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Reed Smith has a first-class middle-market private equity practice. The Reed Smith private equity team advises private equity funds, institutional investors, family offices, independent sponsors, alternative asset managers and their portfolio companies across a wide range of sophisticated investment strategies, including leveraged buyouts, growth investments, add-on acquisitions, take privates, exits, restructurings, refinancings and management equity plan arrangements.  This international reach of Reed Smith means the firm is able to cover both domestic and international investments and acquisitions.

The firm's private fund formation and counseling lawyers are adept at advising fund sponsors and major institutional investors on the formation, structuring and negotiation of various private investment funds, including private equity, private credit, real estate, infrastructure, hedge, continuation and alternative investment funds.  This expertise extends to advising on the full spectrum of securities, tax and regulatory issues associated with these vehicles. In addition, the firm has a leading practice advising on fund and co-investment financing, and can also handle GP led transactions and other secondary transactions, including the acquisition of minority stakes in fund GP management vehicles. 

The firm’s industry-specific knowledge in sectors such as shipping, aviation, transportation, energy and natural resources, renewables, entertainment and media, healthcare, technology, financial services, consumer and real estate also enables the firm to add value to clients investing in these sectors.

In March 2023, Reed Smith won the Best Law Firm – Overall award at the PE Wire European Awards, and in November 2023, it won another PE Wire award for fund structuring.