INTRODUCTION - Over the past 50 years, the retirement landscape has steadily shifted from defined benefit (DB) pension plans to defined contribution (DC) plans. In fact, as of the fourth quarter of 2024, private sector DC...more
Many subscription credit facilities will provide for the issuance of letters of credit in addition to the funding of loans. A letter of credit is an irrevocable undertaking for the payment of money issued by a bank at the...more
Cascading pledges are frequently used in subscription finance to avoid legal impediments, avoid tax implications and mitigate prohibited transaction risk under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended...more
In the past few years we have seen a resurgence of the use of portable alpha strategies tied to hedge fund investments (and the financing arrangements that accompany them), a trend that this old-timer last encountered more...more
In an exciting week for consumer credit lawyers, in addition to the consultation paper on the reform of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (CCA), we also have HM Treasury’s response to the feedback it received from the 61...more
As Net Asset Value (“NAV”) credit facilities continue to grow in popularity, we have seen a steady increase in non-traditional borrowers utilizing NAV loans, including family office borrowers. The term “family office” is used...more
Subscription credit facilities, commonly referred to as “sub-lines” or “capital call facilities,” are a cornerstone of private equity finance. These facilities are secured by a bespoke collateral package that protects lenders...more
With four major interest rate benchmarks ceasing to be published by the end of last year, we thought now would be a good time to provide a refresher on alternative currency rates. In this article we first discuss the key...more
In the evolving fund finance market, lenders are constantly assessing ways to mitigate risk and enhance credit support in order to provide for the smooth operation of subscription-based credit facilities. One such credit...more
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - Subscription credit facilities rely on the obligations of investors to a private investment fund (“Fund”) to contribute their capital commitments to the Fund when called. From a subscription credit...more
Subscription credit facilities are a widely utilized product in the fund finance market, offering sponsors access to a reliable source of financing to bridge capital call and to lenders collateral backed by investors’ capital...more
Jersey and Guernsey (collectively, the "Channel Islands") remain popular for both private equity buyout structures of UK and international corporate groups across various industries and asset classes, and for leverage...more
The recent closing by Goldman Sachs of its highly innovative and market leading US$475 million “capital call” securitisation of subscription credit lines has generated a lot of interest in both fund finance and structured...more
Subscription credit facilities usually require the ability to make, receive, and enforce capital calls on a pro rata basis, whether directly or indirectly through a cascading pledge structure, on 100% of the pool of capital...more
A subscription credit facility is secured in part by the fund’s and its general partner’s (“GP”) right to call unfunded capital commitments from the fund’s investors, to receive capital contributions once funded and to...more
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - As part of its Climate Accountability Package, California passed a law last year that creates disclosure requirements related to greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions for thousands of U.S. companies,...more
Executive Summary - Over the last several years, a need has arisen in the fund finance market, which caters to private equity, venture capital, family offices, and other investment funds (“Funds”) and their sponsors, for...more
The credit agreement for a subscription credit facility will list several conditions precedent that are required prior to the credit agreement becoming effective and/or the first extension of credit occurring thereunder....more
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - Net Asset Value ("NAV") credit facilities are lending arrangements underwritten on the borrower’s portfolio of investments, where the amount available for borrowing is based on the value of such...more
The key component of any subscription credit facility is the underlying capital commitments that are pledged to secure the facility. Virtually every lender will require some level of over-collateralization – meaning, investor...more
Executive Summary - Net Asset Value (“NAV”) credit facilities are a tool that borrowers may use to access financing based on the value of their underlying investment portfolio. The users of these facilities are generally...more
We have said it before – the “credit cornerstone” of a subscription credit facility is the limited partnership agreement (the “LPA”) – it is the primary contract, together with any side letters, governing the relationship...more
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - Private equity structures often use “blockers” to achieve certain tax benefits. In this Legal Update, we explain what blockers are, how they may be used in a subscription credit facility, and what...more
Section 23A and Super 23A can create additional complications for lenders in the fund finance market. Intended to protect the stability of financial institutions by restricting transactions with affiliates, Section 23A and...more
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - In the evolving landscape of the subscription credit facility market, the introduction of fraud allegations by an investor against a fund as a new exclusion event marks a pivotal shift....more