John Adams is a partner in the Investment Funds practice.

He focuses on the formation, promotion and operation of all types of private and retail investment funds, including private equity, hedge, infrastructure, real estate, and venture capital funds, and retail vehicles such as UCITS funds. He also advises on the drafting and negotiation of associated documentation with such funds.

John advises sovereign wealth funds and other institutional investors in connection with their acquisitions, and disposals, of investments in private investment funds. He has particular expertise in advising on the impact of the EU’s Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) and advises on UK and European regulatory issues relating to fund managers and investment products.

John represents many UK, US and international fund managers. Some of his leading clients include TT International, Innisfree Limited, Attestor Capital, RK Capital, and Investcorp.

• TT International, a UK-based hedge fund manager, in relation to its suite of hedge funds (including multiple master-feeder Cayman Islands funds and bespoke ERISA products).
• RK Capital Management LLP, a UK-based fund manager, on its hedge funds and hybrid products.
• Innisfree Limited on the formation of Innisfree PFI Secondary Fund and Innisfree PFI Secondary Fund 2 LP, English limited partnerships investing in PFI and PPP infrastructure projects.
• The Abu Dhabi Global Market, in relation to the drafting of laws and regulatory rules for fund operations in a new financial-free zone.
• Attestor Capital, in relation to its flagship hedge fund.
• Géneralé Continentale Investissements, in relation to its real estate products and joint venture arrangements.
• Investcorp, in relation to the creation of two innovative private equity platforms.
• Maverick Capital Ltd. on the establishment and operation of Irish and Luxembourg-domiciled UCITS funds.
• EFG Hermes UAE Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of EFG Hermes Holding S.A.E, on its agreements to acquire a 50% stake in Frontier Investment Management (FIM).
• A major institution in the Middle East on the formation of, and its investment in, a US$500 million private equity and infrastructure fund formed to invest in Kazakhstan and the Caspian region.
• A US fund manager on the establishment of a private equity fund, structured as an English limited partnership and managed in Costa Rica, formed to invest in conservation and sustainable projects in Meso-America, the Northern Andes and the Amazon Basin.
• Various sovereign wealth investors, DFIs and institutional investors on their investments in hedge, private equity and UCITS funds.
• Multiple managers in the EU, the U.S. and Asia, on the AIFMD and other regulatory issues affecting fund managers.

Awards & Accolades

• John is recommended by Legal 500 UK 2020 and Legal 500 UK 2019. He is listed as highly regarded by IFLR1000 2020 and IFLR1000 2019.
• He has been listed by Private Funds International as one of the “Top 30 under 40” private equity funds lawyers globally, where he was referred to as “a leading thought expert on the massively complex AIFMD”.
• He regularly publishes articles and speaks at Chatham House and AIMA seminars and conferences on topical issues and developments in investment funds.  
• Awarded “Financial Regulation Team of the Year” at the IFLR Europe Awards, 2016 and “Corporate Team of the Year” at the Corporate Counsel Middle East Awards, 2015 for our advice to ADGM.