People

Proskauer hires Kirkland secondaries partner

The two law firms were the first- and second-most active in the secondaries market last year.

By
Rod James
-

Proskauer has made a senior addition to its New York-based private funds group.

The law firm has appointed Christopher Robinson as a partner specialising in all aspects of the secondaries market including the purchase and sale of fund interests, GP-led transactions, tender offers and spin-outs, according to a statement.

He comes from four-and-a-half years at Kirkland & Ellis where he was a partner, according to his LinkedIn profile. He has also worked with asset manager Prudential Financial and law firm Clifford Chance.

“Chris is well known in the market as an innovative problem solver who is focused on providing outstanding client service,” Howard Beber, co-chair of Proskauer’s private funds group, said in the statement.

“Proskauer recognises and values collegiality, professional excellence, entrepreneurship, integrity and client service, which makes them an ideal fit for me,” said Robinson.

Proskauer advised on $20.89 billion of secondaries deals in 2019, making it the second-most active in the market after Kirkland which advised on $50 billion, according to the Secondaries Investor Law Firm Survey 2020 published in May. Among the deals Proskauer worked on was the sale of a $5 billion portfolio by Japan’s Norinchukin Bank to Ardian, the largest secondaries deal yet.