RPC hires former Hedge Fund COO and General Counsel to expand growing Funds team

City-headquartered professional services firm RPC has hired James Kaufmann as a Legal Director in its Funds team.

James joins RPC from Hedge Fund MSK Capital Partners where he was COO. Before joining MSK he was General Counsel and Head of Compliance at global investment management firm RWC Partners, sitting on the firm's management committee.

He trained as a lawyer at US law firm Dechert before qualifying into its investment funds team in 2004.

Speaking of James' arrival at RPC, Head of Corporate Karen Hendy said: "We have for some time been building a high-calibre investment funds practice. To do that, we are very picky about who we hire, so we're extremely pleased to have found someone of James' quality and experience, from his years working in both private practice and in house. We are particularly excited about the increased range of expertise that James’ arrival will bring to the RPC Funds practice, given the depth and breadth of his background in the alternative assets space."

Anthony Shatz – Head of Investment Funds at RPC – said: "The unique blend of experience that James brings will be a significant boost to our Funds and Asset Management team. James has spent the last eight years working in-house at two top tier funds at the heart of what is a constantly evolving industry, helping them adapt to its numerous legal and regulatory changes, and he'll be well placed to advise our clients on their complex challenges.

 "We believe that James’ specific blend of legal knowledge and experience will add increased depth and help further differentiate our Funds practice, enabling us to represent our growing and dynamic client base even more effectively across the alternative assets space.”

James said: "Having worked in a start-up environment at MSK and helped to build RWC into an institutional fund house, I am looking forward to collaborating with the RPC team to continue building a high quality alternative to the traditional City funds practices.

"RPC is an excellent firm. There is real energy, drive and ambition across the Corporate team, and I'm excited to be a part of that."