James Hays is a Partner in the Houston office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where he is a member of the firm’s Investment Funds practice group.
James advises private fund sponsors on the organization and operation of private investment funds, including with respect to fund formation, internal arrangements, secondary transactions, and other components of alternative investment management. He counsels leading sponsors across a diverse range of strategies in the energy, infrastructure, buyout, real estate, debt, and secondaries space, and frequently works with sponsors seeking to organize private funds for the first time.
James has extensive experience with the set-up of alternative investment funds in Luxembourg and the distribution of private funds in Europe. He frequently counsels some of the largest alternative asset managers on European regulatory matters, including with respect to the AIFMD, the CBDF, and the SFDR. James is a leading voice in the United States for Luxembourg fund formation and has been sought out by organizations such as the American Investment Council, the Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry, and the Luxembourg Private Equity and Venture Capital Association to speak on the same. His published works include a series of coauthored articles for The Investment Lawyer on the use of Luxembourg funds and he has lectured at the University of Luxembourg on parallel fund structures. The Texas Lawyer has recognized James as a lawyer “On the Rise”.
Before returning to private practice, James was a Vice President at Blackstone, where he oversaw legal and compliance matters related to Blackstone Real Estate Partners, one the world’s largest real estate private equity platforms. Apart from counseling Blackstone on matters related to multiple fundraises and co-investments, James also advised on regulatory and strategic initiatives for Blackstone’s global real estate portfolio, including investments in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Latin America.
Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, James was a partner at Simpson Thacher and Bartlett LLP.
James received his Juris Doctor, summa cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School, where he was valedictorian of his class, an Executive Articles and Research Editor of the Brooklyn Law Review and an International Business Law Fellow. He received his Bachelor of Arts, with honors in the liberal arts, from Southern Methodist University.
Representative Transactions*
Selected Energy & Infrastructure Experience
- Blackstone in the formation of Blackstone Infrastructure Partners
- DigitalBridge in the establishment of DigitalBridge Partners II, an $8.3 billion fund focused on investing in digital infrastructure companies
- First Reserve in (i) its partnership with management in a majority recapitalization of IRISNDT Inspection & Engineering Services and (ii) its agreement to purchase Dominion Energy’s 50% interest in Blue Racer Midstream
- Intrepid Financial Partners in the establishment of its flagship fund
- Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets in the establishment of MIRA Infrastructure Global Solution II, a $1.13 billion fund focused on equity and equity-related investments in core-plus and core infrastructure and infrastructure-related assets in the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific
- Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners in the establishment of (i) Stonepeak Global Renewables Fund, its $2.75 billion inaugural renewable energy fund and (ii) Stonepeak Infrastructure Fund IV, a $14.0 billion infrastructure fund
Selected Credit Experience
- BC Partners in the establishment of BCP Special Opportunities Fund II, a $1.2 billion credit opportunities fund
- GSO Capital Partners in the establishment of (i) GSO Capital Solutions Fund III, a $7.0 billion capital solutions fund and (ii) GSO Energy Select Opportunities Fund II, a $4.5 billion energy-focused credit fund
Selected Real Estate Experience
- Blackstone in the establishment of (i) Blackstone Real Estate Partners IX, a $20.5 billion global opportunistic real estate fund, (ii) Blackstone Real Estate Partners Asia II, a $7.1 billion Asian opportunistic real estate fund, and (iii) Blackstone Real Estate Partners Europe VI, a €9.8 billion European opportunistic real estate fund
- Madison International Realty in the establishment of Madison International Real Estate Liquidity Fund VIII, a $1.7 billion commingled investment vehicle
- Pretium in the establishment of its flagship real estate fund
Selected Private Equity Experience
- Blackstone in the establishment of (i) Blackstone Capital Partners VIII, a global private equity fund, (ii) Blackstone Capital Partners Asia, a $2.3 billion Asian private equity fund, (iii) Blackstone Growth Partners, its $4.5 billion inaugural growth equity fund, and (iv) Blackstone Strategic Capital Holdings II, a $5.6 billion general partner stakes fund
- New Mountain Capital in the establishment of New Mountain Partners VI, a $10.2 billion private equity fund
- Strategic Partners in the establishment of Strategic Partners VIII, an $11.1 billion global private equity secondary fund
- Technology Crossover Ventures in the establishment of TCV X, a $3.0 billion fund focused on technology investments
Selected Publications, Lectures, and Speaking Engagements
- Client Alert: AIFMD II: The Impact of EU Reforms on Non-EU Sponsors Accessing European Capital, May 2024
- Speaker: Operational Aspects of Luxembourg Funds, Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry, Roadshow to the USA, May 2024
- Moderator: What does the future hold for fundraising in an anti-ESG environment, International Bar Association, International Conference on Private Investment Funds, March 2024
- Lecturer: Parallel Investment Funds, University of Luxembourg, March 2024
- Speaker: Distribution in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry, Digi Pulse USA, September 2021
- Speaker: The Luxembourg Perspective on Private Equity in Europe, Luxembourg Private Equity Association, May 2021
- Co-Author: Raising European Capital Using Luxembourg Structures: A Guide for US Managers, November 2018 and September 2018
Recognitions
- On the Rise 2019, The Texas Lawyer
* Includes representations prior to the association of James with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.
Capabilities
Credentials
Education:
- Brooklyn Law School - 2010 Juris Doctor
- Southern Methodist University - 2003 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- New York Bar
- Texas Bar
Clerkships:
- USDC, Eastern District of New York, Edward R. Korman, 2010 - 2011