A pioneer in private fund formation, an area in which the Firm has a pre-eminent international presence, Tom Bell founded and is a Partner in our Private Funds Practice. “Universally recognized as a leader,” as Chambers reported in 2013, he assists clients organizing an array of private equity funds, real estate funds, hedge funds and other kinds of funds for alternative asset categories. His clients have included CVC Capital Partners, Deutsche Bank, Macquarie, New Mountain Capital, Pretium, The Sentient Group, Sterling Investment Partners and Webster Bank. Tom is the founder of the International Conference on Private Investment Funds co-sponsored by the IBA and the ABA.
Read Full Biography...
Work Highlights
- Aquiline Capital Partners in the establishment of Aquiline Financial Services Fund III
- Carlyle in its fundraisings, including the establishment of the $13 billion Carlyle Partners VI, its sixth U.S. buyout fund
- Ferrer Freeman & Company in its structured secondary transaction with Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners for a Ferrer-managed healthcare focused private equity fund
- J.C. Flowers in the establishment of a $2.3 billion fund focusing on investments in the financial services industry, primarily in the U.S., Western Europe and Asia
- Macquarie in the establishment of Macquarie Infrastructure Partners III
- New Mountain Capital in the establishment of New Mountain Partners IV
- Sterling Investment Partners in the establishment of Sterling Investment Partners III
Education
-
Yale Law School, 1983 J.D.
Yale Law Journal, Editor (1983)
-
New College, Oxford University, 1980 M.A.
-
Dartmouth College, 1978 B.A.
summa cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa
Associations
- American Bar Association
- International Bar Association
- International Bar Association Subcommittee on Private Investment Funds, Chair, 1997–2001
- International Bar Association International Conference on Private Investment Funds, Co-Chair, 1999–2002
Thomas H. Bell is a Partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, where he is a member of the Firm’s Corporate Department. Tom focuses on investment management matters and founded the Firm’s Private Funds Practice, an area in which the Firm has a preeminent international presence, having been chosen as the “Global Private Funds Law Firm of the Year” for five consecutive years (2005-2009) by Who's Who Legal. He advises clients globally on organizing and advising a wide range of private equity funds, real estate funds, hedge funds and other kinds of funds for alternative asset categories. He is a frequent lecturer before professional groups on private investment funds of all kinds.
Representative clients have included CVC Capital Partners, Deutsche Bank, Macquarie, New Mountain Capital, Pretium, The Sentient Group, Sterling Investment Partners and Webster Bank.
His recent work highlights include representing:
- Aquiline Capital Partners in the establishment of Aquiline Financial Services Fund III
- Carlyle in its fundraisings, including the establishment of the $13 billion Carlyle Partners VI, its sixth U.S. buyout fund
- Ferrer Freeman & Company in its structured secondary transaction with Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners for a Ferrer-managed healthcare focused private equity fund
- J.C. Flowers in the establishment of a $2.3 billion fund focusing on investments in the financial services industry, primarily in the U.S., Western Europe and Asia
- Macquarie in the establishment of Macquarie Infrastructure Partners III
- New Mountain Capital in the establishment of New Mountain Partners IV
- Sterling Investment Partners in the establishment of Sterling Investment Partners III
Tom joined Simpson Thacher in 1983 and became a Partner in 1992. He received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Dartmouth College in 1978, where he was elected Phi Beta Kappa. He received his J.D. from Yale Law School in 1983, where he was editor of The Yale Law Journal. Tom is a past chair of the Subcommittee on Private Investment Funds of the International Bar Association. He is the founder and past co-chair of the International Conference on Private Investment Funds co-sponsored by the IBA and the ABA. Who’s Who Legal recognized Tom as one of the “Thought Leaders” in Private Funds for 2018 and named him as “Global Private Funds Lawyer of the Year” for 2006 and 2007. He received an award for “Outstanding Contribution to the Legal Profession” from Chambers Awards for Excellence in 2007. He enjoys the highest ranking from Chambers Global, Chambers USA, PLC Which Lawyer?, IFLR and Legal 500.