alternative investment fund space. Kirkland offers clients the unsurpassed resources of a large, integrated, multidisciplinary, global team located across offices in the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific. 

With one of the largest and most active client bases of any law firm, Kirkland is uniquely positioned to provide unsurpassed market intelligence and cutting-edge solutions to address the broad spectrum of legal, regulatory, tax and commercial challenges facing investment funds and their sponsors in today’s market. Kirkland’s Investment Funds attorneys represent a diverse group of clients ranging from some of the world’s largest multi-strategy alternative asset managers and financial institutions to independent boutiques and sponsors raising first-time funds. Kirkland also represents a wide range of institutional investors around the globe, including sovereign wealth funds, family offices, corporations and other investors in private funds. These clients operate across a broad spectrum of alternative investment asset classes and strategies.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Investment Funds: Private Equity - UK

Band 1

What the Team is Known For

A commanding force in the private equity space, Kirkland & Ellis handles an exceptional volume of high-profile formation work. Its funds group is well versed in raising for buyout funds, real estate and infrastructure funds of funds, as well as large secondary transactions. The firm represents a large number of the leading European asset managers and private equity sponsors. Its practice is complemented by tax and regulatory expertise at the firm. The department is also able to draw on the experience of a wide range of international teams to assist on cross-border matters for global clients. Kirkland & Ellis has enjoyed notable growth in its real estate funds capabilities in recent years.

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Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • Kirkland & Ellis advised Basalt Infrastructure Partners on the formation and fundraising for Basalt Infrastructure Partners IV.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Kirkland & Ellis have unparalleled experience of the market.

    Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

  • Their market knowledge and deep understanding of our objectives enables them to make valuable and nuanced contributions to projects. There is a sense of genuine partnership rather than pure execution.

    Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

  • Kirkland & Ellis excel at complex transactions. They leverage their skills, expertise and experience in a proactive manner to achieve commercial solutions quickly.

    Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

  • I appreciate their speed, pragmatic approach and strong expertise. They are a strong team that can handle complex assignments. Multiple last-minute requests are processed very quickly.

    Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

  • Their wealth of experience means they can provide invaluable market data in determining the best possible terms. The depth of the team is exceptional; they are able to cope with high volumes of work.

    Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Anand Damodaran
    Anand Damodaran

    Anand Damodaran

    Anand Damodaran advises leading private equity sponsors on the establishment of buyout funds. He is further recognised for his work on European-focused credit funds.

    • Anand is very smart and very client-oriented. He has been a great support for us.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Anand has excellent legal and commercial knowledge.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Anand is a superstar. If private funds was a law school module, he would be the leading professor.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope
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  • Andrew Shore
    Andrew Shore

    Andrew Shore

    Andrew Shore has a flourishing practice advising private equity sponsors on fundraisings and secondary transactions. He also works with those clients on co-investment and carried interest.

    • Andrew is just extremely commercial and client-focused. On a personal and professional level, he is a good lawyer and a compassionate and nice person. He is incredible.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Andrew has impressed on all fronts. He has been a safe pair of hands, guiding us in a commercial, knowledgeable and considered manner.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • He is a great partner in transactions and very commercial.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope
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  • Richard Watkins
    Richard Watkins

    Richard Watkins

    Richard Watkins is hailed for his expertise in the formation of large-cap private equity funds. The quality of his practice means that his advice is sought out by leading international sponsors.

    • Richard has first-class experience across investment funds. His technical knowledge is exceptional and he displays excellent commercial awareness.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Richard is one of the more tenured members and is up to speed on the latest market dynamics.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Richard Watkins is very well respected in the market and is extremely commercial.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope
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  • Christopher Braunack
    Christopher Braunack

    Christopher Braunack

    Christopher Braunack is adept at advising investment management groups on high-profile fund formation and structuring. His focus is on buyout funds, and his client list includes many market-leading sponsors.

    • Christopher is a go-to for strategic advice, reliably providing commercial, intelligent and thoughtful input on complex and sensitive matters.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Christopher displays excellent commercial awareness. He is the go-to partner if you have a business-critical issue that you need sound commercial advice to resolve.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Christopher Braunack is the heavy-hitting big-shot lawyer who is there for the tough calls. He is the heavyweight.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope
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  • Amala Ejikeme
    Amala Ejikeme

    Amala Ejikeme

    Amala Ejikeme regularly represents European sponsor clients in high-value fundraisings for private funds. He advises on buyout, credit, digital assets, growth, impact, infrastructure, real estate and venture funds.

    • Amala provides a combination of commercial and market awareness with technical prowess. He offers great client service. He is the Carlos Alcaraz of private funds.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Amala Ejikeme is very polished, very bright and very able.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Amala is an absolute superstar. He is responsive, reliable, creative and easy to deal with.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope
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  • Jonathan Tadd
    Jonathan Tadd

    Jonathan Tadd

    Jonathan Tadd advises GP-side clients on the formation, operation and closing out of both domestic and international real estate, infrastructure and real asset credit funds.

    • Jonathan Tadd and his team have been integral to our success.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Jonathan is active in this space. He is knowledgeable and very commercial.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Jonathan Tadd is very skilled, very available, always around and very pleasant.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope
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  • Alex Amos
    Alex Amos

    Alex Amos

    Alex Amos is noted for his work on private equity and credit fund formation for leading European managers. He also assists clients with matters relating to secondary market transactions.

    • Alex has a great reputation. He is very good and solid.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Alex has been amazing. Not only did he immediately understand what we were trying to achieve strategically and commercially, but he was also very practical and concrete.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Alex has a great track record.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope
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  • Amy Fox
    Amy Fox

    Amy Fox

    Amy Fox represents major players in the European private equity funds space. She has experience advising clients on regulatory compliance and large-cap fund launches.

    • Amy is very technically skilled and combines that with excellent project management skills, making her the perfect hybrid who makes sure to get things done and right.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Amy is an extremely thoughtful and detailed lawyer.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Amy Fox is one of the true experts and rising stars in the UK fund formation practice. She has extensive and exceedingly good knowledge of the market in Europe and the UK.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope
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  • Paul Sampson
    Paul Sampson

    Paul Sampson

    Paul Sampson represents fund sponsors in the structuring, formation and operation of a broad range of private investment funds across all major real asset sectors, including real estate, infrastructure, transportation and private credit.

    • I have been very impressed with Paul's approach and service level.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Paul is very knowledgeable of the market, has developed a strong team and is eager to better understand our internal dynamics to adjust his service to our precise needs.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Paul Sampson is great. He's a very intelligent individual who is very hard-working and very responsive.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope

    • Paul is always available and client-focused. He is very responsive.

      Investment Funds: Private Equity respondentEurope
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Ranked Individuals at Kirkland & Ellis (9)

UK

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