Yukako Kawata

Partner

yukako.kawata@davispolk.com

Ms. Kawata is co-head of Davis Polk’s Investment Management/Private Funds Group. She advises clients on the formation and operation of private investment funds and other investment vehicles exempt under the U.S. Investment Company Act, including private equity funds, hedge funds, venture capital funds, fund of funds and funds investing in particular sectors or countries. She also advises clients on the establishment and operations of private fund managers, including private equity and hedge fund firms.

In the private funds practice, Ms. Kawata advises clients on the full spectrum of legal and marketing considerations involved in establishing private funds with diverse investment strategies that are marketed to investors on a worldwide basis, including institutional investors and high net worth individuals. She also advises fund sponsors seeking to establish “carried interest” plans and other profit-sharing arrangements for their employees, as well as various types of after-tax and phantom employee investment programs. In addition, her practice includes the representation of institutional investors seeking to invest in private funds, such as private equity funds, venture capital funds and hedge funds.

She advises numerous private funds and private fund sponsors and advisers as to the regulatory considerations applicable to their ongoing operations and investment activities, including compliance with the U.S. Investment Advisers Act and the U.S. Investment Company Act. Her practice includes compliance reviews of hedge fund managers and private equity fund managers under the Investment Advisers Act, as well as advice on the effect of a private fund’s investment activities on the ongoing operations of other businesses affiliated with the private fund. In addition, Ms. Kawata has obtained exemptive relief from the SEC for employee investment funds as “employees’ securities companies” under the Investment Company Act.

Contact

New York
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
P: 212-450-4896
F: 212-701-5896

Related Practices

Bar Admissions

State of New York

Education

B.A., Princeton University, 1979
J.D., New York University School of Law, 1982
- American Jurisprudence Award in Torts
- Member, The New York University Law Review

Recognition

Listed as a leading private equity fund formation lawyer in several legal industry publications, including:

Band 1, USA: Investment Funds: Private Equity: Fund Formation – Chambers Global 2013
Band 1, Nationwide: Investment Funds: Private Equity: Fund Formation – Chambers USA 2012
Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business
IFLR1000: Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms
Law Business Research’s Who’s Who Legal–International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers and Who’s Who Legal–International Who’s Who of Private Funds Lawyers
Practical Law Company’s Cross-border Private Equity Handbook, Cross-border Investment Funds Handbooks and Which lawyer? Yearbook
Legal Media Group’s Expert Guide to the World’s Leading Private Equity Lawyers, Expert Guide to the World’s Leading Lawyers–Best of the Best and Expert Guide to the World’s Leading Investment Funds Lawyers
Legalease’s The Legal 500 (United States)

Of Note

Co-author of Advising Private Funds: A Comprehensive Guide to Representing Hedge Funds, Private Equity Funds and Their Advisers, West (2010 ed.)
Co-author of “Get Ready for Tons of Paperwork,” Buyouts (February 14, 2011)
Frequent chair or panelist in a number of PLI, IBA and other conferences on various topics relating to private investment funds, including the Chair of the PLI Annual Private Equity Forum

Current Memberships

Founding Member, Private Investment Fund Forum of New York City

Past Memberships

Chair, Committee on Private Investment Funds, New York City Bar, 2009-2012
Chair, Specialized Investment Funds Subcommittee, International Bar Association, 2001-2003
Served on organizing committee, Annual International Conference for Private Investment Funds, 2000-2008

Professional History

Partner, 1994-present
Associate, 1982-1994

News

Davis Polk Shortlisted for Euromoney Americas Women in Business Law Awards

Davis Polk Advises Marsh & McLennan Companies on Strategic Partnership with Juniperus Capital

Davis Polk Issues Summary of Volcker Release

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Publications

Get Ready for Tons of Paperwork | Buyouts

Advising Private Funds: A Comprehensive Guide to Representing Hedge Funds, Private Equity Funds and Their Advisers | West

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

The SEC’s Northern Lights Enforcement Action: Implications For Fund Directors
Client Memorandum

Investment Management Regulatory Update
Client Newsletter

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Events

John Amorosi and Yukako Kawata to Speak at PLI’s Private Equity Forum

Yukako Kawata to Chair and Michael Davis to Speak at PLI’s Private Equity Forum

Yukako Kawata to Chair City Bar Private Investment Fund Program

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