North America - United States • Investment fund formation and management

Katten

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Offering a strong focus on representing major quantitative firms, credit-focused investment managers, the hedge funds practice at Katten is led by global chair Lance Zinman from the Chicago office. Wendy Cohen and Allison Yacker also lead the practice from New York, advising private credit funds on regulatory and compliance matters. Notably, the team represented Pan Capital Management with formation and structuring of a multi-strategy hedge fund, and the restructuring of existing hedge funds. More frequently advising on quantitative and algorithmic fund related matters, the team also assists with structured and investment products, and real estate and credit funds. The Chicago team also includes key contacts Jonah Roth and Christopher Shannon, assisting on the formation and launch of a private fund focusing on venture capital investments, and negotiating strategic investments.  

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Key clients

  • Aquatic Capital Management
  • Bain Capital
  • Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
  • Pan Capital Management
  • Pentwater Capital Management
  • Schonfeld Strategic Advisers
  • Sound Point Capital
  • Sumo Capital
  • US Innovative Technology
  • Walleye Capital
  • Waterfall Asset Management

Work highlights

  • Representing Pan Capital Management, a Houston-based manager, with the formation, structuring and launch of a multi-strategy hedge fund.
  • Representing Walleye Capital with the negotiation of a Singapore-based fund-of-one.
  • Representing US Innovative Technology with the formation and launch of a private fund that focuses on venture capital investments.

Lawyers

Leading lawyers

Allison Yacker

Katten

Allison Yacker is the co-chair of the Investment Management and Funds practice and represents a wide variety of sponsors (both hedge and private equity) and investors in transactional, fund formation, regulatory and corporate matters. Her significant experience representing institutional and emerging asset managers as well as all manner of buy side investors gives her unique insight into market trends as they develop. This enables Allison to provide customized and solution-oriented counsel to her sell-side and buy-side clients in an efficient and timely manner.Recognized by Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA and The Legal 500, clients view Allison as a trusted source for comprehensive and commercial guidance with respect to the broadest panoply of issues relevant to asset management market participants. She represents hedge funds, private equity funds, commodity pools and managed account platforms that engage in a wide variety of strategies, including quantitative trading, private credit, distressed debt, futures and FX, litigation finance, securitized products, affordable housing, renewable energy and carbon credits, to name a few. Allison also regularly advises her clients with regards to seed and early stage investment opportunities, and provides counsel with respect to insurance dedicated funds and PPLI and GACs and the use of similar structures.Allison spends a significant portion of her time representing institutional investors looking to deploy capital to hedge funds, private equity funds and other ventures. These clients include sovereign wealth funds, foundations, insurance companies, pension plans, family offices and endowments and high-net-worth investors. She also advises these clients on global regulatory issues that arise in connection with investments in funds and managed accounts.Allison regularly counsels investment management clients with respect to ongoing regulatory matters (including reporting, disclosure and registration issues), corporate, employment and intellectual property matters. She provides counsel on regulatory compliance and advises clients on security token offerings and other cryptocurrency- and ICO-related matters.Allison is a member of the firm's board of directors and is on the Steering Committee of Katten's Women's Leadership Forum, which supports the strategic retention and advancement of women attorneys at the firm through mentoring and professional development programs. She also has a long-standing relationship with 100 Women in Finance as an Angel Member. Allison was recently recognized as a Working Mother of the Year in Working Mother Magazine.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Lance Zinman, Wendy Cohen, Allison Yacker