James Hays, Simpson Thacher

Leading the Firm’s Private Funds Practice in Houston, James Hays counsels some of the world’s largest and best-known private fund sponsors on the organization and administration of private investment funds across a diverse range of asset classes and strategies, including energy, infrastructure, buyout, real estate, debt and secondaries. James also has significant experience with set-up and operation of Luxembourg alternative investment funds and alternative investment fund managers, and is frequently sought by sponsors seeking to establish fund platforms in Europe. His clients include both domestic and international private fund sponsors, such as BC Partners, Blackstone, First Reserve, GSO, Macquarie and Stonepeak, among others. In 2019, the Texas Lawyer named James a lawyer “On the Rise.” Prior to rejoining Simpson Thacher in 2017, James was a Vice President in the Blackstone Real Estate Group, where he oversaw legal and compliance matters related to Blackstone Real Estate Partners, one of the world’s largest real estate private equity platforms.