This is a top firm for hedge funds, no questions asked.

Chambers Global, 2012

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLPs global hedge fund practice is one of the largest and most respected in the world, whether measured by the resources we dedicate to the representation of hedge fund sponsors, the high-profile nature of our engagements or the number of funds we have structured for industry-leading clients across multiple strategies that generate consistently positive, absolute returns throughout market cycles.

Our team is consistently hailed as a leader in the practice by multiple industry surveys, including Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and Institutional Investors Alpha Magazine. We currently act for five of the top 10 largest hedge fund firms in Europe and approximately 25 percent of the worlds largest hedge fund firms.*

Leveraging the resources of a global full-service firm, our hedge fund lawyers are able to provide clients with unparalleled guidance in all aspects of fund formation and ongoing operations, including:

• fund structuring, formation and documentation for domestic and offshore hedge funds employing traditional strategies, as well as specialized/exotic strategies

• seed capital arrangements
• investor negotiations
• hybrid structures
• fund recapitalizations, workouts, liquidations
• foreign stock exchange listings
• investments, joint ventures and other transactions
• executive compensation and deferral plans
• registration and compliance for registered investment advisers, commodity pool operators (CPOs), commodity trading advisors (CTAs) and broker-dealers
• advice on employee matters, including compensation, retention, promotion, noncompetition/solicitation, confidentiality and termination
• structuring for ERISA
• representation related to investigations (routine, sweep and targeted), enforcement actions and litigation matters.

Our commitment to our clients frequently extends beyond serving as legal counsel. As a result of the deep and extensive history and reach of our practice, we are able to leverage our relationships with sponsors, managers, institutional investors, services providers and other contacts within the hedge fund industry to advance the business interests of our clients.

Our client base extends from entrepreneurial start-ups to global, industry-leading managers and sponsors who utilize a wide variety of strategies, including:

• long-short equity
• convertible debt
• credit and distressed debt
• global macro funds
• funds of funds
• merger and statistical arbitrage funds
• event-driven/relative value funds
• multi-strategy funds
• commodity pools/managed futures products
• industry sector funds
• country/region-specific funds.

Our hedge fund lawyers are positioned to help clients pursue opportunities worldwide. We have represented sponsors, managers and institutional investors in every region, including such fast-growing markets as China, India and the Middle East. We have lawyers based in North America, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

* Absolute Returns 2012 European Hedge Fund 50 and