Justin Dolling

Partner Investment Funds
Kirkland & Ellis

Hong Kong +852 3761 3363

Justin Dolling

Practices

Overview

Justin Dolling “has seen it all in the private equity world and is very creative in being able to use that experience to understand any issues and work through to a solution.” - Chambers Asia

Justin is an investment funds partner in the Hong Kong office of Kirkland & Ellis. Justin advises private equity fund managers in relation to the structuring and establishment of private equity investment funds, secondary transactions, carried interest arrangements and co-investment plans. He also advises on a broad range of transactions relating to the restructuring of private equity funds, leveraging and refinancing of such funds and buy-outs and spin-offs relating to the management houses.

Prior to relocating to Hong Kong, Justin spent more than 10 years in London working with leading private equity sponsors with a particular emphasis on structuring complex multi-jurisdictional funds. Justin has represented, among others, Actera, Archer Capital, Ascendent Capital, BGH Capital, Carlyle, Centurium Capital, CITIC Capital, CPPIB, Creador, Crescent Point, Dignari Capital, Edelweiss Group, Forebright Partners, FountainVest Partners, Genesis Capital, GLP, HarbourVest, Hillhouse Capital, Kerogen Capital, Lime Tree Capital, NewQuest Capital Partners, OTPP, Orchid Asia, Saratoga Capital, SSG Capital, TPG Capital, Värde Partners and Warburg Pincus.

Justin has been recognized for several years as a leading lawyer for investment funds by a number of reputable legal publications, including in the latest edition of Chambers Asia-Pacific (Band 1), Chambers Global (Band 1), Legal 500 Asia-Pacific (Hall of Fame), IFLR1000 (Highly Regarded) and Who's Who Legal (Thought Leader). According to IFLR1000 and Chambers Asia-Pacific, Justin is described as someone “always on top of detail and able to cut to the core of the matter in both a technical legal and commercial way”, and clients and market commentators praised for his "excellent balance between commercial pragmatism and strong technical ability" and “technically very strong, well-liked by clients and very responsive." (2018, 2020 & 2021)

PAG — formation of PAG Asia III (US$6 billion).

BGH Capital — formation of BGH Capital Fund I (A$2.6 billion), a private equity fund focused on investment in Australia and New Zealand.

Actera Partners — formation of Actera III, Actera II (US$1 billion) and Actera I (US$450 million) private equity funds focused on investment in Turkey.

Ascendent Capital – formation of Ascendent Capital Partners III and Ascendent Capital Partners II (US$600 million).

Centurium Capital – formation of Centurium Capital Partners 2018 (US$2 billion).

Creador — formation of Creador IV, Creador III (US$415 million), Creador II (US$330 million), and Creador I (US$130 million) South-East Asia private equity funds.

Genesis Capital — formation of Genesis Capital I and Genesis Capital II, funds focused on growth stage internet companies in China.

Orchid Asia — formation of Orchid Asia VII (US$1.3 billion), Orchid Asia VI (US$920 million) and Orchid Asia V (US$650 million) China growth equity funds.

SSG Capital – formation of SSG Capital Partners V, SSG Capital Partners IV (US$1.7 billion) and SSG Secured Lending Opportunities II (US$800 million).

Equity arrangements relating to the consortium comprising Hillhouse Capital Management, HOPU Investment Management, Global Logistic Properties Limited (GLP) founder Ming Mei’s SMG, Bank of China Group Investment and China Vanke Co. or their affiliated entities in its US$11.6 billion acquisition of GLP (SGX: MC0). GLP is Asia’s leading warehouse operator with a multibillion-dollar portfolio of assets spread across China, Japan, Brazil and the United States. The transaction is the largest private equity-backed takeover in Asia (ex-Japan) to date. This transaction was named Deal of the Year and Best Leveraged Finance Deal by FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2017, Best Cross-border M&A Deal by FinanceAsia China Awards 2018 and M&A Deal of the Year: Southeast Asia by The Asia Legal Awards 2018.

Various secondary transactions for HarbourVest in Asia, including the acquisition of investments relating to the Credit Suisse Private Equity Asia Partners and its anchor investment in RMB Capital Partners.

SJ Berwin LLP, London, UK
  • Partner, 2006–2007
  • Associate, 2000–2006
Thomson Playford, Australia
  • Associate, 1998–1999
Arthur Andersen, Australia
  • Associate, 1997–1998

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Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • 2011, Hong Kong, Solicitor
  • 2005, Admitted to Practice as a Solicitor of England and Wales
  • 1999, South Australia (non-practicing)

Education

  • University of South AustraliaGraduate Certificate in Legal Practice1998
  • The University of AdelaideBachelor of Law1996
  • The University of AdelaideBachelor of Commerce1994