Kirkland Advises Align Capital Partners on Close of Align Collaborate Fund I

Kirkland & Ellis advised Align Capital Partners on the closing of its inaugural independent sponsor-focused investment fund, Align Collaborate Fund I (“Collaborate I”). The strategy, which launched in late 2023, provides equity capital to the industry’s growing number of deal-by-deal investors. Collaborate I had its final close on March 26, 2025 at $233 million, well above its $150 million target. To date, Align Collaborate has anchored the equity syndicate for two leading sponsors’ new platform investments, and the team has expanded to five dedicated investment professionals. Align Collaborate targets $10–$30 million equity investments per transaction in support of platform companies with between $2–$15 million of EBITDA.

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The Kirkland team included investment funds lawyers Daniel McQuade, Michael Wester, Derek Thomas and Justin Frumm; and tax lawyers Dan Meehan and Liz Ji.