Addition of Oliver Rochman highlights continued growth in the firm’s European corporate capabilities and expansion of global fund formation practice

Morrison &Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce that Oliver Rochman has joined the firm’s London office as partner in its Corporate practice.  Mr. Rochman comes to Morrison &Foerster from Proskauer.  He brings to the firm strong expertise in international fund formation.

The arrival of Mr. Rochman highlights Morrison &Foerster’s ongoing focus on further broadening its European corporate capabilities following the arrival in the London office of four corporate partners from Latham & Watkins. Mr. Rochman’s arrival also enhances Morrison &Foerster’s already well-regarded global fund formation practice, which was strengthened late last year when Jason Nelms, a fund formation partner, joined Morrison &Foerster in Hong Kong–also from Proskauer.

Mr. Rochman’s practice focuses on advising international funds such as buy-out funds, infrastructure funds and funds of funds. Mr. Rochman has wide-ranging fund formation transactions experience, which includes providing counsel on carried interest arrangements and co-investment schemes, as well as fund restructuring, secondary transactions, and structured co-investments.

“We have significantly invested in our UK Corporate practice over the last year, building a highly impressive group and deep bench of top tier partners and associates. Oliver is another important addition to the team,” said Paul Friedman, Morrison &Foerster’s managing partner for Europe.

Morrison &Foerster is recognized for its leading fund formation experience. Lawyers in California, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo have been at the forefront in representing fund sponsors and institutional investors in the formation of private equity, real estate, infrastructure, energy, buyout, growth equity, venture capital, and other types of investment funds.

Eric Piesner, firmwide managing partner with responsibility for Asia and one of the global leaders of the fund formation practice, stated: “Oliver is the firm’s first dedicated funds partner to join our European platform and helps us further build out our global fund formation practice.  His 13+ years’ experience in funds work, technical ability, and cross-border transactional expertise make him a perfect fit for the group. Our global fund formation practice is booming, and adding Oliver’s capability in London will help drive continued growth.”

Mr. Rochman’s recent notable transactions include advising a European banking group on the sale of a portfolio of over US$1 billion of various fund interests in the private equity, energy, and venture capital space; acting for a sophisticated fund of funds manager in its participation in a large complex secondary transaction valued at £1 billion; advising a first-time fund manager on the establishment of two funds focused on the Brazilian timber and Peruvian power generation sectors; leading a team advising a multinational institutional investor on its private equity investment program, including analysis of terms against market and negotiation of investment documents; and advising a global real estate investment manager on its spin out from a major U.S. banking group and establishment of its first fund.

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to practice at Morrison &Foerster and help further enhance the firm’s highly respected global fund formation practice,” Mr. Rochman said. “Joining Morrison &Foerster was also appealing to me because the firm has been significantly growing in Europe and is becoming increasingly recognized for its strong Corporate platform in London.”

Prior to joining Proskauer’s London office as a partner in 2011, Mr. Rochman was an associate and subsequently partner in SJ Berwin’s London Corporate department. Mr. Rochman earned his MA from Oxford University, LPC from The College of Law in London, and LLM (Tax) from King’s College London. He is a member of the Legal & Regulatory Council of the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association.