At Foley, we understand the unique needs and objectives of private equity and venture capital funds. We have represented venture investors and buyout groups for nearly half a century. With a team of more than 200 attorneys focusing on the full range of public and private debt and equity vehicles and their investment activities, we bring a sophisticated and efficient approach to structuring funds and their investments. Our comprehensive understanding of the market, trends, and issues positions us as integral members of our clients' teams, working collaboratively to achieve their objectives.As a national, multidisciplinary law firm, our full range of legal services for private equity and venture capital clients strengthens our competitive edge. Drawing on the experience of attorneys and professionals in more than 40 practice areas and 12 industry teams, we can customize our team according to your legal needs — whether in Boston; Palo Alto; Madison, Wisconsin; Brussels; or Tokyo.
When a private equity client — whether a buyout fund, venture capital fund, fund-of-fund, pension fund, university endowment, or other public or private institution — is grappling with the ever-increasing pressures of corporate governance reform, we have attorneys on hand who have worked specifically with such clients on corporate compliance issues. As one of the leading intellectual property (IP) law firms in the country, we have highly skilled intellectual property attorneys on our team who have worked with our private equity clients and their portfolio companies in recognizing, evaluating, and protecting their intellectual assets.
We deliver considerable depth and range of private equity and venture capital experience, backed by the breadth of our firm's comprehensive legal resources, to meet — and exceed — your expectations.
We create the appropriate vehicles for private equity funds, fund-of-funds, angel funds, early and late stage venture capital funds, mezzanine funds, hedge funds, turnaround and distressed debt funds, and employee co-investment funds, among others. Our experience is not limited to U.S.-based fund work; we have significant know-how in structuring funds in non-U.S. jurisdictions.
Fund Sponsors
We represent fund sponsors in the creation and fund-raising efforts of a wide variety of fund types and sizes, including geographically focused and international fund vehicles; emerging managers; and experienced sponsors who have created multiple funds. We are at the forefront of issues such as preferred return, carry terms and calculations, additional public disclosure of fund results, management fee variables, and changes in clawbacks, among others. With our considerable technical and geographical experience, our attorneys and our fund clients promote and close funds in a wide variety of market conditions.
The added value provided by strategic partners who source deals, provide industry insight, and contribute management expertise has proven critical to the long-term success of private equity funds. Therefore, we have honed our experience in developing co-investment vehicles to support a fund's overall objectives, as well as the strategic partners' interests. Our experience ranges from complex investment programs to tax and estate planning investment structures for fund principals, officers, and employees. The ultimate goal of our co-investment vehicles is to maximize after-tax returns and personal wealth management objectives for these groups.
Fund Investors
Our Private Equity & Venture Capital attorneys serve a wide array of investor clients such as:
Private and government pension plans
Financial institutions
University pension funds
Foreign entities and individuals
Insurance companies
Religious and charitable organizations
High net worth individuals
Family offices
We have proven methods for quickly analyzing fund terms. When coupled with our extensive experience serving a variety of private equity funds, our attorneys efficiently guide investor clients' initiatives and counsel them on market trends and issues surrounding particular funds.
