Kirkland & Ellis has added Christian Vareika as a partner in its Investment Funds Group, strengthening the firm’s capabilities in secondaries, continuation vehicles, and other liquidity solutions for institutional investors.
Vareika advises sovereign investors, pension funds, secondary buyers, and other large institutional investors on a broad range of alternative investment transactions.
His practice focuses particularly on liquidity solutions, an area that has grown rapidly as private equity firms and investors look for additional ways to manage portfolio duration, create exits, and provide liquidity to limited partners.
Vareika’s experience includes continuation vehicle transactions, secondary purchases and sales, structured liquidity transactions, co-investments, direct investments, and joint ventures.
Continuation vehicles have become an increasingly important part of the private markets landscape, allowing sponsors to move assets from existing funds into newly created vehicles while giving investors the option to sell their interests or continue participating in the assets.
Kirkland said Vareika’s arrival adds further depth to its existing liquidity solutions team and positions the firm to handle growing transaction volumes across the secondaries market.
The hire also expands Kirkland’s broader Investment Funds platform, which advises sponsors, institutional investors, and asset managers across fund formation, secondary transactions, liquidity solutions, and related investment structures.
Vareika has been recognized as a leading investment funds lawyer by both Chambers Global and Chambers USA.
His addition comes as private markets participants increasingly turn to continuation funds, structured liquidity solutions, and secondary transactions to address longer asset holding periods and changing investor liquidity needs.
Kirkland’s leadership said demand for legal advice in this part of the fund transactions market continues to increase, creating a need for additional senior lawyers with dedicated secondaries experience.
Vareika said he plans to help Kirkland expand its secondaries and liquidity solutions business while working with clients across increasingly complex private capital transactions.
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“Christian is well known for leading complex transactions in the secondary market, including continuation vehicles and other liquidity solutions. With demand in this area only continuing to grow, we’re excited to welcome Christian and deepen our already strong roster.”
Jon A. Ballis, Chairman Of Kirkland & Ellis’ Executive Committee
“Christian is a terrific lawyer and will seamlessly plug into our liquidity solutions team, which remains in high demand. His hire helps Kirkland keep pace with, and get ahead of, further growth in this segment of the fund transactions market, ensuring we continue to have the depth and breadth of bench available to meet the needs of all our clients.”
Erica Berthou And Daniel Lavon-Krein, Investment Funds Partners And Members Of Kirkland & Ellis’ Executive Committee
“Kirkland has a dynamic presence and offers the top platform for investment funds and secondaries. I look forward to helping the Firm grow this business and serve clients as the market for liquidity solutions continues to expand.”
Christian Vareika, Partner At Kirkland & Ellis
