Fund Formation Lawyers

1,426 fund lawyers at 91 firms list fund formation work.

Everyone here is listed from their firm’s own bio page, and nobody pays to be listed or to rank. Last verified Oct 23–24, 2026. How we check

Partners: 1,426; all at partner level
Firms: 91; by partners listed
Most partners: Kirkland & Ellis; 226 listed here
Biggest city: New York; 626 here

Fund formation attorneys

1,426 · 1401–1426

Chair, head or managing partner23
Partner or principal1,377

Under 10 years74
10 to 20 years344
20 years or more481

GPs and Sponsors987
LPs and Investors452

Named in our news20

Counting everyone…

					Primary practice			Prior firms
Fred J. Adam	WilmerHale	Partner	Palo Alto, CA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +1	–	34 yrs	NYU, University of +1	Hochman, Salkin & DeRoy
Lesley P. Adamo	Lowenstein Sandler	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Fund tax	Fund tax	16 yrs	NYU, Fordham +1	–
Patricia Adams	Vinson & Elkins	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Real estate funds	–	21 yrs	Northwestern, University of Notre Dame	–
Regan K. Adamson	Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton	Partner	Winston-Salem, NC	Fund formation, Private equity funds +4	Fund formation	16 yrs	–	–
Jonathan Adler	Debevoise & Plimpton	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Venture funds +6	–	21 yrs	NYU, Cornell	–
Rafael A. Aguilar	Winston Taylor	Partner	Miami, FL	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	–	31 yrs	NYU, Yale	–
Nanette Aguirre	Greenberg Traurig	Shareholder	New York, NY	Fund formation, Funds regulatory	Fund formation	23 yrs	Rutgers Law School, NYU	Deutsche Bank, Merrill Lynch +1
Andrew M. Ahern	Davis Polk & Wardwell	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private equity funds +5	Fund formation	–	Columbia, Bucknell University	Debevoise & Plimpton
Zeeshan Ahmedani	Proskauer Rose	Partner	Los Angeles, CA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +4	Fund formation	–	University of Southern, University of California, Irvine	–
Nancy C. Aiken	Taft Stettinius & Hollister	Partner	Minneapolis, MN	Fund formation, Private equity funds +1	–	–	University of, University of Iowa	–
Selin Akkan	Cooley	Partner	Palo Alto, CA	Fund formation, Venture funds	–	–	–	–
Michael F.E. Akkawi	Mintz	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	–	–	McGill University	–
Freddie G. Akrouche	Goodwin Procter	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Real estate funds	–	–	University of, Providence College	–
Michael J. Albano	Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation	–	25 yrs	Georgetown, Duke	–
Aimee A. Albright	Kirkland & Ellis	Partner	Chicago, IL	Fund formation	Fund formation	15 yrs	George Washington University, West Virginia University	DLA Piper, Winston & Strawn +1
Emily Alfano	Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Venture funds	Fund formation	10 yrs	Columbia, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey	–
Sara Allawi	Weil, Gotshal & Manges	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private equity funds +5	Fund formation	11 yrs	Tufts University, George Washington University	–
Brian Allen	Kirkland & Ellis	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Funds regulatory	Fund formation	21 yrs	Boston University, University College Dublin	Morgan Lewis, LK Shields Solicitors
Tifarah Roberts Allen	Hogan Lovells Cadwalader	Partner	Washington, D.C.	Fund formation, Real estate funds	–	19 yrs	Columbia, Temple University +1	–
Joel D. Almquist	K&L Gates	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	Fund tax	49 yrs	Harvard, Columbia	–
Dannia Altemimei	Greenberg Traurig	Shareholder	Chicago, IL	Fund formation, Funds regulatory	Fund formation	–	University of, Loyola University Chicago	Balyasny Asset Management L.P
Stuart Alter	Milbank	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private equity funds +6	Fund tax	–	Fordham, NYU +1	–
Zach Altman	Kirkland & Ellis	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +1	Fund formation	11 yrs	Vanderbilt, Clark University	DLA Piper, Sullivan & Worcester
Prem Amarnani	McDermott Will & Schulte	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Secondaries +1	Fund formation	–	Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Stevens Institute of Technology	–
Mark C. Amorosi	K&L Gates	Partner	Washington, D.C.	Fund formation, Funds regulatory	–	32 yrs	Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America, Boston College	–
Juliet Anderson	Kirkland & Ellis	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Infrastructure funds +2	Fund formation	15 yrs	Fordham, University of Law +2	–
Kirk Anderson	Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	Fund formation	–	George Washington University, University of Michigan	–
Scott R. Anderson	Chapman and Cutler	Partner	Chicago, IL	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	Funds regulatory	33 yrs	Loyola University, Augustana College	–
Stephanie M. Annunziata	Proskauer Rose	Partner	Los Angeles, CA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +5	Private equity funds	–	Columbia, University of Rhode Island	–
Dan Applebaum	Kirkland & Ellis	Partner	Chicago, IL	Fund formation, Secondaries	Fund formation	12 yrs	University of, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	Adams Street Partners, Sidley Austin
Adam Aramati	Kirkland & Ellis	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Secondaries	Fund formation	13 yrs	Duke, University of Massachusetts	Latham & Watkins, Morgan Lewis +3
Alexander Argyris	Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Venture funds +2	Fund formation	14 yrs	Cornell, Osgoode Hall Law School +1	–
Monica Arora	Proskauer Rose	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	Fund formation	–	Georgetown, University of Chicago	–
Priya Gupta Arshanapalli	Kirkland & Ellis	Partner	Dallas, TX	Fund formation, Private equity funds +4	Fund formation	13 yrs	Columbia, Harvard	Jones Day
Semma G. Arzapalo	Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman	Partner	Los Angeles, CA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +3	–	21 yrs	University of Michigan, UCLA	–
Sam Ash	Kirkland & Ellis	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	Fund formation	9 yrs	Harvard, Yeshiva University	Elion Partners, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Brian E. Ashin	Paul Hastings	Partner	Washington, D.C. +1	Fund formation, Private equity funds +1	–	18 yrs	Georgetown, Brandeis University	–
Saba Ashraf	Troutman Pepper Locke	Partner	Philadelphia, PA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +5	Fund tax	36 yrs	NYU, Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University	–
Jim Audette	Chapman and Cutler	Partner	Chicago, IL	Fund formation, Private equity funds +3	–	14 yrs	University of Notre Dame, Loyola University Chicago	–
Jason Auerbach	Debevoise & Plimpton	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private equity funds +4	–	18 yrs	Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, University of Pennsylvania	–
Vadim Avdeychik	Debevoise & Plimpton	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Funds regulatory	–	19 yrs	Georgetown, Hofstra University +1	–
Mohamed Awan	Morgan, Lewis & Bockius	Partner	Chicago, IL	Fund formation	–	15 yrs	American University, University of Michigan	–
Conrad C Axelrod	King & Spalding	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private equity funds +6	Real estate funds	–	Humboldt University of Berlin Faculty of Law, University of Tasmania	–
Jared Axelrod	Kirkland & Ellis	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private credit funds +2	–	–	Brooklyn Law School, Rowan University	Milbank, Dechert
Aman Badyal	Polsinelli	Principal	Los Angeles, CA	Fund formation	–	22 yrs	NYU, Georgetown +1	–
Edward B. Baer	K&L Gates	Partner	San Francisco, CA	Fund formation, Funds regulatory	Funds regulatory	32 yrs	Rutgers School of Law-Newark, NYU	–
Luke Bagley	Goodwin Procter	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	Fund formation	17 yrs	NYU, Fordham +1	Cooley, Fried Frank +1
Roddy Bailey	Holland & Knight	Partner	Chattanooga, TN	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	–	–	Syracuse University, Georgia Institute of Technology	–
Cory E. Baird	Kirkland & Ellis	Partner	Chicago, IL	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	Private equity funds	–	Harvard, University of Michigan	Brookfield Financial, Greenhill
Scott J. Bakal	Greenberg Traurig	Shareholder	Miami, FL	Fund formation, Real estate funds +1	–	–	Harvard, Yale	–

Arrow keys move through the list, Enter opens a person, S saves them to your shortlist, Escape closes. Facts from each firm’s public bio page; nobody pays to be listed.

Seth Andrew Yarkony
PartnerKirkland & Ellis
Chicago, ILAlso private equity funds, hedge funds, funds regulatory
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2017. In practice since 2017, from the firm’s bio.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Steve Y. Yoo
PartnerPaul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Los Angeles, CAAlso secondaries
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Lena Yoon
PartnerKirkland & Ellis
New York, NYAlso funds regulatory
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2020. In practice since 2020, from the firm’s bio.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Jina K. Yun
PartnerKirkland & Ellis
Chicago, ILAlso private equity funds, hedge funds, secondaries + 1 more
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2012. In practice since 2012, from the firm’s bio.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Arman Zadeh
PartnerKirkland & Ellis
Los Angeles, CA
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2018. In practice since 2018, from the firm’s bio.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Nadeea R. Zakaria
PartnerDechert
New York, NYAlso fund formation, private credit funds, secondaries
- Leads with: Funds regulatory. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2007. In practice since 2007, from the firm’s bio.
Joseph D. Zargari
PartnerMorgan, Lewis & Bockius
New York, NYAlso private equity funds, venture funds, private credit funds + 5 more
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2005. In practice since 2005, from the firm’s bio.
- GP and LP side. Acts for both fund sponsors and investors, as the firm’s bio says.
Richard S. Zarin
PartnerMorgan, Lewis & Bockius
New York, NYAlso fund formation, private equity funds, venture funds + 2 more
- Leads with: Fund tax. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 1985. In practice since 1985, from the firm’s bio.
- GP and LP side. Acts for both fund sponsors and investors, as the firm’s bio says.
Corey L. Zarse
PartnerCooley
Chicago, ILAlso fund formation
- Leads with: Funds regulatory. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
Alexandria Zeizel
PartnerProskauer Rose
New York, NYAlso private equity funds, venture funds, private credit funds + 2 more
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- GP and LP side. Acts for both fund sponsors and investors, as the firm’s bio says.
Betselot A. Zeleke
PartnerMorgan, Lewis & Bockius
Washington, D.C.Also funds regulatory
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2012. In practice since 2012, from the firm’s bio.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
- Former SEC. Lists the SEC among past employers, on the firm’s bio.
Xin Florence Zhang
PartnerCleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
New York, NYAlso secondaries
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2010. In practice since 2010, from the firm’s bio.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Christine Zhao
PartnerKirkland & Ellis
New York, NYAlso private equity funds, venture funds, private credit funds
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2018. In practice since 2018, from the firm’s bio.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Julia Zhu-Morelli
PartnerArentFox Schiff
Los Angeles, CAPractices: Fund formation, Private equity funds, Venture funds
- Since 2004. In practice since 2004, from the firm’s bio.
Christopher J. Zimmerman
PartnerStradley Ronon Stevens & Young
Washington, D.C.Also fund formation
- Leads with: Funds regulatory. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
David A. Zimmerman
PartnerTaft Stettinius & Hollister
Cincinnati, OHPractices: Fund formation, Private equity funds
James M. Zimmerman
Partner-in-ChargeTaft Stettinius & Hollister
Cincinnati, OHPractices: Fund formation, Private equity funds, Venture funds + 1 more
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Lance A. Zinman
Partner and Global Chair, Financial Markets and Funds DepartmentKatten Muchin Rosenman
Chicago, IL + 1 morePractices: Fund formation, Private equity funds, Hedge funds + 1 more
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Boris Ziser
PartnerMcDermott Will & Schulte
New York, NYPractices: Fund formation
- Since 2006. In practice since 2006, from the firm’s bio.
- GP and LP side. Acts for both fund sponsors and investors, as the firm’s bio says.
Lina E. Ziurys
PartnerMcDermott Will & Schulte
New York, NYAlso private equity funds, private credit funds, hedge funds + 1 more
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Olga Zolotnik
PartnerGunderson Dettmer
Los Angeles, CAAlso fund formation, venture funds
- Leads with: Fund tax. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
George Zornada
PartnerK&L Gates
Boston, MAAlso fund formation, hedge funds
- Leads with: Funds regulatory. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 1990. In practice since 1990, from the firm’s bio.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
- Former SEC. Lists the SEC among past employers, on the firm’s bio.
Nikole K. Zoumberakis
PartnerBaker McKenzie
Los Angeles, CAAlso venture funds, real estate funds, infrastructure funds + 2 more
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2006. In practice since 2006, from the firm’s bio.
- LP side. Acts for fund investors (LPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Krassi Zourkova
PartnerKatten Muchin Rosenman
Los Angeles, CAPractices: Fund formation, Private equity funds, Hedge funds + 1 more
- LP side. Acts for fund investors (LPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Robert J. Zutz
PartnerK&L Gates
Washington, D.C.Also fund formation
- Leads with: Funds regulatory. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 1977. In practice since 1977, from the firm’s bio.
- Former SEC. Lists the SEC among past employers, on the firm’s bio.
Arthur L. Zwickel
PartnerPaul Hastings
Los Angeles, CAAlso private equity funds, hedge funds, funds regulatory
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 1993. In practice since 1993, from the firm’s bio.
- LP side. Acts for fund investors (LPs), as the firm’s bio says.

Fund Formation Law Firms, by partners listed

All 91 ranked

Kirkland & EllisNew York · Chicago · Washington, D.C. + 10 more226partners
Proskauer RoseBoston · New York · Los Angeles + 1 more56partners
Goodwin ProcterBoston · New York · Washington, D.C. + 3 more52partners
Sidley AustinNew York · Chicago · Boston + 4 more49partners
Simpson Thacher & BartlettNew York · Los Angeles · Washington, D.C. + 4 more48partners
McDermott Will & SchulteNew York · Chicago · Atlanta + 2 more44partners
Morgan, Lewis & BockiusBoston · New York · Washington, D.C. + 6 more39partners
Gunderson DettmerBoston · New York · San Francisco + 4 more36partners

Fund formation attorneys, by the numbers

Who has practised longest here?

By the first year in practice each firm’s bio gives; 899 of the 1,426 here give one.

Jack S. LevinPartner · Kirkland & EllisSince 1958
Myron KaplanPartner · Kleinberg Kaplan Wolff & CohenSince 1969
Sanford C. PresantShareholder · Greenberg TraurigSince 1976
Jeffrey D. UffnerPartner · Hogan Lovells CadwaladerSince 1976
C. Brian WainwrightPartner · Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw PittmanSince 1976

All, by years in practice in the table

Who began practising most recently?

By the first year in practice each firm’s bio gives; 899 of the 1,426 here give one.

Mike DankisPartner · LinklatersSince 2024
Bryon James BoycePartner · Kirkland & EllisSince 2020
Reed CarrollPartner · Kirkland & EllisSince 2020
Sabrina ChartrandPartner · Kirkland & EllisSince 2020
Jonathan M. HoffmanPartner · Kirkland & EllisSince 2020

All, newest first in the table

Who came from the SEC or another regulator?

35 here list a regulator among past employers on the firm’s bio. A to Z.

David P. BartelsPartner · DechertFormer SEC
Michael S. CaccesePartner · K&L GatesFormer SEC
John P. CavanaghPartner · Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & GarrisonFormer SEC
Norm ChampPartner · Kirkland & EllisFormer SEC
Ezekiel CouchPartner · Kirkland & EllisFormer SEC

Who is named in our news?

Named in FundOpsHQ stories, the most recent story first.

Justin W. SolomonPartner · Sidley Austin1 story, latest Oct 2026
Barry M. WolfExecutive Partner · Weil, Gotshal & Manges3 stories, latest Oct 2026
Reed W. BalmerPartner · Troutman Pepper Locke1 story, latest Oct 2026
Ryan S. McNishPartner · Sidley Austin1 story, latest Oct 2026
Leslie W. HungPartner · McDermott Will & Schulte1 story, latest Sep 2026

About this list

What fund formation lawyers do

Fund formation lawyers build a new fund: the structure (often a limited partnership with feeder and parallel vehicles), the limited partnership agreement, the private placement memorandum and the subscription documents. They then negotiate side letters with investors and run the closings until the fund is fully raised.

In sum

1,426 fund lawyers at 91 firms are listed on this page. The 5 with the most: Kirkland & Ellis (226), Proskauer Rose (56), Goodwin Procter (52), Sidley Austin (49) and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett (48). The schools their bios name most: NYU (156), Harvard (128) and Georgetown (110). Of the 899 who give a first year in practice, half began in 2006 or before. 35 list a past post at the SEC or another regulator.

Questions

How many fund formation attorneys does FundOpsHQ list?

1,426 partners at 91 firms. Last checked Oct 23–24, 2026. Each one is at partner level, and their firm's own bio page names fund formation work.

Which fund formation law firms have the most partners listed?

Kirkland & Ellis (226), Proskauer Rose (56) and Goodwin Procter (52), counting the partners each firm's own website lists for fund formation work. All 91 firms

Where are fund formation attorneys based?

The cities with the most: New York (626), Chicago (178) and Washington, D.C. (127).

What else do these lawyers work on?

The practices they list most alongside fund formation work: private equity funds (758), funds regulatory (537) and private credit funds (479).

How does a fund lawyer get on this list?

By being a partner, principal, shareholder or member whose firm's own website lists them for this work. FundOpsHQ reads each firm's public bio pages and dates every check. Nobody pays to be listed or to rank, and anyone listed can claim, correct or remove their profile. How the directory works

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Listed here?

Claim your profile from its page to add to it, or ask for a correction or removal. It is free; the claim link goes to your work email at your firm’s domain.

How claiming works

Who is listed here comes from each firm’s own public bio page: the practices, clients and offices it names. Nobody pays to be listed or to rank. How the directory works