John R. O'Neil, P.C.
Overview
John “has one of the broadest, best understandings of what is happening in the market.” - Who’s Who Legal
John O’Neil’s legal knowledge, business savvy, and leadership of complex transactions have earned him a reputation as a global leader in private equity fund matters. John is a partner in the Investment Funds Practice Group, the Firm’s leading-edge global platform that provides innovative and bespoke legal strategies to sponsors and funds of all kinds.
John has been recognized by Chamber’s Global, Chambers USA, IFLR 1000, Legal 500, and Who’s Who Legal where he was described as a “‘phenomenal lawyer,’ acknowledged for his strong track record representing large sponsors” and being “extremely smart and creative.” Founders look to John as a valued business partner and a global thought leader on identifying market trends, creating and executing plans across AUM, product line and geographical expansion.
As the advisor of choice of some of the world’s most sophisticated and dynamic investment funds, John has guided clients for over two decades through a myriad of operational issues as well as extraordinary events involving investment funds and their sponsors. His breadth of experience includes helping clients successfully navigate “key person” events, investor defaults, spin-outs, GP liquidity solutions and other significant transactions. John is a founding member of the Firm’s Investment Funds Crisis Management Group, which guides investment fund sponsors, advisory boards, and other market participants through some of their most challenging situations.
John’s long-standing industry relationships and deep understanding of the investment funds landscape are game-changers for the Firm’s clients. John is a founding member of the New York City Investment Funds Society, which regularly convenes the leading American lawyers who advise sponsors. He is an in-demand speaker on the investment funds industry, addressing audiences at the International Bar Association conference, New York Private Equity Network, and the New York City Bar Center for CLE.
John received his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and is a graduate of University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is admitted in New York, Massachusetts and Illinois.
Representative Clients
50 South Capital, Audax Group, Blue Sage Capital, Caltius Capital Management, CHS Capital, Clearlake Capital Group, ClearLight Partners, GI Partners, GLP, Greenbriar Equity Group, GTCR, H.I.G. Capital, Kinderhook Capital, Landmark Partners, Newstone Capital Partners, Perceptive Advisors, Rhône Capital, Round Hill Music, Siris Capital Group, SK Capital, Softbank, Summit Partners, Sycamore Partners, TeleSoft Partners, TZP Capital Partners, Veritas Capital, Vista Equity Partners, Water Street Healthcare Partners, White Oak Global Advisors, Wind Point Partners and York Capital Management.
Experience
Representative Matters
GTCR LLC in the formation and fundraising of over $30 billion for multiple funds in its four decades-long history, including:
- GTCR Fund XIII, the largest fund to date, which was oversubscribed and reached its hard cap of $7.5 billion of limited partner commitments.
- GTCR Fund XI, which was oversubscribed and reached its hard cap of $3.85 billion of limited partner commitments.
Landmark Partners in the formation and fundraising of approximately $14 billion of capital for private equity secondaries funds, including:
- Landmark Equity Partners Fund XVI, which reached its final closing at $5.4 billion.
- Landmark Equity Partners XV, a fund focused on private equity secondary investments.
- Landmark Real Estate Fund VIII, which held its final close with commitments of $3.3 billion.
- Landmark Real Estate Partners VII. With Kirkland’s assistance, the fund was oversubscribed and reached its hard cap of $1.6 billion in commitments.
Rhône Group in the formation and fundraising of Rhône Partners V, its fifth flagship fund, which completed its global fundraising in six months. In a sponsor-transformative fundraise, Fund V raised more than €2.6 billion, exceeding its €1.8 billion target.
Summit Partners in the formation and fundraising of approximately $7 billion, including:
- Summit Partners Growth Equity Fund IX, which held its final closing on a total of $3.3 billion in commitments, exceeding its $3 billion target.
- Summit Partners Venture Capital Fund V, a late-stage venture capital fund, on its closing at a hard cap of $1 billion.
- Summit Partners Venture Capital Fund IV, which held its final closing on a total of $730 million in commitments.
- Summit Partners Europe Growth Equity Fund III, which held its final closing at a hard cap of €1.1 billion in commitments.
- Summit Partners Credit Fund II, which held its final closing on a total of $1 billion in commitments.
Vista Equity Partners in the formation and fundraising of more than $40 billion, including:
- Vista Equity Partners Fund VII at its hard cap of $16 billion.
- Vista Equity Partners Fund VI, Vista’s flagship offering, which held a final closing with approximately $10.5 billion.
- Vista Equity Partners Fund V, its fifth flagship fund, which completed its fundraising six months early with more than $5.775 billion in limited partner commitments.
- Vista Foundation Fund IV at its hard cap of $4 billion.
- Vista Foundation Fund III, which held its final closing with approximately $2.5 billion in commitments raised in less than six months.
- Vista Equity Endeavor Fund II at its hard cap of $850 million.
- Vista Equity Endeavor Fund I, which held its final closing with approximately $550 million in commitments.
- Vista Equity Partners Perennial, a fund which has an indefinite term, at $2.38 billion.
- Vista Credit Opportunities Fund II, which held a final closing with approximately $950 million in commitments.
Sycamore Partners in the formation and fundraising of its third fund, Sycamore Partners III, which closed at $4.75 billion in commitments.
A private investment firm focused on investments in the specialty materials, chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors on the formation and fundraising of its first fund, closing at its hard cap of $400 million in capital commitments.
A leading middle-market private equity firm on the formation of its fourth fund, a fund that, after a twelve-week fund-raise, closed at its hard cap with aggregate capital commitments of $500 million.
More
Thought Leadership
Seminars
John speaks frequently on matters relating to private investment funds. Select recent public speaking engagements include:
- Panelist, Thomson Reuters, Annual Federal Securities Institute
- Panelist, General Partner Succession Planning, Kellogg Private Equity And Venture Capital Conference
- Speaker, PEAI Private Equity CFO/COO Exchange & Roundtable
- Speaker, New York Private Equity Network, Private Equity GP / LP Fund Terms
- Speaker, Practising Law Institute’s Annual Private Equity Forum
- Speaker, International Bar Association’s Annual International Conference on Private Investment Funds
- Speaker, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Registered Adviser Seminar & CCO Summit
- Speaker, Columbia Business School Alumni Club of New York, Private Equity Allocation in an Uncertain Economy
- Speaker, Private Equity CFO Association, General Partner Structuring (Succession Planning, Division of Economics and Tax Considerations)
- Panelist, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Structuring and Negotiating LBOs Seminar
- Speaker, New York Private Equity Network, Private Equity GP / LP Fund Terms
- Panelist, Maples and Calder, Maples FS, Maples Investment Funds Forum
- Speaker, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Private Fund Manager Advisers Act Registration Seminar
- Speaker, New York City Bar Center for CLE, After the Dust Settles: The Changing Landscape for Private Investment Funds & Their Managers
- Speaker, International Bar Association’s Annual Conference on the Globalisation of Investment Funds
- Speaker, New York City Bar Center for CLE, The Impact of the Current Environment on Private Investment Funds & Their Managers
- Moderator, CFA Society of Washington and Wharton Private Equity Partners LP/GP Roundtable
- Moderator, Duke Private Equity Club PE Conference
Recognition
Kirkland & Ellis Pro Bono Service Recipient
Listed in:
- Private Funds and Hedge Funds Law, The Best Lawyers in America, 2019
- Market Leader, IFLR1000
- World’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Chambers Global
- America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Chambers USA
- Guide to the World’s Leading Investment Funds Lawyers, Legal Media Group
- The International Who’s Who of Private Funds Lawyers, Who’s Who Legal
- Leading Lawyer, The Legal 500 United States
Memberships & Affiliations
Firm Activities
Member, Executive Committee
External Activities
- Member of National Board for Susan G. Komen
- Member of the Private Investment Funds Forum, a group comprising New York City attorneys practicing extensively in the private funds area
- Member of the Committee on Private Investment Funds of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York
- International Bar Association, Investment Funds Sub-Committee
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- Massachusetts
- New York
- Illinois
Courts
- United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit1998
Education
- Northwestern Pritzker School of LawJ.D.cum laude1998
- University of Wisconsin-MadisonB.B.A., Management Information Systems1991