Daniel Lavon-Krein, P.C.
Overview
Daniel Lavon-Krein is a partner in the Investment Funds Group at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and serves on the Firm's Executive Committee, the governing body of Kirkland & Ellis. He has championed countless large global private equity fund formations ranging from boutique sponsors to mega-funds across a wide variety of strategies. In addition, as the co-founder and co-head of the Strategic GP Advisory practice at Kirkland, Daniel is widely recognized as a leader and pioneer in advising private equity sponsors and buyers on complex minority investments in existing firms, control sale transactions and other liquidity events and strategic transactions.
In his fund formation practice, Daniel has advised on the formation and fundraising of more than 70 funds with total capital commitments exceeding $130 billion. As the co-head of the Strategic GP Advisory practice, Daniel has led the representations of over 40 firms selling interests in this rapidly evolving market, including advising on the largest 5 GP stakes deals completed to date. In connection with these transactions and fund formation matters, his mature, multidimensional practice also includes advising sponsors on internal firm restructurings, succession planning and other major strategic issues.
Daniel is recognized as a top tier attorney by numerous publications where he is commended for his strong practice encompassing fund formation and sales of minority stakes in fund managers. Most recently, Daniel was ranked as a top band attorney in Chambers Global 2022–2024 and Chambers USA 2022–2024 where he was called out for being “a real thought partner.” Clients have also remarked that he is "a consummate deal-maker who understands the bigger picture" and that he is “excellent, smart and responsive." In IFLR1000 2021's Tier 1 ranking of Kirkland & Ellis LLP's private equity funds practice, Daniel is named as a highly regarded practitioner. Daniel was also named one of the top 30 lawyers under 40 across United States, Europe and Asia by PEI’s Private Funds Management magazine. In 2018, Daniel was named “one of the foremost figures in the space acting on the formation of multibillion-dollar funds” by Who’s Who Legal. Foreshadowing his rise, in 2016 the New York Law Journal named Daniel a “Rising Star,” an honor awarded to only a small number of attorneys who have established an impressive record of accomplishments under the age of 40. Law360 also named Daniel as one of five Private Equity “Rising Stars for 2016” in the United States. Daniel was also mentioned as a leading attorney in numerous editions of the Legal 500.
Experience
Representative Matters
Daniel has advised U.S. and non-U.S. sponsors of numerous types of alternative investment funds on the formation of some of the largest investment funds ever raised, including private equity, real estate, energy, infrastructure, venture, secondary and financial services funds.
He has worked with some of the largest, most diversified and prominent private fund sponsors, as well as middle-market firms, and has assisted clients with the negotiation of complicated separate account arrangements with leading sovereign wealth funds. Daniel has also acted for high-profile secondary sponsors in some of their most complex and significant transactions.
Representative Clients
17 Capital, Actis, Advent International, Andreessen Horowitz, Arcline Investment Management, Arctos Sports Partners, Arlington Capital Partners, BC Partners, Bernhard Capital Partners, Blue Owl Capital, The Carlyle Group, Castlelake, Cerberus Capital Management, Clearlake Capital Group, Clearstream Capital, Collaborative Fund, Coller Capital, Court Square Capital Partners, CVC Credit Partners, EIG Global Energy Partners, Gauge Capital, General Catalyst, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Golub Capital, GPI Capital, GTCR, Harvest Partners, Haun Ventures, Helios Holdings Limited, Hellman & Friedman, HGGC, ICONIQ Capital, Inflexion Private Equity, Iron Point Partners, JMI Equity, Landmark Partners, LBC Credit Partners, Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, Meadow Partners, Montagu, Montana Capital Partners, MSouth, Nautic Partners, New Enterprise Associates, Nordic Capital, OnyxPoint Global Management, Park Square Capital, Pegasus Capital Advisors, Percheron Capital, Pine Brook, Round Hill Music, Sentinel Capital Partners, STG Partners, Star Mountain Capital, Sycamore Partners, Synova, Thompson Street Capital Partners, Thrive Capital, Transformation Capital, Trivest Partners, Vector Capital Management, Vista Equity Partners and Wind Point Partners.
Prior Experience
Associate, Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP, September 2003–March 2005
Associate, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, March 2005–August 2011
More
Thought Leadership
Seminars
Moderator, “GP Stakes – report card so far,” SuperReturn International, June 2023
Moderator, Second Wave Fund Finance: Topco NAV Facilities and Minority Interest Deals, Fund & Firm Finance Roundtable, New York City, New York, November 19, 2019
Panelist, Strategic Minority Investments and Internal Firm Restructurings, 22nd Annual Columbia Business School Private Equity & Venture Capital Conference, New York, February 19, 2016
Panelist, "General Partner Succession Planning," Kellogg Private Equity And Venture Capital Conference, April 2015
Panelist, "Private Equity Funds: Overview of Recent Trends In Market Terms & Structures," 21st Annual Columbia Business School Private Equity & Venture Capital Conference, March 2015
Panelist, "Impact of Regulation in Private Equity Funds," 6th Maples Investment Funds Forum, February 2015
Speaker, "Private Equity GP / LP Fund Terms," New York Private Equity Network, July 2013
Moderator, "Private Equity & Venture Capital in Brazil Fund & Manager Showcase," ABVCAP, September 2012
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2007New York
Languages
- English
- German
- French
Education
- McGill University Faculty of LawLL.B./B.C.L.with Great Distinction2003
- University of TorontoB.A., Political Sciencewith High Distinction2000