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Herbert Smith Freehills appoints Head of International Private Funds Strategy

Private equity specialist Jonathan Blake has joined Herbert Smith Freehills in London as the head of international private funds strategy.In this role, Blake will advise clients on their private funds requirements, drawing together the firm’s existing capabilities and experience, as well as generating new client opportunities through his network of private equity, real estate, infrastructure, credit, venture capital and secondaries managers. His recruitment marks a major milestone in the development of Herbert Smith Freehills’ investment funds practice. 

“Our private funds offering has grown rapidly in the last 10 years or so to cover more private funds work in private equity, real estate, infrastructure and credit. Jonathan’s solid experience and vast network of industry connections will be enormously valuable as we develop our private funds practice further. We are thrilled that he has joined us and we welcome him to the firm,” says Nigel Farr, head of investment funds practice at Herbert Smith Freehills.

Blake has been described as one of the most influential lawyers in the history of private funds in Europe and is widely seen as the ‘father of private equity funds”. He was the third person and first advisor elected into the British Venture Capital Association’s ‘Hall of Fame’. He is currently the only lawyer ranked as a private equity senior statesperson by Chambers and Partners Europe.

“Herbert Smith Freehills offers a fantastic platform for managers of private capital to access specialist expertise in a broad range of sectors and jurisdictions. I have been delighted to learn how much the firm is already doing in the sector and am very much looking forward to working with the teams in London and around the world to grow the practice and raise our profile in this area,” says Jonathan.

Blake joins Herbert Smith Freehills from O’Melveny and Myers, prior to which he established and led the industry-shaping funds practice at SJ Berwin, and where he was senior partner from 2006 to 2012.

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