Sidley Austin LLP announced that Justin Solomon has joined the firm as a Partner in Los Angeles. He will co-lead the Private Equity Funds group, with John Muno, in Sidley’s Investment Funds practice. He joins from Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where he was a partner in the firm’s Investment Funds practice group.
Mr. Solomon has more than 20 years of experience advising private equity sponsors on fund formation and related matters. He has led fund formations ranging in size from under US$100 million to more than US$20 billion and represents both established sponsors and emerging managers. Mr. Solomon’s practice includes advising on spin-out negotiations, management company start-ups, and first-time fund formations, as well as internal economic and governance matters, succession planning, seed transactions, and minority stake sales. Each year from 2023 to 2026, he has been recognized by Chambers USA in Nationwide Private Equity: Fund Formation.
“Justin will be an important addition to our Investment Funds group and further strengthens our private equity fund formation capabilities,” said Brian Fahrney, Chair of Sidley’s Executive Committee and a member of the firm’s Management Committee. “Building our private equity funds practice is a key strategic priority for the firm, and Justin brings extensive experience advising leading sponsors across the private capital market. His arrival enhances our ability to serve clients across the full spectrum of their fund and transactional needs and builds on the significant investments we have made in our Investment Funds practice.”
“Justin has built a significant practice and longstanding relationships with private equity sponsors throughout the West Coast,” said Mehdi Khodadad, global co-leader of the firm’s M&A and Private Equity group and a member of the firm’s Management Committee and Executive Committee. “Over the years, we have become very familiar with Justin’s work with his clients and he will be an important addition to our private funds capabilities throughout the West Coast and nationally.”
Over the past two years, Sidley has continued the strategic expansion of its global Investment Funds practice with partner additions across key markets, including Ivana Rouse in Houston; a cross-sector team in New York consisting of Cliff Cone, Daniel Drabkin, and Michael Sabin; Ryan McNish and co-leader of the Private Equity Funds group John Muno in Chicago; a market-leading Private Funds team in London consisting of Ed Gander, Stephen Fox, and Peter Boulle; Mathew Eapen in Boston; and Shane Goudey in Palo Alto, who leads the firm’s Venture Capital fund formation practice.
