Danforth Townley

Partner

danforth.townley@davispolk.com

Mr. Townley is a partner in Davis Polk’s Corporate Department, practicing in our Investment Management Group. He advises clients on investment funds and related corporate finance transactions, including the structuring and offering of hedge funds, private equity funds and other investment vehicles. In addition, Mr. Townley advises financial institutions, fund sponsors, corporations, employees’ securities companies, and other entities regarding regulatory compliance with, and exemptions under, the Investment Company Act and Investment Advisers Act. His work often focuses on the utilization of derivative instruments or structured products in connection with private funds and investment companies.

Mr. Townley advises clients on the establishment and operation of hedge fund managers and private equity sponsors, including the structuring of carried interest plans and other profit sharing arrangements, as well as on mergers and acquisitions of fund managers. Representative clients have included Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, FrontPoint Partners and Morgan Stanley Infrastructure.

Contact

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New York
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
P: 212-450-4240
F: 212-701-5240

Related Practices

Bar Admissions

State of New York

Education

B.A., Yale College, 1979
- magna cum laude
J.D., Yale Law School, 1985
- Editor, The Yale Law Journal

Recognition

Mr. Townley is listed as a leading lawyer in Legalease’s The Legal 500 (United States).

Of Note

Memberships

Chair, Practising Law Institute’s Annual Conference on Hedge Funds; speaks regularly as a panelist on hedge fund topics
Member, Managed Funds Association’s Legal Advisory Council
Member, Private Investment Fund Forum of New York City

Professional History

Partner, 1994-present
Associate, 1986-1994
Tokyo office, 1997-1998
Hong Kong office, 1995-1997

Law Clerk, Hon. Robert W. Sweet, U.S. District Court, S.D. New York 1985-1986

News

KKR Financial Holdings LLC Senior Notes Offering

Davis Polk Partners Write Second Edition of “Advising Private Funds”

Davis Polk Advises Greenhill on Sale of Its Interests in Greenhill Capital Partners II

View More > >

Publications

The Davis Polk Financial Crisis Manual
A Guide to the Laws, Regulations and Contracts of the Financial Crisis

Client Publications

Investment Management Regulatory Update
Client Newsletter

Investment Management Regulatory Update
Client Newsletter

Investment Management Regulatory Update
Client Newsletter

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Events

Danforth Townley and Leor Landa to Speak at PLI’s “Hedge Funds 2011” Program

Danforth Townley and Daniel Budofsky to Speak at PLI Hedge Fund Seminar

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