Partner, Dechert
Gus Black, co-chair of Dechert's global financial services group and a member of the Policy Committee, focuses his practice on investment funds (emphasizing private equity, debt and hedge funds), establishing and restructuring international asset management businesses, corporate and commercial transactions in the asset management sector and general UK financial services regulation.
In the sphere of private fund formation, Mr. Black has advised sponsors and cornerstone investors on the structuring, re-structuring, formation and investment of numerous funds and other co-investment structures ranging widely in size, strategy and focus (including numerous hedge strategies, hybrid, private equity, public and private debt, emerging markets, clean tech/energy, agriculture, infrastructure, commodities and real estate). He has advised on funds established in various jurisdictions including Jersey, Guernsey, Cayman Islands, BVI, Luxembourg, Ireland, Singapore, Mauritius, Delaware and England. He also advises on a range of portfolio investments, secondaries and other portfolio transactions.
Mr. Black is consistently ranked as a highly regarded lawyer by the independent legal publications Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500 and IFLR1000 in the area of investment funds. The 2021 editions of Chambers UK and Chambers Europe comment that Mr. Black “knows his stuff, is very commercial and will get a deal done”, “he has extremely good experience and is very interested in the success of his clients”. He is also recognized as “responsive and technically proficient, with the ability to understand clients” specific needs and to come up with appropriate solutions and insight.” In 2020 Chambers UK and Chambers Europe noted that Mr. Black is “very knowledgeable and excellent to work with” while previous editions variously described him as “approachable and commercial”, “exceptional in fund structuring and related matters, commercial and very responsive”. He is particularly noted for his strength in hedge funds but has broader expertise in private equity and debt funds. Legal 500 UK 2019 highlights that the “brilliantly commercial” Gus Black is “a total star of the credit fund formation space”.
Mr. Black is named in the Financial News’ top 20 most influential legal services list in 2021. Mr. Black is also listed as a highly recommended, leading lawyer in the 2019 Global Guide of Who's Who Legal Private Fund Formation. Mr. Black's publications include the “Private Equity Funds” chapter of Sweet & Maxwell’s Law and Regulation of Investment Management and the UK chapter of the European Lawyer Reference Series on Hedge Funds.