James O’Donnell is a partner in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the Investment Funds Practice Group. James advises both LP investors and sponsors on a range of high-profile capital-raising and transactional mandates in the funds space. His clients include market-leading funds of funds, sovereign wealth funds, banks, development finance institutions, pension plans, insurance companies and fund managers.
James has extensive experience of fund related transactions, including primary, GP and LP-led secondaries, co-investments, the establishment and operation of funds and carried interest vehicles, management spin-outs, managed accounts and joint ventures as well as fund restructurings.
He has a particular passion for impact and developmental investment and has regularly represented leading members of the international impact and DFI community (both individually and as syndicates) in respect of their investment activities, as well as developing their best practice procedures and model forms
James’ experience is truly global, including established markets such as North America and Europe, through to the Middle East, emerging markets including Africa and India and frontier markets including Somalia, Myanmar and Afghanistan.
James is an acknowledged market leader and ranked Band 1 for investor representation in Chambers & Partners 2022, Band 1 in Chambers Global 2024 for Investment Funds: Investor Representation and Band 1 in Chambers UK 2025 for Investment Funds: Investor Representation – UK-wide. James is regularly invited to speak on fund-related matters, including being a lead contributor to the training and documentary programme of the Institution Limited Partners' Association (ILPA).
James received a BA in History (Hons) from University of Durham.
Prior to joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, James was co-chair of Investment Funds practice group at another U.S. law firm.
James' experience includes advising: *
- In numerous fund-related transactions for some of the most active and sophisticated market participants in the world, with investment sizes ranging to over $1 billion
- The LPACs of funds in various jurisdiction in relation to disputes with and/or repalcing the managers of those funds, including in relation to the widely reported $13 billion Abraaj collapse
- The replacement manager in relation to the contentious and highly publicised removal of a GP from a $1 billion international private equity fund
- Investors in respect of their termination of an emerging markets fund
- The portfolio acquisition of over $1 billion of commitments in over 40 different funds, managed by 17 leading asset managers) in one of the biggest non-syndicated secondary deals in European history at the time
- Investors on various separate account arrangements, including a number of large ($250 million to $800 million) separate accounts
- A number of sponsors of closed ended investment funds, ranging from leading, established sponsors with fund commitments in excess of $1 billion, to start-up funds with commitments of USD10 million
*Some of these representations occurred prior to James’ association with Gibson Dunn.
Capabilities
Credentials
Education:
- BPP Law School - 2004 Legal Practice Course
- Durham University - 1995 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- England & Wales - Solicitor