About me

Address: New York: One Bryant Park, Bank of America Tower, New York, NY 10036-6745; London: Eighth Floor, Ten Bishops Square, London E1 6EG

Areas of Focus: Hedge Funds; Credit Funds; Emerging Markets Funds Transactions; Energy & Natural Resources Funds; Seeding Transactions; Real Estate & Infrastructure Funds; Private Funds Liquidity Solutions; Sovereign & Government Investors; Joint Ventures & Strategic Alliances; Institutional Investors; Fund Formation; Fund Manager Transactions; Private Equity Transactions; Evergreen Funds; Capital Solutions

Biography:
Barbara represents some of the most prominent private equity and hedge fund sponsors, as well as a broad range of other investment clients, including credit funds, hybrid funds, evergreen funds, family offices, sovereign wealth funds and other institutional investors. She is leader of the firm's investment management practice.
With a highly diversified funds practice, Barbara is among an elite group of investment management lawyers with deep experience across the full spectrum of funds. She advises on complex structuring and provides bespoke solutions to a wide variety of funds and managers and at every stage of the investment lifecycle.
With a cutting-edge practice, Barbara provides counsel on the emerging issues that are top of mind for fund managers. Investors adopting evergreen and hybrid funds rely on Barbara for her innovative approach and bespoke fund offerings. In her practice representing sovereign wealth funds, Barbara advises on setting up their funds and regulatory compliance.
Barbara’s practice focuses on the formation and operations of private investment funds along the liquidity spectrum, including:
- Structuring funds and managers in multiple jurisdictions.
- Providing guidance on fundraising and solicitation issues.
- Advising on seed arrangements, spinouts, joint ventures and “upper-tier” arrangements.
- Handling registrations and exemptive filings under securities and commodities laws with regulators, including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the National Futures Association (NFA).
- Advising on ongoing maintenance of fund structures, as well as compliance issues for managers.
Barbara has substantial experience with all aspects of investment adviser compliance and registrations. She has extensive experience in relation to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and she regularly advises clients with respect to compliance and examinations.
In addition, Barbara has capabilities on the limited partner (LP) and general partner (GP) aspects of her funds practice.

Representative Work:
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Credentials:
Education: J.D., Harvard Law School, 2003; B.A., Yale University, 2000 (summa cum laude)
Bar Admissions: New York, 2004; Solicitor, England and Wales, 2011

Recognitions:
- Chambers Global , Hedge Funds, 2025-2026.
- Chambers USA , Investment Funds: Hedge Funds, 2024-2025.
- The Legal 500 US , Alternative/Hedge Funds, 2023-2024, and Private Equity Funds (including Venture Capital), 2021 and 2024-2025.
- Diversity Journal , Women Worth Watching, 2020.

Affiliations:
- Co-Chair, Women’s Firmwide Resource Group

Insights:
- Wave of Recent “Vishing” Attacks Target Hedge Funds and Other Financial Services Firms (August 6, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/wave-of-recent-vishing-attacks-target-hedge-funds-and-other-financial-services-firms
- Chambers USA 2026 Recognizes Akin Lawyers and Practices  (June 4, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/awards-and-accolades/chambers-usa-2026-recognizes-akin-lawyers-and-practices
- SEC Issues Final Order Increasing Qualified Client Thresholds (May 5, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-issues-final-order-increasing-qualified-client-thresholds
- SEC Issues Notice of Intent to Issue Order to Increase Qualified Client Thresholds (April 7, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-issues-notice-of-intent-to-issue-order-to-increase-qualified-client-thresholds
- New California Reporting Obligation: The FIPVCC and What It Means for Funds and Advisers (March 20, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/new-california-reporting-obligation-the-fipvcc-and-what-it-means-for-funds-and-advisers
- SEC Charges Credit Fund Adviser Over Principal Transaction Pricing Practices (March 2, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-charges-credit-fund-adviser-over-principal-transaction-pricing-practices
- Chambers Global Recognizes Akin’s Lawyers and Practices in 2026 Edition (February 12, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/awards-and-accolades/chambers-global-recognizes-akins-lawyers-and-practices-in-2026-edition
- SEC Investment Management Director Questions ‘Vote-All’ Proxy Practices and Adviser Reliance on Proxy Advisors (January 29, 2026): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-investment-management-director-questions-vote-all-proxy-practices-and-adviser-reliance-on-proxy-advisors
- Hedge Clauses in Focus: The SEC Charges an Investment Adviser with Four Advisers Act Violations (January 28, 2025): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/hedge-clauses-in-focus-the-sec-charges-an-investment-adviser-with-four-advisers-act-violations
- CFTC Relief Eliminates Dual US Regulation of Certain Investment Managers (December 22, 2025): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/cftc-relief-eliminates-dual-us-regulation-of-certain-investment-managers
- SEC Announces 2026 Exam Priorities (November 25, 2025): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-announces-2026-exam-priorities
- Bloomberg Quotes Barbara Niederkofler on Private Credit’s Evolution Towards Retail Investors  (October 23, 2025): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/media-mentions/bloomberg-quotes-barbara-niederkofler-on-private-credits-evolution-towards-retail-investors