Overview

James Schell has over 30 years of experience representing the full range of financial institutions, companies and individuals around the globe who wish to organize or invest in private investment funds or the investment management firms that sponsor and manage private funds. He serves clients engaged in raising capital for domestic and offshore funds involved in diverse investment strategies. He also works with investment advisors that need to be restructured to address succession, governance or ownership issues, as well as new investment management firms being established by individuals, family offices or traditional financial institutions. 

He has also worked closely with major consulting, accounting and other professional service firms to design and implement global legal entity structures that address sometimes-conflicting considerations involving business, tax, risk management, regulatory and operational goals. James has worked extensively with professional service firm clients on a broad range of mergers, combinations and joint ventures. He also advises investment management and accounting firms with operational matters, including techniques for cross-border contractual procedures and investment and personnel deployment, as well as governance issues unique to large partnerships and limited liability companies.

Education

Columbia Law School, JD
Book Review Editor, Columbia Journal of Transnational Law; Kent Scholar; Stone Scholar

Yale University, BA, cum laude

Admissions

  • New York

Activities

  • Lecturer at Institute of International Research and American College of Investment Counsel Programs
  • Co-author of the leading treatise on private equity funds, "Private Equity Funds: Business Structure and Operations"