Dechert rehires Sonia Gioseffi for private funds practice

Dechert has rehired private fund formation lawyer Sonia Gioseffi as a partner in the firm’s San Francisco office.

Gioseffi joins from K&L gates, where she spent 13 years, most recently as partner.

Omoz Osayimwese, a partner and head of Dechert’s US private investment funds practice, said Gioseffi’s hiring was part of the firm’s plan to grow its US private funds practice and continue growing its presence on the West Coast. He added that private equity is a focus for Dechert, both transactionally and in the funds space, so the firm will continue to make opportunistic hires in this area going forward.

Osayimwese said while Dechert doesn’t have definitive hiring plans, the firm will always look to make additional hires when the move makes sense.

“Any time we have someone we think has the relevant expertise and can help us, that’s something we would consider,” Osayimwese added. “Hiring Sonia checked two boxes for us, in that she adds to our growing private funds practice and gives us an additional partner presence in our San Francisco office.”

Gioseffi is the fifth partner to join Dechert’s San Francisco office this year, continuing the firm’s strategic California expansion to bolster its interdisciplinary corporate, litigation and financial services capabilities.

She follows the additions of former federal prosecutor Hartley West, corporate governance litigator Rick Horvath and relocated partners Joshua Hess and Jonathan Stott. In 2020, Dechert also welcomed the additions of a product liability trial team led by Kimberly Branscome and Jay Bhimani in Los Angeles, and IP litigator Jennifer Swan in Silicon Valley.

At Dechert, Gioseffi will focus her practice on the structuring, formation and ongoing regulatory requirements of private investment funds, such as venture capital funds, private equity funds, hedge funds and funds of funds.

She will also advise on various regulatory, transactional and ongoing compliance matters involving state and federal securities laws in the investment management industry.

Mark Perlow, financial services partner and managing partner of the firm’s San Francisco office, commented: “Sonia brings a wealth of private fund formation expertise to our West Coast, national and global clients and contributes to our strategic expansion in California. We are thrilled to have her on board.”