PRIVATE EQUITY & FUNDS
Cross-border PE transactions, fund formation, portfolio company legal infrastructure, and exit structuring — co-practiced by WLA partner firms in every jurisdiction simultaneously. One brief. The full deal clock.
FROM FUND FORMATION TO
EXIT. EVERY JURISDICTION.
WLA co-practices every stage of the PE deal lifecycle — fund formation, acquisition, portfolio management, and exit — with the right specialist in each jurisdiction at each stage.
LP/GP structuring, fund domicile selection, MAS/DFSA/CSSF licensing, SMA and co-investment vehicles, and investor side letters across multiple jurisdictions.
Buy-side due diligence, SPA negotiation, W&I insurance, FDI screening, merger control, and management incentive plans — all jurisdictions co-practiced simultaneously.
Ongoing portfolio company legal support — employment, compliance, tax planning, add-on acquisitions, and financing — across all operating jurisdictions under one WLA relationship.
Trade sale, secondary, or IPO preparation — exit structuring, tax-efficient disposal, vendor due diligence, and management arrangements on exit across all jurisdictions.
EVERY MAJOR FUND STRUCTURE.
EVERY DOMICILE JURISDICTION.
The global standard for PE fund formation — Cayman exempted limited partnership, flexible LP agreement, and tax-neutral structure for global investor base.
EU-regulated fund domicile — RAIF for speed-to-market, SCSp for maximum flexibility. Passporting across 27 EU member states under AIFMD.
Variable Capital Company — Singapore's modern fund vehicle. Sub-fund capability, flexible capital reduction, and MAS oversight. Ideal for ASEAN-focused funds.
DIFC Exempt Fund and Qualified Investor Fund — DFSA regulated. The preferred structure for GCC-based PE and family office investment vehicles.
Updated UK LP Act regime — enhanced LP flexibility, improved GP governance. UK as domicile for funds focused on UK and Africa investment corridors.
SEBI Alternative Investment Fund and GIFT City IFSC fund structures for India-focused capital. Co-ordinated with WLA India's Transactional practice.
WHERE WLA PE CO-PRACTICE
IS MOST ACTIVE.
India is WLA's most active PE jurisdiction — record deal volumes in 2025. FDI, FEMA, and SEBI all require specialist local knowledge.
Gulf sovereign and family capital deploying globally through DIFC structures. UAE as hub for GCC→CEE and GCC→India PE activity.
Germany's Mittelstand is the world's largest pool of PE acquisition targets. Works Council and FDI screening require specialist navigation.
Singapore VCC adoption growing rapidly. ASEAN PE expansion route and Southeast Asian portfolio co-ordination hub.
UK remains a major PE market — carve-outs, W&I insurance, and Part 26A restructuring all creating significant PE legal work.
French PE market active in luxury brand roll-ups, technology platforms, and infrastructure. CSE consultation a key complexity on all French PE transactions.