Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Private Equity: Buyouts & Venture Capital Investment (International Firms) - China
What the Team is Known For
The standout private equity team of Kirkland & Ellis has offices in Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai and advises on the full range of private equity deals, from fund formation to exits. It is particularly active in LBOs and going-private transactions. The firm remains a trusted adviser to leading US private equity houses, with a growing base of Asian clients, including regional funds. The practice is notably experienced in Hong Kong public takeover deals.
Strengths
Kirkland is one of the very few firms in the market that can handle complex transactions of various nature, such as LBOs, co-investing and take-privates.
What differentiates them is that they are extremely good at grasping complex deal structures. Their significant experience working in PE in this region allows them to help us understand precedents.
They have a lot of industry expertise and the M&A team in particular stands out. I am confident to ask questions and get sophisticated, commercial and practical advice.
Work Highlights
Kirkland & Ellis acted for CPP Investments on its AUD24 billion acquisition of AirTrunk, alongside Blackstone, from Macquarie Asset Management and other investors.
Notable practitioners
Jesse Sheley is co-head of the firm's private equity practice in Hong Kong and is a highly respected private equity lawyer who counts a number of prominent global PE firms among his clientele.
His creativity and ability to come up with different structures on the spot are amazing.
He is very commercial. He can step in and offer creative solutions that work from a deal point of view but also still protect us.
Jesse has a good personality in negotiations. He always stays calm and can handle even intense situations well. He is very knowledgeable and his technical skills are very good.
Pierre-Luc Arsenault is recognised for advising prominent international private equity firms on their cross-border deals in the region. He handles a wide range of private equity investments, including restructures, minority, control and co-investments.
When dealing with tricky situations, his ability to find unique solutions that are a win-win for all sides helps a lot. He has that whole balance between the legal and commercial.