John Cavanagh is a partner in the Investment Funds Group. He regularly represents many of the industry’s largest asset managers on a wide range of legal, regulatory, and compliance matters, with a particular focus on counseling private equity, credit, and other alternative asset managers on their regulatory and compliance obligations.
Prior to rejoining the firm, John was a senior special counsel at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he most recently served as counsel to two directors of the Division of Investment Management. In that role he advised on rulemakings, guidance, and other matters appearing before the division, and collaborated with the Chairman’s office, as well as other divisions and offices, on investment management matters. John was previously a senior counsel in the Private Funds Branch in the Investment Adviser Regulation Office, as well as a special counsel in the Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, where he focused on issues impacting emerging fund managers.
John began his legal career as an associate at Paul, Weiss, where he advised asset managers on the formation and operation of private investment funds, including private equity funds, credit funds, hedge funds, hybrid funds, and co-investment vehicles, as well as on various management company matters. Prior to law school, John was a manager at a strategy consulting firm in Washington, D.C. and studied Mandarin in Beijing, China.
John is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center, where he teaches a course on securities regulation.
