JAMES MUNSELL counsels investment advisers and investment funds in connection with a broad range of corporate, securities, derivatives, and regulatory matters. His clients range from small, closely held start-up investment management businesses to the investment management divisions of global financial institutions.
Jim’s principal areas of practice include:
- Pooled investment product design and development
- Private investment funds, including hedge funds, private equity funds, and hybrids (domestic and offshore), using a broad range of investment styles and strategies and targeting a broad range of asset classes, including securities (equity, debt, convertibles, asset-backed securities, mortgage-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities), loans, futures and derivatives, physical commodities, aircraft, tax liens, movies, life settlements, volatility, and other asset classes;
- Public and private commodity pools
- Public and private registered investment companies
- Funds of funds
- Private equity and hedge fund feeder funds and feeder fund platforms
- Special purpose or single investment funds
- Fund restructurings and workouts
- Seed capital transactions
- Secondary market transactions in interests in private investment funds
- Regulation of investment advisers, commodity pool operators, commodity trading advisors and investment companies
- Spin-outs and lift outs
- Compensation plans
- Organization and reorganization of closely held investment management businesses, including the negotiation and drafting of organizational documents addressing economic sharing arrangements, management and control, and succession issues
- Mergers and acquisitions of investment management businesses, including change-in-control transactions and acquisitions of minority interest
- Joint ventures between investment management businesses
Jim was involved in the successful development and launch of the first commodity pool to be listed on a securities exchange in the U.S. and continues to work on innovative exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Sidley’s award-winning Investment Funds group provides top-tier service to all aspects of the private funds industry. Chambers USA awarded the group top band rankings in Hedge Funds every year since 2008. Sidley has also been named “Law Firm of the Year” in Private Funds/Hedge Funds Law in U.S. News – Best Lawyers 2022 “Best Law Firms.”
Additionally, Jim has been recognized by The International Who’s Who of Private Funds (2013—2015), The Legal 500 for mutual/registered funds and private equity funds, and by Who’s Who Legal 2022 as a leading lawyer in Private Funds.