Investment Funds and Investment Companies

Innovating to benefit the world’s leading investment funds

Dechert has one of the largest investment fund practices in the world, with a record of innovation stretching back 40 years. We advise across the full range of mainstream and alternative asset classes and strategies, representing some of the world’s largest fund complexes, as well as small- and mid-size complexes.

We were the first and are the leading law firm with a funds team that spans all five principal European fund centers — London, Luxembourg, Dublin, Munich, and Paris — as well as the United States, Middle East and Asia. We operate as a single partnership across the globe with no internal barriers to collaboration.

Clients look to us for support across the entire fund lifecycle, from development and formation, to marketing, operations and transactions. We provide advice related to fund management and governance, as well as assist with the full range of regulatory and compliance issues. Our team also assists with investigations and litigations involving regulatory entities around the world.

Key Contacts

Gus Black

Partner \ London
+44 20 7184 7380 gus.black@dechert.com
Christopher P. Harvey

Partner \ Boston
+1 617 728 7167 christopher.harvey@dechert.com

These are some of our strengths in the investment funds arena:

Private funds – We advise sponsors and principals of over 700 private funds – including hedge funds, private equity and venture capital funds, credit and debt funds, and secondaries funds – in fund formation, capital raising, restructuring and all ongoing matters. Our lawyers handle domestic and offshore funds investing in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the U.S. and all other international markets, covering all classes.
Mutual Funds – Our team advises over 60 mutual fund groups, which encompass thousands of separate mutual funds and client assets exceeding US$5.5 trillion.
Exchange-Traded Funds – Our 30-plus ETF lawyers represent more than 20 ETF sponsors, a significant share of the entire sponsor universe.
Money Market Funds – We advise sponsors and managers of money market funds in connection with both day-to-day operational issues and the strategic decisions arising in the evolving regulatory environment.

Recognized for excellence in investment funds

We are consistently recognized as a top law firm for investment funds by a number of publications in the U.S., Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including The Legal 500 and Chambers Global, which commented on the firm’s "strong reputation among fund managers," in addition to its ability to "handle projects across a variety of jurisdictions.”

The Legal 500 U.S. noted that Dechert “has a strong global funds practice that advises clients on all aspects of fund formation, and represents the full range of fund types, investment strategies and asset classes.” Chambers UK commented that the firm is a “leading player in the alternative asset management space and a well-established and active participant in the hedge fund area,” while Chambers Asia noted that “the team have a strong reputation among fund managers, a leading regulatory practice and a good sense of the issues that are important to clients.” Dechert’s investment funds practice has also been recognized by IFLR1000, Practical Law Company, The Hedge Fund Journal, ETF.com, Private Debt Investor, HFMWeek, Who’s Who Legal and Best Lawyers.