Address: New York: One Bryant Park, Bank of America Tower, New York, NY 10036-6745
Areas of Focus: Fund Formation; Hedge Funds; Commodities Funds; Fund Manager Transactions; Seeding Transactions; Private Funds Liquidity Solutions; Capital Markets; Mergers & Acquisitions; Joint Ventures & Strategic Alliances
Biography: Jim focuses his practice on the formation and operation of hedge funds and other private funds for investment advisers ranging from start-ups to global financial institutions. In addition to advising on formation and structuring of investment funds, he counsels investment advisers and investment funds in connection with a broad range of corporate, securities, derivatives and regulatory matters. Jim’s many years of experience across the investment management industry have seen him advising on some of the most innovative private fund products. He has been recognized as a leading practitioner in the investment management field by numerous publications over the course of his career. Jim’s principal areas of practice include: - Private investment funds, including hedge funds, private equity funds and hybrids (domestic and offshore), using a broad range of investment styles and strategies and targeting a broad range of asset classes, including securities (equity, debt, convertibles, asset-backed securities, mortgage-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities), loans, futures and derivatives, physical commodities, tax liens and other asset classes - Pooled investment product design and development - Public and private commodity pools - Funds of funds - Private equity and hedge fund feeder funds and feeder fund platforms - Special purpose or single investment funds - Fund restructurings and workouts - Seed capital transactions - Secondary market transactions in interests in private investment funds - Regulation of investment advisers, commodity pool operators, commodity trading advisors and investment companies - Spinouts and lift outs - Compensation plans - Organization and reorganization of closely held investment management businesses, including the negotiation and drafting of organizational documents addressing economic sharing arrangements, management and control, and succession issues - Mergers & acquisitions of investment management businesses, including change-in-control transactions and acquisitions of minority interest - Joint ventures between investment management businesses. Prior to joining Akin, Jim was a partner in the New York office of another leading global law firm.
Representative Work: -
Credentials: Education: J.D., Fordham University School of Law, 1996; B.A., Lawrence University, 1991 Bar Admissions: New York, 1997
Recognitions: - The Legal 500 US , Investment Fund Formation and Management: Mutual/Registered/Exchange-Traded Funds and Private Equity Funds. - Who’s Who Legal , Leading Lawyer in Private Funds: Formation, 2022. - The International Who’s Who of Private Funds , 2013-2015.
Affiliations: -
Insights: - 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 - 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 - FinCEN Publishes Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Delaying Effective Date of Investment Adviser Rule (September 23, 2025): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/fincen-publishes-notice-of-proposed-rulemaking-delaying-effective-date-of-investment-adviser-rule - SEC Staff Announces Reversal of Policy Limiting Retail Access to Registered Funds of Funds (August 19, 2025): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-staff-announces-reversal-of-policy-limiting-retail-access-to-registered-funds-of-funds - FinCEN Issues Order Delaying Effective Date of Investment Adviser Rule (August 7, 2025): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/fincen-issues-order-delaying-effective-date-of-investment-adviser-rule - FinCEN Delays Effective Date of Investment Adviser Rule and Intends to Revisit the SEC Customer Identification Program Rule for Investment Advisers (July 24, 2025): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/fincen-delays-effective-date-of-investment-adviser-rule-and-intends-to-revisit-the-sec-customer-identification-program-rule-for-investment-advisers - CryptoLink - June 2024 Updates (July 22, 2024): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/newsletters/cryptolink-june-2024-updates - CryptoLink - May 2024 Updates (June 12, 2024): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/newsletters/cryptolink-may-2024-updates - SEC and FinCEN Propose Customer Identification Program Requirements for Certain Investment Advisers (May 16, 2024): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/alerts/sec-and-fincen-propose-customer-identification-program-requirements-for-certain-investment-advisers - CryptoLink - April 2024 Updates (May 6, 2024): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/newsletters/cryptolink-april-2024-updates - CryptoLink - March 2024 Updates (April 9, 2024): https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/newsletters/cryptolink-march-2024-updates
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