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Investment management lawyers

Our integrated legal and tax teams offer a one-stop shop for forming, managing and investing in funds. We have helped some of the world’s most successful fund managers, sponsors and investors to navigate complex cross-border legal, regulatory and tax issues.

From sponsor and investor representation, regulatory filings and tax solutions, through its offices located around the globe, we offer a multi-practice, comprehensive service to investors and fund managers in the ever-changing regulatory climate.

We have advised some of the most successful fund managers, sponsors and investors, navigate complex cross-border legal, regulatory and tax issues to ensure their continuation of success.
 
We provide legal, regulatory and tax advice on the entire lifecycle of open-end and closed-end funds, and have the resources needed to handle all types and sizes of transactions. One of our key differentiators is our market-leading international tax advisory team that is highly proficient in structuring global and regional funds, using global tax treaties and regimes to achieve optimal tax efficiency for our clients. Our integrated legal and tax teams provide a unique ‘one-stop’ shop for all your legal and tax needs in forming, managing and investing your fund.

Our integrated team of senior funds partners are based in the major financial and capital raising hubs of Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles and London. The team specializes in  the legal, regulatory and international tax advisory aspects of fund structuring, marketing, formation, management, financing, disposing and investing. Our experience spans across a wide range of jurisdictions, practices, industry sectors and funds types.

Working with our corporate, financing and real estate investment partners across 17 offices globally, we routinely advise on complex private equity, real estate and M&A transactions, as well as focusing on compliance and  regulatory needs in various jurisdictions.

Regardless of your investment strategy and profile, our firm’s breadth of resources allows us to deliver solutions that are tailored to your fund activities across the world.

Fund types we work with:
  • Private equity funds
  • Hedge fund
  • Venture funds
  • Real estate funds
  • Fund of funds
  • Private investment in public equity funds (PIPE funds)
  • Special purpose acquisition (SPAC funds)
  • Cryptocurrency funds
  • Insurance dedicated funds (IDF funds)
  • Hybrid funds / opportunity funds
  • Media and entertainment funds
  • Art funds
  • Commodity pools
  • EB-5 funds
  • Life settlement funds
  • Debt funds
  • Litigation finance funds

Track record

Establishment of two Singapore-domiciled fund vehicles

Advised on the establishment of two Singapore-domiciled fund vehicles, the EFA Real Economy Income Trust and the EFA Financial Institutions Debt Fund. 

Investment in energy management company NaviX Solutions

Represented EDB New Ventures on the incubation of and on the investment in energy management company NaviX Solutions, alongside energy and automation multinational Schneider Electric.

Singapore regulatory advice

Advised Nuveen's Singapore office on Singapore regulatory advice in its capacity as a licensed fund manager in Singapore.

Advising on Japan regulatory issues

Represented Monex, Inc. as lead and Japan counsel to establish a fund in the Cayman Islands and advised on related Japan regulatory issues

Global venture capital fund

Representing a global venture capital fund as the Japan counsel in relation to all Japan financial regulatory activities with a fund size of US$550 million

Leading alternative investment management firm

Representing a leading alternative investment management firm with approximately US$473 billion in assets under management and supervision as Japan fund counsel for all of the firm's funds offered into Japan.

Leading investment firm

Representing an investment firm with approximately US$105 billion in assets under management as Japan fund counsel for all of the firm's funds which are offered into Japan.

One of the world’s largest investment managers

Represented one of the world’s largest investment managers (US$989 billion AUM) as Japan counsel to successfully register to engage in a discretionary investment management business, investment advisory and agency business and Type 2 Financial Instruments Trading Business 

International investment management firm

Represented an international investment management firm in a Series C round investment in a leading Chinese smart electric vehicle by subscribing Series C preferred shares for a total consideration of US$15,000,000.

International investment management firm

Represented an international investment management firm in its investment in a Beijing-based developer of an open-source, distributed SQL database for real-time analytics by purchasing Series D preferred shares for a total consideration of US$30,000,000.  

A private equity fund

We advised on the acquisition of a popular preschool and English enrichment centre chain in Singapore.

Lead tax advisor in over 20 transactions

in various asset classes, private equity, real estate, and alternative investments, from Singapore into Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand.

Asian Sovereign fund

Acting for a sovereign fund (seller) with regard to disposal of all their shares in a BVI company to Middle Eastern HNWIs.

Windup of real estate fund

Handle sale out of multiple apartment assets owned by an offshore fund, together with windup of entity. Windup and liquidation of foreign corporation included issues of law of Curacao, Hong Kong and California/US.

Draper Esprit on US$60M Series B funding of FintechOS

Advising Draper Esprit on the US$60 million Series B funding of FintechOS, a leading European fintech whose technology dramatically reduces the time it takes for financial institutions to build end-to-end digital products.

$70M investment to fund partnership with Nike

Acted for ETF Partners, who led a $70M investment into E-Leather, a UK-based company developing patented high-tech materials technology. This Series C funding is for their partnership with Nike to develop the Flyleather line.

$10,000,000 Series A venture funding round

Withers acted for risk intelligence start up Arachnys on their $10M Series A venture funding round led by QED Investors, alongside other investors.

$10,500,000 Series D venture funding round

Withers acted for Festicket Ltd on their $10.5M Series D venture funding round led by Beringea, with additional investors including InMotion Ventures, Channel 4's Commercial Growth Fund, Lepe Partners, U-Start and ex Spinnin' Records CEO Eelko Van Kooten.conversation. Better conversation, in turn, leads to stronger community and connection.

$22,000,000 Series B venture funding round

Withers acted for London based open source security company Snyk on their $22M Series B venture funding round led by Accel, with additional investors including Boldstart Ventures, GV and Heavybit.

£30,000,000 Series A venture funding round investment into Cazoo

Withers acted for the investors into online used car marketplace Cazoo Limited on their £30,000,000 Series A venture funding round with investors including Delin Ventures, Entrée Capital, Octopus Ventures, and Stride VC and dmg ventures.

The US-born son of a UK businessman

When he became engaged to a Swiss citizen, the son of a high-profile UK businessman asked us to help him obtain a British Passport and expatriate from the US. We were also asked to draft a prenuptial agreement. Timing was of the essence but as a global, full-service firm we created a team of immigration, family and private client lawyers to meet tight deadlines.

Charman v Charman

In collaboration with our family law experts, we advised in this high profile and complex divorce case which may be seen as the apogee of the English divorce jurisdiction's robust attitude towards offshore trusts. It marked the widening gap between the trust industry on the one hand and the family division on the other as to the respect to be accorded to trusts, and it remains a seminal case in this field today.

A large private equity fund

Withers has a century of experience in advising high net worth individuals and organizations. So we were pleased to work closely with seven principals of a $1 billion-plus fund to facilitate the most tax-efficient transfer of their interests in a new fund into wealth holding vehicles.

Asian Sovereign fund

Acting for a sovereign fund (seller) with regard to disposal of all their shares in a BVI company to Middle Eastern HNWIs.

$70M investment to fund partnership with Nike

Acted for ETF Partners, who led a $70M investment into E-Leather, a UK-based company developing patented high-tech materials technology. This Series C funding is for their partnership with Nike to develop the Flyleather line.

US micro-venture capital fund

Formation and private offering of a US micro-venture capital fund focusing on the business-to-business digital marketplace and advice on its investments in three portfolio companies: a platform providing athletes and parents with a suite of online tools to streamline the recruiting process; a platform providing restaurants with a trained food delivery staff and system as well as an app which communicates orders received by restaurants; and a platform that allows manufacturers and distributors in the IT sector to communicate with resellers of their products.

Windup of real estate fund

Handle sale out of multiple apartment assets owned by an offshore fund, together with windup of entity. Windup and liquidation of foreign corporation included issues of law of Curacao, Hong Kong and California/US.

The US-born son of a UK businessman

When he became engaged to a Swiss citizen, the son of a high-profile UK businessman asked us to help him obtain a British Passport and expatriate from the US. We were also asked to draft a prenuptial agreement. Timing was of the essence but as a global, full-service firm we created a team of immigration, family and private client lawyers to meet tight deadlines.

Windup of real estate fund

Handle sale out of multiple apartment assets owned by an offshore fund, together with windup of entity. Windup and liquidation of foreign corporation included issues of law of Curacao, Hong Kong and California/US.

Lead tax advisor in over 20 transactions

in various asset classes, private equity, real estate, and alternative investments, from Singapore into Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand.

Our team

M. Ridgway Barker

M. Ridgway Barker

Partner | Greenwich

M. Ridgway Barker

Partner | Greenwich

Corporate

William J. Kambas

William J. Kambas

Partner | New York

William J. Kambas

Partner | New York

Private client and tax

David Guin

David Guin

Partner | New York

David Guin

Partner | New York

Corporate

Daniel Tang

Daniel Tang

Partner | Hong Kong

Daniel Tang

Partner | Hong Kong

Corporate

Koji Yamamoto

Koji Yamamoto

Partner | Tokyo

Koji Yamamoto

Partner | Tokyo

Investment funds and financial regulations

Yoshiyuki Omori

Yoshiyuki Omori

Partner | Tokyo

Yoshiyuki Omori

Partner | Tokyo

Investment funds and financial regulations

Eric Roose

Eric Roose

Partner | Tokyo

Eric Roose

Partner | Tokyo

International corporate tax

David A. Stein

David A. Stein

Partner | San Francisco

David A. Stein

Partner | San Francisco

Private client and tax

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