Rachel O’Brien, Leading Private Funds Attorney, Joins Ropes & Gray in Washington D.C.

Rachel O’Brien, whose practice focuses on private fund formations, has joined Ropes & Gray’s global asset management practice as counsel, based in Washington D.C.

Rachel’s arrival further expands the firm’s global private funds practice and experienced Washington, D.C. asset management team. She focuses on the formation, marketing, management and regulatory compliance of private equity funds, funds-of-funds and other private investment vehicles, as well as the operational, legal and regulatory issues faced by both first-time and established fund sponsors.

In recent years, Rachel has successfully closed numerous vehicles, ranging from $100 million to $5 billion in size. Just last year, Rachel closed several of the industry’s largest and most notable private funds, including:

• Arsenal Capital Partners in its $4.3 billion Fund VI
• Arsenal’s $1.1 billion Growth Fund
• STG in its successful $4.2 billion Fund VII

Bryan Chegwidden, chair of the firm’s global asset management practice, said: “Rachel brings a sophisticated understanding of private funds to the firm, expanding a first-rate team. She adds to our market-leading private funds practice.”

Ropes & Gray represents half of the 150-largest private equity funds on the 2023 Private Equity International PEI 300, a ranking of funds by amount raised. 

Since 2020, the firm’s global private funds team has added private funds partners – Tom Alabaster (London), Bryan Hunkele and Eric Requenez (both in New York) and Warren Goodworth in May (in Chicago) – and promoted seven private funds lawyers to partner. Additionally, the firm has added twelve private funds counsel within that timeframe. These additions have helped to position Ropes & Gray as the world’s leading platform for private funds.

“Ropes & Gray has a strong funds platform that is fostered by collaborative client service,” Rachel said. “I am excited to join the team and work alongside the market’s leading asset management attorneys.”

Consistently recognized by Chambers USA for its outstanding work on fund formation, investment funds, including funds focused on private equity buyout, growth, credit, real estate, venture, crypto, funds of funds, hedge funds, among other funds, as well as related regulatory and compliance, Ropes & Gray attorneys are strategically advising asset management firms on all aspects of their expanding businesses.