Willa Legal

The firm: Willa Legal is a trusted boutique Hong Kong law firm specializing in private investment funds matters.

Clients of Willa Legal: Willa Legal's clientele spans across:

• international fund managers with Hong Kong presence and operation;
• established Chinese and Hong Kong fund managers who master various investment strategies (e.g. hedge, private equity, venture capital, distressed asset, credit, fixed income, index, real estate, pre-IPO investments, art etc);
• start-up fund managers who are launching their first fund;
• family offices with presence in Hong Kong or wishing to establish in Hong Kong;
• fund distribution platforms and Hong Kong SFC licensing platforms; and
• individual, corporate and institutional fund investors who invest in funds with various investment strategies.

Willa Legal's legal services for fund managers: Willa Legal advises fund sponsors, asset managers and financial institutions on establishing and growing their funds business and their fund management platforms and supports them on ongoing operations at all stages of the life cycle of their funds:

• fund formation - structure, draft and negotiate offering documents, and coordinate closings/subscriptions for funds with various investment strategies (e.g. hedge, private equity, venture capital, distressed asset, quant, credit, fixed income, index, real estate, pre-IPO investments, art etc) and of different fund structures, such as:
  • Hong Kong limited partnership fund (LPF);
  • Hong Kong open-ended fund company (OFC);
  • Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (ELP);
  • Cayman Islands Segregated Portfolio Companies (SPC); and
  • British Virgin Islands limited partnership (BVI LP).
• fund raising - review pitch materials and provide Hong Kong securities laws advice on fund raising and marketing.
• fund operation, secondaries and restructuring - draft and review documents for transfer, restructuring, distributions, redemptions, dissolution and termination.

Willa Legal's legal services for family offices: Willa Legal advises families and family offices on their set up, ownership structure and management structure. Willa Legal also drafts and reviews the legal documents with regards to the structures and plans based on the intent, short-term and long-term plans of the families and family offices.

Willa Legal's legal services for fund investors: Willa Legal advises global and regional family offices and fund investors on its investment in private funds and discretionary accounts. Willa Legal drafts, reviews and negotiates fund / investment agreements and side letters.

Willa Legal's legal services for other law firms: Willa Legal works with other law firms which do not have a funds practice or a Hong Kong office on private funds matters. In particular, Willa Legal is very strong in Hong Kong fund vehicles (e.g. Hong Kong limited partnership fund (LPF) and Hong Kong open-ended fund companies (OFC)) and Hong Kong securities laws advice relating to fund distribution, marketing and ongoing compliance.