Investment Funds: Hedge Funds | Asia-Pacific

Clifford Chance has a renowned pan-Asian legal practice with leading practitioners in Hong Kong and Singapore, offering a comprehensive skill set that covers innovative investment structures in hedge, private equity and real estate funds. The firm is also recognised for its work on the formation of registered funds in Singapore and Hong Kong. It advises an enviable client base comprising top-end sponsors, managers and investors on fund formation, regulatory issues and investments. The firm draws on its considerable strength in the transactional private equity and real estate areas to support its funds clients and is a first choice of counsel regarding the formation of high-profile regional development funds.

Dechert's legal team has a broad funds practice that is frequently engaged by asset management clients to advise on the authorisation, listing and regulatory maintenance of registered funds. The firm provides particular expertise with regard to unit trusts and mutual funds. Its extensive offshore experience covers formation, structuring and management, and the firm has a strong record of advising on cross-border mandates. It is active counsel on hedge and hybrid fund formations and increasingly involved in the private equity sphere.

DLA Piper has legal offices in Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. It assists fund managers with the formation, management and restructuring of hedge funds and advises investors throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Its expertise includes fund launches and spin-offs, with additional experience restructuring funds to allow clients to attract capital from US and European investors. The firm is also active advising limited partners on their investments.

Sidley Austin is an international law firm with market-leading offerings in Hong Kong and Singapore providing an outstanding hedge funds practice which caters for global investors and in particular those with a US focus. It has additional strength in private equity and real estate fund formation and management, providing a comprehensive regulatory and transactional offering in relation to open and closed-end funds throughout Asia. The firm offers integrated expertise in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Japan, US and English law. It is active on funds focused around the region, including those focused on South Asia and on South-East Asia.

King & Wood Mallesons has particular strength in real estate and infrastructure fund formation, management and restructuring in Asia and Australia. The firm demonstrates further ability with regard to the establishment of private equity funds and ETFs. It is well respected for its experience in renminbi-denominated funds in China as well as its experience assisting international investment fund clients with their Asian operations from its offices in Hong Kong and Singapore. It is particularly proficient with regard to its clients' China outbound investment requirements, and maintains an established record of advising on matters connecting Australia and Singapore.

Simmons & Simmons' legal team has a formidable reputation in the registered fund space, particularly regarding ETFs and retail funds. It boasts sought-after expertise for RFQII fund advice and SFC authorisations, as well as regulatory and licensing issues. The team is highly commended for its experience in hedge fund formation and for advising a range of investors on renminbi-denominated funds, with expertise based in both Hong Kong and Singapore. It is also adept at handling funds domiciled in Ireland and Luxembourg.

Baker McKenzie is a leading global law firm with an established track record for handling a range of funds matters on an Asia-wide scale. The firm has exceptional cross-border capabilities, owing to its impressive global footprint, which is further bolstered in the Asia-Pacific region by its significant Australian funds group, as well as standout practices in Hong Kong and Singapore. It is particularly prominent for its work on private equity real estate funds, REITs and pension funds, with additional expertise in handling secondary investments and regulatory compliance work. It acts as counsel to sovereign wealth funds operating in the region and advises investors and fund managers on regulatory matters, including the impact of financial regulation reforms.

Linklaters hosts solid funds practices in Singapore and Tokyo, with additional resources in its Hong Kong office. Drawing on its international resources, the firm often advises clients on cross-border mandates. The team is well placed to advise clients on private equity, venture capital, hedge funds and special situations funds, as well as funds focused on real estate and infrastructure.