Future 40: Lawyers

Emily Brown, 38
Partner, Schulte Roth & Zabel

Emily Brown joined Schulte Roth & Zabel’s investment management group in late 2018 and already boasts an impressive roster of international clients from both the general partner and limited partner side of the industry, including sovereign wealth funds and large pension funds.

She advises on raising and investing in private funds across the full spectrum of asset classes – private equity, infrastructure, credit, real estate and venture capital – specialising in complex transactions, such as new fund formations, co-investments and structured solutions. Brown also spearheaded SRZ’s growth into closed-end funds in Europe. Described by her peers as “practical, commercial and always on top of her brief” and “the definition of a trusted counsel”, Brown is regarded as a “future star” of her profession.

Amala Ejikeme, 34
Partner, Kirkland & Ellis

“Few, if any, of his peers enjoy a similar presence or influence at the same point in their careers, if ever.” “Hardworking, dedicated to client service and passionate about the private equity industry.”

These are some of the comments PEI received about Amala Ejikeme, who graduated from the London School of Economics with first class honours before starting his legal career at Allen & Overy and gaining a reputation as a rising star at Simpson Thacher.

Highly regarded among peers and clients for possessing acute technical skills and commercial acumen, Ejikeme is a key player in Kirkland & Ellis’s investment funds team representing some of the biggest names in PE, including EQT and Morgan Stanley.

Steven Klar, 38
Partner, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

Working out of the New York headquarters of Simpson Thacher, Klar represents some of private equity’s best-known sponsors on their fundraisings and fund-related aspects of M&A deals. He counts Blackstone, Centerbridge, EQT and Lexington Partners among his clients.
A partner in the private funds practice, Klar’s expertise spans across buyout funds, real estate opportunity and real estate debt funds, secondaries and co-investments, as well as funds-of-one and managed accounts.

Notable work includes advising Blackstone on the establishment of Blackstone Capital Partners VIII – which closed at $26 billion, as well as advising on fund-related aspects of the firm’s acquisition of a majority stake in MagicLab.

Klar has a JD, magna cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law.

Michael Lampshire, 37
Legal Counsel, Apax Partners

Michael Lampshire started his career in the private funds group of legal giant Clifford Chance, where he advised clients across the entire alternative assets spectrum. Lampshire took the decision to move in-house seven years ago where his star has continued to shine, gaining experience first in private placement and secondaries transactions at Campbell Lutyens and then emerging markets at Actis.

He moved to Apax Partners in 2018 where his primary responsibility is managing all legal aspects of the firm’s fundraising and investor relations activity, as well as advising on a broad range of transactional, operational and risk-related issues across the firm.

Ceinwen Rees, 37
Tax Partner, Macfarlanes

Ceinwen Rees advises investment fund managers on a broad range of tax and structuring matters relating to fundraising, including how best to deliver remuneration to their executives in a commercially aligned and efficient way.

Rees has the expertise to design arrangements for executives across the globe with varied tax statuses and sensitivities. She also represents investment managers in connection with capital deployment, and provides tax advice on acquisitions, disposals and financing.
“Superbly knowledgeable, extremely commercial and able to translate tax concepts into language that everyone can understand” is how one competitor sums up Rees’s talents.

Michelle Tong, 30
Partner, Sidley Austin

At just 30 years old, Michelle Tong is believed to be the youngest person to reach partner level in Sidley’s history.

After a secondment to TowerBrook, Tong now leads Sidley’s relationship with the client, acting at the forefront of virtually every European investment closed, fund raised and transformational change. She also led on GHO Capital Partners’ multimillion euro acquisition of Ardena Holding from Mentha Capital.

Tong also spearheaded Sidley Austin’s ‘Women in Private Equity’ initiative. She is considered to stand out among her peers for her “once-in-a-generation intellect, creativity, drafting, negotiating, leadership and commitment to diversity”.

James Wood, 37
Partner, Hogan Lovells

Based in the firm’s Sydney office, James Wood has built an impressive resumé having advised on the establishment of some of the largest private equity funds globally, including Blackstone, CVC Capital Partners, Actis, Apax Partners and BlackRock.

Considered “technically competent”, “business-savvy” and “quick-thinking”, Wood advises on a broad range of fund-related matters, including syndicate arrangements, club-style deals, private equity and credit fund establishment, investment in private equity funds, secondaries and carried interest and co-investment arrangements. He is also continuing to grow his expertise in the special situations and private credit space.