Concentrating on alternative asset management, Barrie Covit represents some of the largest, best-known sponsors of private equity funds, including Carlyle, KKR, BlackRock, J.C. Flowers, Lexington Partners, Corsair Capital and EQT. He has represented sponsors of funds that focus on investments in specific asset classes—including energy, financial services and the secondary market—throughout the world, including in Western Europe, South Africa and Brazil. In addition, Barrie represented the U.S. Treasury Department in connection with the $30 billion Public-Private Investment Program to purchase legacy assets from financial institutions. Barrie is one of eleven private fund practitioners in the United States ranked in the top tier by Chambers & Partners. Chambers has noted Barrie’s “deep experience across the private equity fund formation industry.” Additionally, Chambers has cited him as a "brilliant lawyer" and noted that "he is incredibly smart and he has a great commercial sense about him." Recently, Barrie was named by Law360 as an “MVP” for 2024. Barrie has also been named to the “Hall of Fame” and as a leading lawyer by The Legal 500 United States. In addition, he is referred to as a market leader by IFLR1000 and noted as a “Thought Leader” in the Lexology Index.
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Work Highlights
- Carlyle in a number of fund-raisings, including the establishment of the $18.5 billion Carlyle Partners VII, the $8 billion Carlyle Realty Partners IX, the €6.4 billion Carlyle Europe Partners V, the $6.5 billion Carlyle Asia Partners V, the $2.2 billion Carlyle Global Infrastructure Opportunity Fund and the $1.1 billion Carlyle Financial Services Partners
- Lexington Partners in the establishment of the $22.7 billion Lexington Capital Partners X and the $10 billion Lexington Capital Partners VIII
- Northwood Partners in raising over $8.5 billion for an evergreen real estate fund
- KKR in the establishment of the $1.2 billion KKR Real Estate Partners Americas
- J.C. Flowers in the establishment of its financial services funds including the $2.3 billion J.C. Flowers III
- U.S. Treasury in its $30 billion Public-Private Investment Program to purchase legacy assets from financial institutions
- EQT in the establishment of the $24 billion EQT X
Education
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Columbia Law School, 1998 J.D.
Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar; Columbia Business Law Review
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McGill University, 1995 B.C.
James McGill Scholar
Barrie Covit is a Corporate Partner in the Firm’s New York office, where he focuses on private funds and other facets of “alternative asset management.” He has represented some of the largest and most well-known sponsors of private equity funds including The Carlyle Group, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, BlackRock, J.C. Flowers & Co, Lexington Partners, Corsair Capital and EQT. He has also represented sponsors of funds that focus on investments in specific asset classes (including energy, infrastructure, financial services and the secondary market) in regions throughout the world (including Western Europe, South Africa and Brazil).
Barrie represented the United States Treasury Department in connection with the $30 billion Public-Private Investment Program to purchase legacy assets from financial institutions.
Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business selected Barrie as a leading lawyer in private equity fund formation in each year from 2009 to 2024. Barrie’s work on the investor matching program for Carlyle Partners VI was recognized by the Financial Times in its “US Innovative Lawyers” issue. Barrie is one of eleven private fund practitioners in the United States ranked in the top tier by Chambers & Partners. Chambers has noted Barrie’s “deep experience across the private equity fund formation industry.” Additionally, Chambers has cited him as a "brilliant lawyer" and noted that "he is incredibly smart and he has a great commercial sense about him." Recently, Barrie was named by Law360 as an “MVP” for 2024. Barrie has also been named to the “Hall of Fame” and as a leading lawyer by The Legal 500 United States. In addition, he is referred to as a market leader by IFLR1000 and noted as a “Thought Leader” in the Lexology Index.
Barrie graduated from McGill University in 1995, where he was a James McGill Scholar. He received his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1998, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and a member of the
Columbia Business Law Review. Barrie joined Simpson Thacher in 1998.