Herbert Smith Freehills LLP

Investment Funds & Asset Management

Jonathan is Head of International Private Funds Strategy based in our London office.

Jonathan who is Head of International Private Funds Strategy, has been described as "arguably the most influential lawyer in the history of private funds, at least in Europe. He more or less invented the private equity limited partnership model, personally persuading the taxman to treat carried interest as capital gains in the process.

Later, he wrote the rules for UK venture capital trusts, as well as leading the European Venture Capital Association's tax and legal efforts for 15 years. Often referred to as the 'father of fund formation', he was the first adviser elected into the British Venture Capital Association's 'Hall of Fame’ ". He founded the Private fund formation practice at SJ Berwin in 1982, and acted on the very first Limited partnership fund before helping the BVCA in their discussions with government. He has represented hundreds of GPs and LPs on fund formations and investments in funds of all types, sizes and geographies. He founded and chaired the InvestEurope (formerly EVCA) Legal and Tax Committee for 15 years and is a member of The BVCA Hall Of Fame (where he was the third person to become a member and the first lawyer), The Lawyer Hall of Fame and Real Deals Top 20 Most Influential 2020.