David Goldstein and Gerald Rokoff, both formerly with White & Case LLP, have joined DLA Piper as partners in New York. Goldstein joins the firm’s global Finance Group and will lead the Investment Funds Practice. Rokoff joins the Tax Group.
“With the addition of David and Jerry, DLA Piper deepens its investment funds bench and creates a significant opportunity to develop a holistic practice representing private equity and hedge funds in their most complex transactions,” says Roger Meltzer (pictured), Global Chair of DLA Piper’s Corporate and Finance Practice. “Their collective experience further enhances our full service approach to representing specific needs of private investment fund clients across all sectors.”
At White & Case, Goldstein served as Co-Head of the Investment Funds Practice and advised on the formation and regulation of large domestic and international privately pooled investment vehicles, as well as first-time funds of high quality emerging managers. In addition, Goldstein counsels fund sponsors in structuring their governance and compensation arrangements. His broad range of clients includes middle-market funds, real estate opportunity and value funds, international private equity and real estate funds, hedge funds and emerging markets funds. Recent international representations include advising large, well-established funds and managers based in Brazil, Mexico, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Prior to his legal career, Goldstein served in the corporate tax department of a major accounting firm. He obtained his JD from New York University School of Law and holds an MS in accounting from the State University of New York at Binghamton.
“DLA Piper is prepared for an increase of growth and opportunity in alternative asset classes around the world,” says Sir Nigel Knowles, joint Chief Executive Officer of DLA Piper. “The arrival of David and Jerry comes at a pivotal time for our international tax and fund clients, whose needs are at their peak amidst an evolving regulatory climate.”
Rokoff, formerly the Chair of White & Case’s Global Tax Planning Committee, has more than 30 years of experience advising asset managers on global and US tax-related issues. Rokoff’s practice involves advising fund sponsors, investment advisors and investors in identifying and implementing tax-efficient investment structures. He has structured investments for US and non-US investors across an array of asset classes including real estate, debt and equities, operating businesses and alternative investments. Rokoff also advises commercial and investment banks on the tax aspects of capital markets transactions, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and partnerships, multi-jurisdictional acquisitions and dispositions, leveraged buy-outs and bankruptcy reorganisations.
Prior to joining White & Case in 2005, Rokoff helped launch the investment banking advisory practice at KPMG. He received his JD from Yale Law School, and his BA from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
“DLA Piper has tremendous talent and depth of experience in practice areas that are critical to alternative asset managers — and throughout the regions in which they are deploying capital," says Goldstein. "Jerry and I look forward to working with our new colleagues to provide integrated service to private equity and hedge fund managers facing complex transactions and tax issues."
