ProfessionalsUdi Grofman
Tel: +1-212-373-3918
Fax: +1-212-492-0918
ugrofman@paulweiss.com
1285 Avenue of the Americas
New York,
NY
10019-6064
Fax: +1-212-492-0918
Widely regarded as one the country鈥檚 most prominent alternative asset management practitioners, Udi Grofman is Global Co-Head of the firm鈥檚 Investment Funds Group. The highest ranked lawyer in the country by Chambers (and the only lawyer to have the 鈥淪tar Individual鈥� ranking in the hedge fund category), Udi is called a 鈥渓eading light in the fund formation area鈥� by that publication. A strategic adviser to many of the top alternative asset managers in the world and their management teams, Udi's practice focuses on fund formation, strategic advice and crisis management with his clients praising him as 鈥渘othing short of brilliant鈥� with a 鈥渧ery rare commercial sensibility.鈥� According to market commentators, Udi 鈥減ossesses nonpareil legal expertise that crushes that of his counterparts at other firms鈥� and he is a 鈥減owerhouse of a funds lawyer [who] works tirelessly to make clients happy.鈥�
Udi focuses on fund formation along the liquidity spectrum, including credit funds, hybrid funds, hedge funds, private equity funds, real estate funds, venture funds, long-dated funds, permanent capital vehicles and family offices. He also provides strategic advice, including on seed capital transactions, minority and majority asset manager acquisitions and dispositions, and 鈥渦pper-tier鈥� arrangements. Additionally, he advises clients on crisis management, including internal investigations, regulatory examinations, investigations and litigation, in the course of which he appears frequently in front of regulators; partner and employee disputes; and investor litigation.
Awards & Recognitions
Udi has been consistently recognized as a leading practitioner in the investment funds industry. He is ranked as a 鈥淪tar Individual鈥� in听Chambers USA, as a 鈥淗all of Fame鈥� lawyer in听The Legal 500, as one of only a handful of recognized lawyers in听IFLR1000,听and as one of听尝补飞诲谤补驳辞苍鈥檚听鈥�500 Leading Dealmakers.鈥澨�Who鈥檚 Who Legal听named Udi among its 鈥淕lobal Elite Thought Leaders鈥� for private fund formation鈥攐ne of only six lawyers in the U.S.鈥� describing him as having 鈥渟econd-to-none funds expertise.鈥� In 2016, he received the Burton 鈥淒istinguished Legal Writing Award鈥� for excellence in legal writing.
EXPERIENCE
Udi鈥檚 representative clients include听Apollo Global听Management,听The Blackstone Group/Blackstone Credit,听HPS Investment Partners,听Centerbridge Partners,听KKR Credit,听3G Capital,听Angel Island Capital,听AQR Capital Management,听Autonomy Capital,听Avenue Capital,听Bain Credit,听BayPine,听Bridgewater, Charlesbank, Citadel,听D1 Capital,听Davidson Kempner,听Declaration Partners,听Foresite Capital Management,听Glenview Capital,听GoldenTree Asset Management,听Hudson Bay Capital,听J.P.Morgan Asset Management,听Key Square Capital Management,听LuminArx,听New York Life Investments,听Nokota Management,听Paloma Partners, Pinnacle Asset Management,听PointState Capital,听Pretium Partners,听Strategic Value Partners,听Tiger Global Management,听Tilden Park,听Two Sigma,听Wafra Inc.,听XN LP,听Omega Advisors听and some of the country鈥檚 largest family offices, among others.
Udi writes and speaks frequently on the challenges facing hedge funds in today鈥檚 market. He has co-authored articles for The Review of Securities & Commodities Regulation and Private Equity Law Report, among others, and is often asked to speak at major industry conferences, including those hosted by the International Bar Association, Practising Law Institute and Maples Investment Funds Forum. In 2020, Udi developed and chaired a new annual PLI program, 鈥淎dvanced Issues in Private Funds,鈥� which features in-depth discussions about fundraising dynamics and strategies, co-investment vehicles and upper-tier structures and tax considerations, among other topics. Udi also hosts an Annual Hedge Fund General Counsel Forum, which brings together the most prominent legal practitioners in the market to discuss recent trends and developments.
Udi maintains an active pro bono practice, representing not-for-profit interests and individuals. He currently serves on the board of directors of the International Rescue Committee, a global humanitarian aid organization, and on the board of directors of Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C., an Israeli soccer club. Udi served as a lecturer for The Interdisciplinary Center at Harry Radzyner Law School, Herzliya, Israel and is a captain (ret.) in the Israel Defense Forces.