John R. O'Neil
Professional Profile
John O'Neil is a corporate partner and is a leader of the Firm's Private Funds Group. He is widely recognized as a leader in the field of private equity fund matters, having advised clients on a wide range of on-going operational issues as well as extraordinary events involving private investment funds and their sponsors (e.g., "key person" events, investor defaults, spin-outs, zombie funds, valuation matters, conflicts, succession planning, strategic investments in fund sponsors and other significant transactions). John regularly represents both domestic and international sponsors of buyout, growth capital, distressed debt, energy, defense, technology, international private equity, mezzanine, credit opportunities and other global investment funds. Recommended as a leading practitioner in his field in many publications, Chambers Global and Chambers USA describe John as "top notch and he really understands the pulse of the market" and "smart and creative;" and state that clients appreciate that "you can ask him any question without prior notice and he will answer you as if he has prepared for hours."
John is a founding member of the New York Investment Funds Society, a group comprising New York City leading attorneys extensively advising investment fund sponsors. Furthermore, he is a founding member of the Firm's Private Funds Crisis Management Group, which guides investment fund sponsors, advisory boards and other market participants through extraordinary events in crisis situations.
Representative Matters
Representative Clients
Audax Group, Bregal Sagemount, Caltius Partners, CHS Capital, ClearLight Partners, GTCR LLC, H.I.G. Capital, Kinderhook Capital, Landmark Partners, Limetree Capital, MKW Capital, Northern Trust Company, Round Hill Music, Screen Capital Partners, Spectrum Investment Partners, Summit Partners, TeleSoft Partners, TZP Capital Partners, Union Core Technology Partners, Vista Equity Partners, Wind Point Partners and Wynnchurch Capital.
Memberships & Affiliations
Director of Lawyers Alliance for New York, a provider of business and transactional legal services for nonprofit organizations
Trustee of Christ Church United Methodist (New York City)
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
Other Distinctions
Kirkland & Ellis Pro Bono Service Recipient
Listed in:
"World's Leading Lawyers for Business," Chambers Global
"America's Leading Lawyers for Business," Chambers USA
"WHO'S WHO of World class business leaders," Continental Broadcasting Network Inc.
PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook
"Guide to the World's Leading Investment Funds Lawyers," Legal Media Group
"Who's Who Legal: The International Who's Who of Private Funds Lawyers," Law Business Research Ltd.
The Legal 500 U.S.
Seminars
John speaks frequently on matters relating to private investment funds. Select recent public speaking engagements include:
Speaker, International Bar Association's 14th Annual International Conference on Private Investment Funds, March 2013
Speaker, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Registered Adviser Seminar & CCO Summit, November 2012
Speaker, Columbia Business School Alumni Club of New York, Private Equity Allocation in an Uncertain Economy, July 2012
Speaker, Private Equity CFO Association, General Partner Structuring (Succession Planning, Division of Economics and Tax Considerations), May 2012
Panelist, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, 2011 Structuring and Negotiating LBOs Seminar, September 2011
Speaker, New York Private Equity Network, Private Equity GP / LP Fund Terms, June 2011
Panelist, Maples and Calder, Maples FS, 3rd Maples Investment Funds Forum, February 2011
Speaker, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Private Fund Manager Advisers Act Registration Seminar, September 2010
Speaker, New York City Bar Center for CLE, After the Dust Settles: The Changing Landscape for Private Investment Funds & Their Managers, June 2010
Speaker, International Bar Association's 21st Annual Conference on the Globalisation of Investment Funds, May 2010
Speaker, New York City Bar Center for CLE, The Impact of the Current Environment on Private Investment Funds & Their Managers, November 2009
Moderator, CFA Society of Washington and Wharton Private Equity Partners LP/GP Roundtable, September 2009
Moderator, Duke Private Equity Club 2009 PE Conference, April 2009
Courts
1998, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
