Investment Funds, Advisers and Derivatives
Sidley has a premier, global practice in structuring and advising investment funds and advisers. Our Investment Funds, Advisers and Derivatives Practice group consists of more than 120 lawyers in New York, Chicago, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
We advise clients in the formation and operation of all types of alternative investment vehicles, including
hedge funds,
fund-of-funds,
commodity pools, venture capital and private equity funds,
private real estate funds and other public and private pooled investment vehicles. We also represent clients with respect to more traditional investment funds, such as open-end
registered investment companies (i.e., mutual funds), closed-end funds and
exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Our advice covers the broad scope of legal and compliance issues that are faced by funds, their managers and their boards under the laws and regulations of the various jurisdictions in which they may operate. In particular, we advise our clients regarding complex federal and state laws and regulations governing securities, funds and advisers including the Dodd-Frank Act, the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the USA PATRIOT Act and comparable laws in non-U.S. jurisdictions. We are often asked to analyze and resolve issues regarding the availability of an exemption or other basis for avoiding registration under the Investment Company Act or the Investment Advisers Act.
Our Investment Funds and Advisers Practice also includes professionals who advise clients in structuring and negotiating
over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives transactions and counseling exchanges, clearinghouses, brokers and traders with respect to the regulation of
exchange-traded derivatives. In addition, our recognized practice for
real estate investment trusts (REITs) comprises part of this practice group.
In 2011, Sidley was named the “Best North American Law Firm” by
Hedgeweek in its second annual Hedgeweek Awards. In 2010, Sidley received first-tier national rankings for its Private Funds / Hedge Funds, Derivatives & Futures and Mutual Funds practices in the inaugural U.S.News - Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” survey, published by
U.S.News & World Report. Sidley was named as the 2009 Best Onshore Law Firm in
Hedge Fund Manager (HFM) Week’s inaugural U.S. Service Provider Awards and was also shortlisted and “highly commended” in the category of Best Onshore Law Firm at
HFM Week’s European Hedge Fund Services Awards 2010.
In 2008, the firm was named "Investment Funds Team of the Year for the U.S." by
Chambers and Partners and is one of two firms to have been recognized as a top tier Investment Funds – Hedge Funds firm in
Chambers USA since the inception of the category rankings in 2008, including in the current 2011 rankings. Additionally,
Chambers has recognized the firm as a leading Investment Funds – Registered Funds firm during the same time period. Additionally, Institutional Investor’s
Alpha Magazine ranked Sidley as the number one onshore U.S. hedge fund law firm in 2006 and 2007, and number two overall in 2008 and 2009 in the Alpha Awards™ for hedge fund legal service providers.
AsianInvestor magazine also named Sidley Best Onshore Law Firm in Asia (ex-Japan) and the Best Onshore Law Firm in Japan in 2011; Best Onshore Law Firm for Asset Management in Japan 2009; and Best Law Firm for Alternative Assets in 2010 and 2008. In 2007, the firm was named Investment Funds Law Firm of the Year by
Asian Legal Business.
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