Nicole Washington, P.C.

Nicole Washington is a partner in the Investment Funds Group at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Nicole advises private equity firms on the formation and operation of investment funds, as well as on the organization, structuring and operation of their management companies. Her experience spans the entire range of investment fund activity, including product and strategy expansion, fund restructurings, continuation fund transactions, co-investment programs, investment warehousing, seed capital and anchor investor arrangements, cross-fund transactions, SPV formation and operation, investor defaults, strategic GP-level transactions, succession planning and personnel management, investor relations and PR/crisis-management issues, regulatory compliance, conflicts issues and general corporate counseling.

Nicole is a member of several committees at Kirkland, notably serving as the vice chair of the Billing and Collections Committee and as a co-chair of the Transactional Associate Review Committee. Nicole serves on the board of directors of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, where she is a vice chair; the Museum of the City of New York, where she is a member of the executive committee; New Alternatives for Children; and Just the Beginning.

Nicole’s experience includes representing some of the largest and most diversified asset managers, as well as numerous small and middle-market managers on the formation of private investment funds ranging from several hundred million to multibillion dollars. In addition, Nicole has significant experience advising emerging managers in establishing asset management firms and raising first-time funds.

Nicole is “very experienced and a fantastic attorney” according to Chambers USA where she was ranked as a leading attorney and called out for “her strong practice advising on fund formation matters, including early-stage fundraises.” Nicole was also named to Crain’s New York list of Notable Woman in Law and Savoy 2022 Most Influential Black Lawyers. In 2021 she was profiled as one of Law360's Fund Formation MVPs, one of the most coveted awards that recognizes leading lawyers for their involvement in record-breaking deals and complex global matters. In 2021 she was also recognized as a 'Rising Star' by New York Law Journal as part of the 2021 New York Legal Awards and recognized as a ‘Next Generation Lawyer’ by The Legal 500 US. In 2020, Nicole was named by Law360 to the Fund Formation “Rising Stars” list, an annual ranking that recognizes outstanding legal talent under 40 years old. Nicole was also recognized for her commitment to advancing the empowerment of women in law in Corporate Counsel where she was named as an honoree in the “Collaborative Leadership” category as part of the Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards 2020. Nicole was recognized by The Council of Urban Professionals (CUP) as one of the 2021 “Catalysts in Law.” Honorees were recognized for achieving extraordinary professional success while making significant and impactful contributions to their community through volunteerism, philanthropy, board service and mentorship.

Nicole serves as co-chair of Kirkland’s Transactional Associate Review Committee, Billings and Collections Committee and New York Recruiting Committee; and is a member of Kirkland’s Committees on Inclusion and Firmwide Recruiting. She serves on the Board of Directors of PeacePlayers International, Just the Beginning, and New Alternatives for Children; is on the Board of Trustees of Bennett College and the Museum of the City of New York; is a member of the Advisory Board of Asian University for Women; and is a founding member of the Board of Directors of Women in Secondaries.

Select Representative Clients

Antara Capital, Ares, Ariel Investments, BC Partners, Cartesian Capital, Cerberus, Clearlake Capital, Dawson Partners, GPI Capital, Hildred Capital Partners, KKR, Landmark Partners, Leeds Equity Partners, Macquarie, Newstone Capital Partners, Pátria Investments Ltd., Round Hill Music, TPG Capital and Veritas Capital.