Private Equity Fund Lawyers

873 fund lawyers at 89 firms list private equity fund 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: 873; all at partner level
Firms: 89; by partners listed
Most partners: Kirkland & Ellis; 119 listed here
Biggest city: New York; 411 here

Private equity fund attorneys

873 · 851–873

Chair, head or managing partner17
Partner or principal842

Under 10 years47
10 to 20 years200
20 years or more310

GPs and Sponsors610
LPs and Investors295

Named in our news13

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
Regan K. Adamson	Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton	Partner	Winston-Salem, NC	Fund formation, Private equity funds +4	Fund formation	16 yrs	–	–
Rafael A. Aguilar	Winston Taylor	Partner	Miami, FL	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	–	31 yrs	NYU, Yale	–
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	–
Michael F.E. Akkawi	Mintz	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	–	–	McGill University	–
Amanda J. Albert	WilmerHale	Partner	New York, NY	Private equity funds	–	19 yrs	Hofstra University, Drew University	–
Sara Allawi	Weil, Gotshal & Manges	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private equity funds +5	Fund formation	11 yrs	Tufts University, George Washington University	–
Joel D. Almquist	K&L Gates	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	Fund tax	49 yrs	Harvard, Columbia	–
Zach Altman	Kirkland & Ellis	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +1	Fund formation	11 yrs	Vanderbilt, Clark University	DLA Piper, Sullivan & Worcester
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	–
Christopher A. Araujo	Troutman Pepper Locke	Partner	San Diego, CA	Private equity funds, Venture funds +3	–	14 yrs	American University, Fordham	–
Jonathan Arkins	King & Spalding	Partner	Miami, FL +1	Private equity funds, Private credit funds +1	–	–	Monash University Faculty of Law, Monash University	–
Amy L. Arndt	Ballard Spahr	Partner	Sioux Falls, SD	Private equity funds	–	30 yrs	University of, Augustana College	–
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
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	–
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	–
Ernest E. Badway	Thompson Hine	Partner	New York, NY	Private equity funds, Hedge funds +1	–	34 yrs	Duke, Boston University	U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
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
Adrienne M. Baker	Dechert	Partner	Boston, MA	Private equity funds, Hedge funds +2	Fund tax	41 yrs	Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University	–
Joseph H. Baldwin	Kirkland & Ellis	Partner	Chicago, IL	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	Fund formation	11 yrs	Loyola University, Saint Louis University	DLA Piper
Reed W. Balmer	Troutman Pepper Locke	Partner	Stamford, CT	Fund formation, Private equity funds +4	Fund formation	–	University of Michigan, Reed College	–
Marion Giliberti Barish	Morgan, Lewis & Bockius	Partner	Boston, MA	Private equity funds, Venture funds +2	–	36 yrs	Boston University, University of California, Hastings College of the Law	–
Hunter Barker	Polsinelli	Shareholder	Dallas, TX	Fund formation, Private equity funds	Fund formation	9 yrs	University of Texas, Oklahoma State University	–
Joseph R. Baron	Kirkland & Ellis	Partner	Houston, TX	Fund formation, Private equity funds +2	Private equity funds	9 yrs	University of, University of Connecticut	Goodwin Procter
Steven E. Bartz	Greenberg Traurig	Shareholder	Dallas, TX	Fund formation, Private equity funds +1	–	–	University of	–
Kylie N. Barza	Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private equity funds +1	–	11 yrs	NYU, Molloy University	–
Morgan Bassett	Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner	Partner	New York, NY	Private equity funds, Private credit funds +3	–	26 yrs	NYU, Brigham Young University	–
Peter Beardsley	Loeb & Loeb	Partner	New York, NY	Private equity funds, Private credit funds +2	Fund finance	–	Brooklyn Law School, Amherst College	–
Thomas A. Beaudoin	Goodwin Procter	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +1	Fund formation	–	George Washington University, Boston University	WilmerHale, Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault
Howard J. Beber	Proskauer Rose	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +3	Fund formation	–	Boston College, Washington University in St. Louis	–
John A. Beck	Proskauer Rose	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +5	Fund formation	10 yrs	Harvard, University of Connecticut	–
Mana Behbin	Morgan, Lewis & Bockius	Partner	Washington, D.C.	Fund formation, Private equity funds +3	Fund formation	23 yrs	University of Pennsylvania, Columbia	–
Jason Behrens	Linklaters	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private equity funds +6	Fund formation	–	Georgetown, Cornell	–
Luke Bell	Mayer Brown	Partner	Salt Lake City, UT	Fund formation, Private equity funds +6	Fund formation	–	Brigham Young University	–
Thomas H. Bell	Simpson Thacher & Bartlett	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private equity funds +3	Fund formation	43 yrs	Yale, New College, Oxford University +1	–
Eric D. Belsley	Foley Hoag	Partner	Boston, MA	Fund formation, Private equity funds +3	Fund formation	21 yrs	Boston College, Harvard +1	–
Kelley M. Bender	Chapman and Cutler	Chief Operating Partner	Chicago, IL	Fund formation, Private equity funds +4	Fund formation	21 yrs	Loyola University, Augustana College	–
Amie Benedetto	Alston & Bird	Partner	Atlanta, GA +1	Fund formation, Private equity funds +4	Fund formation	23 yrs	Boston College, Florida State University	Proprium Capital Partners, Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing
Erin Bergey	Latham & Watkins	Partner	New York, NY	Fund formation, Private equity funds +1	Fund formation	11 yrs	Duke, College of William & Mary	–

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.

Robert E. Wood
PartnerSeward & Kissel
New York, NYAlso private equity funds, private credit funds, hedge funds
- Leads with: Fund finance. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2001. In practice since 2001, from the firm’s bio.
Andrew L. Wool
PartnerKirkland & Ellis
Chicago, ILAlso private equity funds, private credit funds, real estate funds
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2004. In practice since 2004, from the firm’s bio.
- GP and LP side. Acts for both fund sponsors and investors, as the firm’s bio says.
James J. Wotruba
Senior PartnerPolsinelli
St. Louis, MOPractices: Fund formation, Private equity funds
- Since 1987. In practice since 1987, from the firm’s bio.
Andrew Wright
PartnerKirkland & Ellis
New York, NYAlso private equity funds, venture funds, private credit funds + 6 more
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 1999. In practice since 1999, from the firm’s bio.
Townshine Wu
PartnerKirkland & Ellis
New York, NYAlso private equity funds, private credit funds, real estate funds + 1 more
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2008. In practice since 2008, from the firm’s bio.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Matthew P. Wynne
PartnerLatham & Watkins
Chicago, IL + 1 moreAlso private equity funds, venture funds, private credit funds + 1 more
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2014. In practice since 2014, from the firm’s bio.
- GP and LP side. Acts for both fund sponsors and investors, as the firm’s bio says.
Bojun Xu
PartnerKirkland & Ellis
New York, NYAlso private equity funds
- Leads with: Fund formation. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2019. In practice since 2019, from the firm’s bio.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Feng Xue
PartnerKatten Muchin Rosenman
Chicago, ILPractices: Fund formation, Private equity funds
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kelly E. Zelezen
PartnerKleinberg Kaplan Wolff & Cohen
New York, NYAlso private equity funds, funds regulatory
- Leads with: Hedge funds. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 2003. In practice since 2003, from the firm’s bio.
- GP side. Acts for fund sponsors (GPs), as the firm’s bio says.
Mei Zhang
PartnerHaynes and Boone
Dallas, TXAlso private equity funds, private credit funds, real estate funds + 1 more
- Leads with: Fund finance. The practice the firm’s bio leads with.
- Since 1999. In practice since 1999, from the firm’s bio.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Private Equity Fund Law Firms, by partners listed

All 89 ranked

Kirkland & EllisChicago · New York · Washington, D.C. + 10 more119partners
Proskauer RoseNew York · Boston · Los Angeles + 2 more43partners
Sidley AustinNew York · Chicago · Palo Alto + 5 more39partners
Goodwin ProcterNew York · Washington, D.C. · Boston + 2 more31partners
McDermott Will & SchulteNew York · Atlanta · Chicago + 2 more30partners
Morgan, Lewis & BockiusWashington, D.C. · New York · Boston + 5 more27partners
Simpson Thacher & BartlettNew York · Houston · Boston + 3 more26partners
Haynes and BooneDallas · New York · Austin + 5 more24partners

Private equity fund attorneys, by the numbers

Who has practised longest here?

By the first year in practice each firm’s bio gives; 557 of the 873 here give one.

Jack S. LevinPartner · Kirkland & EllisSince 1958
Joel D. AlmquistPartner · K&L GatesSince 1977
Lawrence RemmelPartner · Pryor CashmanSince 1979
Nicholas S. HodgePartner · K&L GatesSince 1981
Lawrence H. BrenmanShareholder · Greenberg TraurigSince 1982

All, by years in practice in the table

Who began practising most recently?

By the first year in practice each firm’s bio gives; 557 of the 873 here give one.

Mike DankisPartner · LinklatersSince 2024
Joshua M. NewvillePartner · Proskauer RoseSince 2024
Sabrina ChartrandPartner · Kirkland & EllisSince 2020
Jonathan M. HoffmanPartner · Kirkland & EllisSince 2020
Maria Fay KarrasPartner · Kirkland & EllisSince 2020

All, newest first in the table

Who came from the SEC or another regulator?

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

Ernest E. BadwayPartner · Thompson HineFormer SEC
John P. CavanaghPartner · Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & GarrisonFormer SEC
Norm ChampPartner · Kirkland & EllisFormer SEC
Eric M. DiamondPartner · Sullivan & CromwellFormer SEC
Ranah EsmailiPartner · Sidley AustinFormer SEC

Who is named in our news?

Named in FundOpsHQ stories, the most recent story first.

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
Sara R. WernerPartner · Lowenstein Sandler2 stories, latest Sep 2026

About this list

What private equity fund lawyers do

Private equity fund lawyers form and advise buyout and growth funds: the fund’s terms (management fee, carried interest, investment period, key-person and removal provisions), its investor negotiations and closings, and later the co-investment vehicles, amendments and GP-led deals that come up over the fund’s life.

In sum

873 fund lawyers at 89 firms are listed on this page. The 5 with the most: Kirkland & Ellis (119), Proskauer Rose (43), Sidley Austin (39), Goodwin Procter (31) and McDermott Will & Schulte (30). The schools their bios name most: NYU (101), Harvard (80) and Columbia (65). Of the 557 who give a first year in practice, half began in 2005 or before. 22 list a past post at the SEC or another regulator.

Questions

How many private equity fund attorneys does FundOpsHQ list?

873 partners at 89 firms. Last checked Oct 23–24, 2026. Each one is at partner level, and their firm's own bio page names private equity fund work.

Which private equity fund law firms have the most partners listed?

Kirkland & Ellis (119), Proskauer Rose (43) and Sidley Austin (39), counting the partners each firm's own website lists for private equity fund work. All 89 firms

Where are private equity fund attorneys based?

The cities with the most: New York (411), Chicago (115) and Washington, D.C. (76).

What else do these lawyers work on?

The practices they list most alongside private equity fund work: fund formation (758), hedge funds (383) and private credit funds (383).

How many of these lawyers help set up new private equity funds?

758 of the 873 also list fund formation work, the setting up of a fund and its terms with investors.

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