Janelle Ibeling

JANELLE IBELING is the head of Sidley’s Chicago Investment Funds practice. She focuses her practice on counseling investment managers and institutional investors on the legal, regulatory, and commercial issues that arise in developing and operating asset management platforms, including fund formation, corporate transactions, life cycle events, and compliance matters. Her extensive experience on both the sponsor and investor sides enables her to anticipate concerns, identify workable solutions, and facilitate negotiations with precision and a clear understanding of how legal decisions affect clients’ broader business objectives.

Janelle advises clients across a broad range of fund strategies and structures, including domestic and offshore hedge funds, hybrid and evergreen funds, private equity funds, funds of funds, access funds, single-investor funds, managed accounts, and co-investment arrangements. Her counsel extends to leveraged products, credit facilities, side pockets, investor negotiations, and other matters that require both technical fluency and sound judgment. She also provides ongoing advice to investment managers on SEC registration and compliance obligations and best practices.

Janelle was shortlisted for 2025 “Investment Funds Lawyer of the Year” by IFLR’s Women in Business Law Americas Awards. She was honored at Chicago Daily Law Bulletin’s 2022 Salute! Top Women in Law Awards, which recognizes her work advancing other women in the profession, her professional achievements, and her leadership in the community.

Janelle was named to The Hedge Fund Journal’s 2023 “50 Leading Women in Hedge Funds” list. She has been ranked by Chambers Global (2023–2026) and Chambers USA (2022–2025) for Hedge Funds—USA, where clients have indicated she is “a great lawyer who is a pleasure to work with.” Clients have also highlighted her “outstanding legal skills” and “cutting-edge knowledge.” Clients commented in the 2021 edition that she “handles extremely important and sensitive negotiations with our high-profile clients.” She has also been described as “extraordinarily talented” in the client comment section of Legal 500 United States. Janelle has also been recognized in Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) for Private Funds (2016–2025).

Janelle is a member of Sidley’s award-winning Investment Funds practice, which provides top-tier service to all aspects of the private funds industry. Chambers USA has 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.”

Janelle is a member of the firm’s Pro Bono and Public Interest Law Committee. She also is a member of the board of directors of Chicago Cares and Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI).