A. Kelly Ryan, P.C.

Partner Investment Funds

Chicago +1 312 862 5555

A. Kelly Ryan, P.C.

Overview

Kelly Ryan has a breadth of experience across the entire real estate funds market place and adjacent considerations (founder considerations, strategic goals, GP governance etc.) that cannot be compared to any other industry expert including other attorneys, bankers, placement agents or consultants. The trust his clients place in him, allow him to have the depth of knowledge and relationship that no one else has. - The Legal 500 United States

Kelly Ryan is the global leader of the Firm’s real estate funds practice, with 20+ years of experience focused exclusively on real estate private equity across the U.S., Europe and Asia. Kelly represents many of the largest global private equity firms, as well as sector-specific operators and allocators, newly formed spin-outs and family offices in launching open-end and permanent capital products, closed-end funds, club deals and separately managed accounts focused on real estate, infrastructure and other real assets. A significant portion of his practice also focuses strategic investments, secondary transactions and other liquidity events involving private equity firms.

Kelly Ryan is recognized as a leading investment funds lawyer by numerous publications. Most recently, Kelly was ranked as a top tier attorney in Chambers Global 2022 and Chambers USA 2022 for Fund Formation. Market sources in Chambers Global 2022’s Tier 1 ranking of Kirkland & Ellis’ Fund Formation Practice state that Kelly “is an outstanding fund lawyer in the real estate space. He is incredibly knowledgeable and client-friendly,” and that “[h]e is the ‘go-to’ adviser for so many of the major real estate fund managers around the globe.” In Chambers USA 2021, sources say that Kelly provides “just the best experience in terms of work product and responsiveness.” Kelly Ryan was also recognized as a global leader and leading lawyer by Who’s Who Legal for Private Funds 2020-2021, and as a notable practitioner by IFLR1000 2019– 2021. In addition, The Legal 500’s first-tier ranking of Kirkland & Ellis LLP’s fund formation practice recently explained that “[r]eal estate private equity specialist Kelly Ryan ‘is always able to come up with creative solutions to any problems that a fund faces.’”

Dune Real Estate Partners, GEM Realty Capital, GI Partners, GLP Capital Partners, Henderson Park, Hines, JP Morgan Infrastructure, KKR Real Estate, LAMB Partners, Principal Real Estate Investors, SC Capital, Starwood Capital Group, TPG Real Estate, Värde Partners, Warburg Pincus and Zell Equity International.

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Thought Leadership

Seminars

Moderator, “Seizing the Moment: Spotlight on Distressed and Opportunistic Investing” – New York, PERE America New York Forum, November 30, 2021

Presenter, Tax Incentives of Investing in Opportunity Zones – New York, Kirkland Seminar, December 18, 2018

Presenter, Tax Incentives of Investing in Opportunity Zones – Chicago, Kirkland Seminar, December 13, 2018

Interviewer, Ralph F. Rosenberg – Global Head of KKR's Real Estate Platform, 6th Annual Global Institutional Real Estate Investor Forum, December 11, 2018

Speaker, "Innovations in Capital Raising: Recent Trends from Buyout Funds as Applied to Real Estate," NAREIM 2018 | 2020 Investor Summit, May 11, 2018

Panelist, Kirkland & Ellis Global Trends and Issues in Private Equity and Real Estate Fund Raising Conference (Hong Kong), 2015

Guest Lecturer, "Structuring the Private Equity Fund," Columbia Business School (MBA Real Estate Program), 2012–2015

Panelist, Kirkland & Ellis Annual Real Estate Private Equity Symposium, 2011–2013

Publications 

"Proposed IRS Regulations on Management Fee Waivers May Adversely Impact Real Estate Fund Managers" co-authored for PREA Quarterly, Fall 2015

"SEC Examinations: Examiners Shifting Focus to Real Estate Sponsors" co-authored for PREA Quarterly, Summer 2015

"Investing For the Long-Term," authored for PrivcapRE, Spring 2015

"Bespoke Fiduciary Duties in Delaware: Flexibility at What Cost?" co-authored for PREA Quarterly, Spring 2015

"The Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive: Key Considerations for US Fund Managers," co-authored for PREA Quarterly, Winter 2014

"The Proposed Hedge Fund Transparency Act of 2009," co-authored for PREA Quarterly, Spring 2009

"Private Equity/Funds," (co-author) Credit Market and Subprime Distress – Responding to Legal Issues, Practising Law Institute, 2008

Press Mentions

“The Real Estate Back Office of the Future,” CBRE Intelligent Investment Report, November, 2021

"TPG Real Estate Partners’ $3.7 Billion Fund," Global Legal Chronicle, March 29, 2019

"Infra Funds Consider New Strategies as They Reach Maturity," Inframation, March 6, 2018

"How To Make Your PE Client's Real Estate Fund Stand Out," Law360, August 9, 2016

Recognition

Recognized by Who's Who Legal for Private Funds, 2020–2021

Recognized by IFLR1000 for Investment Funds, 2019–2021

Recognized by Chambers Global: USA, Investment Funds: Fund Formation, 2020–2022

Recognized by Chambers USA for Investment Funds, 2015 and 2019–2022

Recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. for Private Equity Funds, 2013–2016

Memberships & Affiliations

Big Shoulders Fund, Director

Chicago Public Library Foundation, Director, 2008–2018

Economic Club of Chicago, Member

Pension Real Estate Association (PREA), Governmental Affairs Committee, Member

Walter E. Heller Foundation, Director

YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago’s Camp Independence, Director, 2009–2018

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • 2016New York
  • 1998Illinois

Education

  • Northwestern Pritzker School of LawJ.D.1998
    Law Review
  • College of the Holy CrossB.A.1995