Clare Baker
Investment Funds Partner, London
"I have over 15 years’ experience advising sponsors and investors across a range of asset classes on the structuring, establishment and negotiation of private funds. I also have extensive experience acting for institutional investors in respect of their fund investments in a range of asset classes. I advise on direct investments into funds, as well as managed account arrangements, strategic partnerships, co-investments and secondary transactions."
Overview
Education and qualifications
Overview
Clare is a Partner in our investment funds practice and specialises in private equity, real estate, infrastructure and credit/debt fundraising, including the structuring, marketing and establishment of funds as well as acting for investors in respect of their investments into a variety of asset classes.
Clare leads Linklaters’ Global Investor and Fund Secondaries practice which in 2023 represented cornerstone investors committing more than US$30bn to over 165 private funds, co-investments, strategic relationships and managed accounts, and secondary transactions (LP and GP led) on a global basis. She has considerable experience acting for the largest sovereign wealth funds and large pension funds throughout Middle East, Europe and North America, as well as a range of institutional investors in relation to their investment activity.
Clare is ranked in Chambers and as a Next Generation Partner in the Legal 500 UK in the private funds and real estate funds categories with clients saying: 'Clare Baker is an extremely knowledgeable lawyer with a solutions-based approach, she provides excellent service to clients. She is always approachable and engaged.'
Clare was listed as one of the UK legal industry’s best up-and-coming women in 2024 by Law.com. Clare was also listed in the Financial News Rising Stars of Legal Services list for 2023 and in the Private Funds CFO Legal Rising Stars list for 2023.
Work highlights
Clare’s experience includes advising:
- Aermont Capital:
- on the establishment of their fifth-generation opportunistic €3.78bn real estate fund, and previously fourth generation €2bn European-focused opportunistic real estate fund, their €1.5bn third generation European-focused real estate fund, and second generation €1.3bn European-focused real estate fund.
- on the establishment of their first GP-led secondary vehicle / continuation Fund that was established to acquire and grow the Pinewood Group.
- Macquarie Private Credit: on the raising of six infrastructure debt funds across a range of strategies, including investments in UK infrastructure debt linked to the RPI, an infrastructure debt fund with a global investment strategy, a sub-investment grade infrastructure debt fund, a European focused strategy, and a €1.25bn managed account with a Dutch asset manager.
- Cornerstone investments: on their investments into flagship European private equity funds managed by Apax, BC Partners, Cinven, CVC, EQT, Nordic Capital, Permira, PAI Partners and Mid Europa.
- Strategic partnership and managed account arrangements: acting for a number of sovereign wealth funds on their arrangements with private fund sponsors, including recent private equity and credit arrangements with Vista, EQT, Partners Group and AlpInvest.
- Secondary transactions (LP and GP led): advising numerous institutional investors as sellers or buyers of LP interests, as well as acting for multiple clients across a number of high-profile GP-led secondaries transactions (both as new money investors and rolling investors).
- AIMCo, CPPIB, PSP, and OTPP (Canada's largest pension investment managers): on their recent investments in European buy-out and credit funds, co-investments and secondary transactions.
- A number of Asian and Middle Eastern Sovereigns: on their recent fund investments across private equity, credit funds, infrastructure, real estate and hedge funds, as well as co-investments and secondary transactions.