Overview

Jake Heyka is an investment funds partner in the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He advises investment managers and sponsors across the full life cycle of their businesses, with a focus on private fund formation, secondaries and liquidity solutions, and other fund- and sponsor-level matters. Jake frequently works with managers on complex business transactions in the secondary market, including traditional portfolio sales, stapled secondary offerings, secondary direct transactions, fund restructurings, cross-trades and other GP-led transactions.

In addition, his practice includes structuring complex firm ownership and operations, such as succession planning, incentive compensation and equity ownership arrangements for principals of investment management firms.

Jake has significant experience working with clients structuring investment funds in Europe, the Middle East and across Latin America.

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Thought Leadership

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, “Private Credit Secondaries: Where Portfolio Restructuring, Reconstruction and Recycling Meet,” Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), 2026

Speaker, “Structures and Strategies for an Evolving Market: Continuation Vehicles, Secondaries, Separately Managed Accounts and More,“ Maples Montreal Symposium, 2026

Speaker, “Playing Into Extra Time: Options for Ageing Investment Funds,” INSOL International New York Seminar, 2026

Speaker, “Fundraising in Europe: A Guide for US General Partners,” IPEM, 2025

Podcast Co-Speaker, “Compliance Issues with Opening an Office in the DIFC,” 2024

Speaker, “Trends in International Tax Policy,” Association de planification fiscale et financière, 2021

Lecturer, “The OECD BEPS Project,” New York University School of Law, 2019

Lecturer, “The Fundamentals of Business Law,” McGill University Faculty of Law, 2018

Secretary, “Assessing BEPS: Origins, Standards and Responses,” International Fiscal Association, Rio de Janeiro, 2017

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • New York

Courts

  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

Languages

  • English
  • French

Education

  • McGill University Faculty of LawB.C.L. / LL.B.
    Coordinating Editor, McGill Journal of Dispute Resolution
  • University of Wisconsin-MadisonB.A., International Studies & Political Science

    Certificate in African Studies

    Comprehensive Honors