Our Investment Funds team has extensive and in-depth experience in setting up domestic and offshore investment funds. We advise clients on the full spectrum of legal and regulatory aspects associated with formation of a fund and its life cycle. Our team comprises of professionals who blend transactional experience with industry knowledge to develop innovative structures. Our Investment Funds team has advised some of the largest and most complex fundraisings in India.

Whilst advising offshore investment funds or foreign portfolio investors, we are known to seamlessly work with various service providers globally to enable our clients to achieve their objectives. We are also known for advising on legal and regulatory framework governing portfolio managers, investment advisers, research analyst and mutual funds. Our clientele includes major domestic fund managers, portfolio managers, investment advisers, mutual funds, research analysts, sponsors, trustees and family offices. Our services comprise of the following:

  • Structuring: Assisting in structuring and formation of domestic alternative investment funds such as private equity funds, hedge funds, venture capital funds, real estate funds, debt funds, social venture funds, SME funds and angel funds. We also assist in structuring of offshore investment funds that invest in India directly under Foreign Direct Investment route or as a Foreign Portfolio Investor or as a Foreign Venture Capital Investor (FVCI). Further, we also assist in devising appropriate structure to enable such offshore funds to invest alongside domestic alternative investment funds i.e. under parallel/co-investment structure or under a unified structure.

  • Advisory: Advising on legal and regulatory aspects pertaining to setting up and operations of the investment funds, portfolio managers, investment advisers, research analysts, FPI, FVCI etc. We also assist clients in statutory compliances and reporting by investment funds, portfolio managers, investment advisers, research analysts, FPI, FVCI to various authorities.

  • Marketing and Solicitation: Advising on marketing of investment funds in India, coordinating with foreign counsel for seeking advice on marketing of funds in offshore jurisdictions.

  • Registration: Preparing application for registration of investment funds, FPI, FVCI, portfolio managers, investment advisers and research analysts with SEBI and co-ordinating with SEBI to procure the registration.

  • Documentation: Drafting, negotiating and finalizing of fund documents including the private placement memorandum, contribution agreements, investment management agreement and trust deeds. We also assist in drafting and reviewing of the fund documents for offshore funds that propose to invest in India, and such fund documents generally comprise of private placement memorandum, subscription agreements, administration agreements etc. We have assisted clients in structing of carried interest and formation of employee welfare trusts. We also assist in drafting and finalising of the investment advisory agreement, discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management agreements, distribution agreements, co-investment agreements, etc.

  • Investor Negotiation: We have represented fund managers as well as large investors in negotiation of investors’ terms of investment and revising the fund documentation to that effect including drafting of appropriate side letters.

  • REITs and InvITs: We have the expertise in advising, formation and registration of real estate investment trusts (REITs) and infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs).