Ben Watford, who previously led two international investment funds teams, has joined Haynes and Boone, LLP as a London-based partner in the firm’s Investment Management Practice Group.
Ben’s practice focuses on the structuring and establishment of onshore and offshore investment funds in various jurisdictions, as well as providing ongoing counsel to fund managers, investors and service providers to funds.
“Ben is a wonderful addition to our Investment Management team in our London office and brings deep experience in this important practice area. Our firm has a long history of advising fund sponsors of all sizes in the United States and Europe, and we are very pleased with this continued growth,” said Haynes Boone Managing Partner Taylor Wilson.
Ben has worked on a range of alternative investment funds for fund managers, family offices, sovereign investors, and entrepreneurs including credit, event driven, special situations, global macro, crypto emerging markets, long/short equity, quantitative, multi-strategy, fund of funds, commodities, and real estate. Such funds have been domiciled in various jurisdictions including the Cayman Islands, Ireland, Luxembourg, Channel Islands, BVI, Malta, UK, and the U.S.
He joins Haynes Boone from Eversheds Sutherland, where he led the firm’s Hedge Funds practice. The practice was repeatedly recognized for excellence, including:
- The Legal 500 UK 2021 (Legalease)
- Best Law Firm 2021 (Alt Credit Awards)
- Best Law Firm 2020 and 2021 (Hedgeweek European Awards)
- Best Law Firm 2021 (Private Equity Wire)
- Best Hedge Fund Law Firm 2021 (Wealth and Finance Fund Awards)
“Haynes Boone is the perfect platform for my practice because of its leading Investment Funds practice in the U.S. and UK and its complementary strengths in finance, banking, derivatives, corporate, and litigation, among other practices,” Ben said. “The firm is perfectly situated to provide cross-border counsel to European fund managers who want to access capital in the U.S. or to advise American fund managers doing business abroad.”
Ben has helped to build and unite London’s hedge fund community by organizing weekly networking events for fund professionals in London. In the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic, he continued to host virtual get-togethers, gradually attracting a growing group of professionals culminating last year in a charity ball. The events hosted by the group, “The Winchester,” have raised more than £100,000 for charity. The Winchester group is planning another charity ball this December in London.
Haynes and Boone, LLP is an international corporate law firm with 18 offices, spanning Texas, New York, California, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., London, Mexico City and Shanghai, providing a full spectrum of legal services in energy, technology, financial services and private equity. With 600 lawyers, Haynes Boone is ranked among the largest U.S.-based firms by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and The Lawyer. It was recognized in the BTI Consulting Group’s 2022 “A-Team” report, which identifies the law firms that in-house counsel commend for providing superior client service.