Patricia Volhard is a partner in Debevoise’s Frankfurt, Paris and London offices and is a member of the firm’s Private Equity and Funds/Investment Management Groups. Her practice focuses on advising private funds, including on the full range of European regulatory issues, and structuring funds for EU insurance companies and pension funds.
Ms. Volhard is one of Europe’s leading private funds regulatory lawyers and has played a prominent role in the ongoing development of the area, in part through involvement in Invest Europe (formerly the European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association). She is the former Chair of its Tax, Legal & Regulatory Committee, as well as the current chair of its Financial Services/Regulatory Working Group. She is also a member of the Board of the BVK, the German private equity association, and heads its Legal Committee.
Ms. Volhard has been named amongst Europe’s most influential lawyers by Financial News, and has also been consistently recognised by the major legal directories as a leader in her field. She is recommended by The Legal 500 UK (2022) for her regulatory practice, where clients have described her as “a standout performer – top of her field.” In The Legal 500 Deutschland (2022), she receives praise for her ability “to apply the law, think through tricky situations and offer commercial, pragmatic advice.” Her practice is said to be “one of the few in the private equity market that can address global regulatory issues with a partner-led, solutions-oriented approach.” Who’s Who Legal names her as one of the foremost investment management lawyers in Germany and has stated that she is “first-rate on regulatory advice in relation to the management of private funds to clients.” She is also recommended as a leading lawyer for investment fund work by The Legal 500 EMEA (2022), where she is described as ”one of the pre-eminent investment fund lawyers in Germany (if not Europe).” In previous editions of the guide, she is described as ”very solution-oriented” with clients noting her “good know-how” and “good eye for clients’ needs.” She is ranked in Band 1 by Chambers Europe (2022), where clients say she is “very experienced and renowned, with a strong reputation in her field.” She is said to be “very well connected and involved in legislation processes” and therefore also has “very good insight into the regulator’s current way of thinking.” The guide has further described her as “superb,” “very thoughtful, practical, and a real asset,” “a major jewel of the crown” and a “top-notch regulatory expert for funds matters in the EU,” who “has a firm grasp of the European regulatory environment and can quickly summarise the relevant issues.” In previous editions of the guide, sources note that she has a “deep knowledge of fund structuring, offers a high level of flexibility and effectiveness, and is perfect for complex situations.” Handelsblatt ranked Ms. Volhard as “Best Lawyer of the year 2019” for Investment Law. She is also recognised as a National Leader for Investment Management by Who’s Who Legal Germany (2020) which highlights her strong regulatory practice. JUVE Handbuch Wirtschaftskanzleien (Handbook of Commercial Law Firms) (2016/2017) notes that she is “almost without competition in her practice area.” Ms. Volhard is also listed by Expert Guides in its Best of the Best list for investment funds, as well as in its annual Women in Business Law list.
Ms. Volhard has commented in the media and written numerous articles relating to various aspects of her practice. Recent publications include “Addressing ESG Considerations in the M&A Context,” a chapter in the latest edition of GLI Mergers & Acquisitions, published by Global Legal Insights (July, 2022); “SFDR Explainer: Five Key Points,” Sustainable Investment (July, 2022); “Debevoise Discusses European Parliament’s Response to EC’s Proposal to Review AIFMD,” CLS Blue Sky Blog (June, 2022); “Taxonomy: What are the new sustainable standards?,” Sustainable Investment (April, 2022); “Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses European Commission’s Views on Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation,” CLS Blue Sky Blog (August, 2021); “What Brexit means for fund marketing,” Private Equity International (June, 2021); “Cross-border financial services after Brexit: searching for certainty,” Practical Law Magazine (May, 2021); “Germany: Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence,” Compliance & Enforcement (May, 2021); “Retail investment funds in Germany,” a Q&A chapter in the Retail Investment Funds Global Guide, part of the Practical Law Global Guides series; “Neue ESG-Offenlegungspflichten zum 10. März 2021,” BVK Mitgliederinfo (March, 2021); “Der Markt passt sich schnell an,” VentureCapital Magazin (February, 2021); “Germany Private Equity Rebounds Defiantly,” Private Equity International (December, 2020); “Keeping an eye on sustainability goals in times of the corona crisis,” Börsenzeitung (March, 2020); “Private Funds CFO: What EU ESG rule delays mean for investment funds,” Private Funds CFO (October, 2019); “Brexit Roundtable,” Real Deals (January, 2019); “The Impact Of MiFID II On Private Equity Fund Managers,” Ipes (December, 2017); “Why Brexit Impact On Funds May Be Limited,” Private Debt Investor (September, 2017); “Terms and Structure of Debt Funds,” Private Equity (July, 2016); and “Keeping on top of the paperwork,” Private Equity International (July/August, 2016). She is also a co-author of the Germany chapter in Global Legal Insights Guide to Fund Finance (March, 2019); “Still planning for a no-deal Brexit,” Private Funds Management (November, 2018); “Regulatory Implications Of A No-Deal Brexit,” Private Funds Management (October, 2018); “Weighing Sustainability Risks In Private Equity,” Private Funds Management (September, 2018); “Brexit: A Summer Flurry Of Activity But Still No Clarity For PE,” Private Funds Management (September, 2018); “Private funds in Germany: regulatory overview,” Practical Law Global Guides (July, 2018); “First-Time Fundraising Barometer,” BVCA Report (July, 2018); the Germany chapter, “Fund financing in Germany,” in Global Legal Insights to Fund Finance: 2018 (February, 2018); “Debevoise On Brexit: The ‘No-Deal Deal’,” The Columbia Law School Blue Sky Blog (February, 2018); “Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses Contingency Planning For Brexit,” The CLS Blue Sky Blog (December, 2017); “Brexit And The AIFMD: Impact For US Private Fund Sponsors On Their Marketing And Advisory Activities In Europe,” American Investment Council (May, 2017); “Debt Funds for Institutional Investors: Current Developments in German Regulatory and Tax Law,” FYB Financial Yearbook (2016); and “Liberalisation of the German debt fund market,” Private Equity International (2015).
Ms. Volhard studied law in Frankfurt/Main, Strasbourg, and at the London School of Economics, where she obtained her LL.M. in 1999.
Ms. Volhard is admitted to practise in Germany and France, and speaks fluent German, French and English.
Patricia Volhard ist Partnerin im Frankfurter, Londoner und Pariser Büro von Debevoise & Plimpton und Mitglied der Praxisgruppen Private Equity Funds/Investment Management. Sie ist spezialisiert auf die Beratung von Fonds (einschließlich aufsichtsrechtlicher Fragen und zur Strukturierung von Fonds für EU Versicherungen und Pensionsfonds).
Frau Volhard ist eine der führenden Anwältinnen im Bereich Private-Equity Fonds in Europa und hat eine prominente Rolle in der Weiterentwicklung dieses Bereichs eingenommen, vornehmlich durch ihre Mitwirkung bei Invest Europe (ehemals European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association). Sie ist ehemalige Vorsitzende des Gremiums “Tax, Legal & Regulatory Committee” und jetzige Vorsitzende der Arbeitsgruppe “Financial Services/Regulatory” von Invest Europe. Sie ist Vorstandsmitglied des BVK (Bundesverband Deutscher Kapitalbeteiligungsgesellschaften); der Alternative Credit Technical Group of the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) sowie des Regulatory Committee of the Listed Private Equity Association.
Frau Volhard wird von der Financial News als eine der einflussreichsten Anwältinnen in Europa genannt und in den führenden juristischen Handbüchern regelmäßig als anerkannte Expertin ausgezeichnet. Legal 500 UK (2022) empfiehlt Frau Volhard für den Bereich Investmentfonds, wo sie von Mandanten als „herausragend“ und als „Spitze ihres Fachgebiets“ beschrieben wird. In Legal 500 Deutschland (2022) wird sie gelobt für ihre Fähigkeit, „knifflige Situationen zu durchdenken und kaufmännische, pragmatische Ratschläge zu geben“. Ihre Praxis gilt als „eine der wenigen im Private-Equity-Markt, die globale Regulierungsfragen mit einem partnergeführten, lösungsorientierten Ansatz angehen kann“, darüber hinaus wird Frau Volhard als „sehr lösungsorientiert“ und „effizient“ beschrieben und „verfügt über umfassendes Wissen zu Fonds und Fondsinvestoren“. Chambers Europe (2022) führt sie in Band 1 und Mandanten beschreiben sie als „sehr erfahren und renommiert, mit einem starken Ruf auf ihrem Gebiet.“ Sie sei „sehr gut vernetzt und in Gesetzgebungsverfahren involviert“ und habe daher auch „sehr gute Einblicke in die aktuelle Denkweise der Regulierungsbehörde“. Die WirtschaftsWoche zeichnet Frau Volhard, in ihrem Spezial Ranking Bank und Finanzrecht/Kapitalmarktrecht 2022 als „eine der renommiertesten Anwältinnen für Bank- und Finanzrecht“ aus. The Legal 500 EMEA (2022) bezeichnet Frau Volhard als eine der herausragenden Investmentfond-Anwältinnen in Deutschland (wenn nicht sogar in Europa) und empfiehlt sie als führende Anwältin in den Bereichen Private Equity und Investmentfonds. Wie bereits in den Vorjahresausgaben, beschreiben Mandanten sie als „sehr lösungsorientiert“ und loben „ihr gutes Auge für die Bedürfnisse ihrer Mandanten“. Das Handelsblatt mit seiner Spezial-Ausgabe „Deutschlands Beste Anwälte 2019“ hat Frau Volhard in der Rubrik „Anwalt des Jahres“, für den Bereich Investmentrecht ausgezeichnet.
Des Weiteren wird sie auch in der Ausgabe von Who´s Who Legal Germany (2017) als eine der angesehensten Anwältinnen in diesem Bereich geehrt, und zeichnete sie auch für ihre “herausragende” Leistung aus. Ein Mandant rühmt sie zusätzlich als “eine der führenden und bekanntesten Fondsanwälte in Deutschland”. Das JUVE Handbuch Wirtschaftskanzleien (2016/2017) merkte an, dass sie “in ihrem Bereich konkurrenzlos” ist. In der Handelsblatt Ausgabe „Deutschlands Beste Anwälte 2017“ wird Frau Volhard für den Bereich Investmentfonds genannt. Im Expert Guide wird Frau Volhard aufgeführt in der „Best of the Best for investment funds“ Liste sowie in dessen Jährlicher Auszeichnung der Woman in Business Law.
Frau Volhard hat zahlreiche Kommentare und Artikel hinsichtlich verschiedener Themen ihres Beratungsspektrums veröffentlicht. Zu ihren aktuellen Neuerscheinungen gehören: “Addressing ESG Considerations in the M&A Context,” a chapter in the latest edition of GLI Mergers & Acquisitions, published by Global Legal Insights (July, 2022); “SFDR Explainer: Five Key Points,” Sustainable Investment (July, 2022); “Debevoise Discusses European Parliament’s Response to EC’s Proposal to Review AIFMD,” CLS Blue Sky Blog (June, 2022); “Taxonomy: What are the new sustainable standards?,” Sustainable Investment (April, 2022); “Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses European Commission’s Views on Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation,” CLS Blue Sky Blog (August, 2021); ““What Brexit means for fund marketing,” Private Equity International (June, 2021); “Cross-border financial services after Brexit: searching for certainty,” Practical Law Magazine (May, 2021); “Germany: Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence,” Compliance & Enforcement (May, 2021); “Retail investment funds in Germany,” a Q&A chapter in the Retail Investment Funds Global Guide, part of the Practical Law Global Guides series; “Neue ESG-Offenlegungspflichten zum 10. März 2021,” BVK Mitgliederinfo (March, 2021); “Der Markt passt sich schnell an,” VentureCapital Magazin (February, 2021); “Germany Private Equity Rebounds Defiantly,” Private Equity International (Dezember, 2020); “Nachhaltigkeitsziele in Zeiten der Coronakrise im Auge behalten,” Börsen Zeitung (März, 2020); “Private Funds CFO: What EU ESG rule delays mean for investment funds,” Private Funds CFO (Oktober, 2019); “Brexit Roundtable,” Real Deals (Januar, 2019); “Still planning for a no-deal Brexit,” Private Funds Management (November, 2018); “Regulatory Implications Of A No-Deal Brexit,” Private Funds Management (Oktober, 2018); “Weighing Sustainability Risks In Private Equity,” Private Funds Management (September, 2018); “Brexit: A Summer Flurry Of Activity But Still No Clarity For PE,” Private Funds Management (September, 2018); “First-Time Fundraising Barometer,” BVCA Report (Juli, 2018); “Fund financing in Germany,” in Global Legal Insights to Fund Finance: 2018 (Februar, 2018); “Debevoise On Brexit: The ‘No-Deal Deal’,” The Columbia Law School Blue Sky Blog (Februar, 2018); “Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses Contingency Planning For Brexit,” The CLS Blue Sky Blog (Dezember, 2017);“The Impact Of MiFID II On Private Equity Fund Managers,” Ipes (Dezember, 2017); “Guten Nachrichten Für Infrastrukturfonds,” Börsen-Zeitung (Oktober, 2017); “Auftakt Zur Einheitlichen Finanzmarktaufsicht In Europa,” Börsen-Zeitung (September, 2017); “Why Brexit Impact On Funds May Be Limited,” Private Debt Investor (September, 2017)”; “Brexit And The AIFMD: Impact For US Private Fund Sponsors On Their Marketing And Advisory Activities In Europe,” American Investment Council (Mai, 2017);“Terms and Structure of debt Funds”, Private Equity (Juli, 2016); “Keeping on top of the paperwork”, Private Equity International (Juli/August, 2016). Frau Volhard ist Co-Autorin des Deutschland Kapitels in Global Legal Insights Guide to Fund Finance (März 2019). Darüberhinaus ist sie auch Mitherausgeberin der Publikation “Debt Funds for Institutional Investors: Current Developments in German Regulatory and Tax Law”, FYB Financial Yearbook (2016); und “Liberalisation of the German debt fund market”, Private Equity International (2015).
Frau Volhard studierte Rechtswissenschaften in Frankfurt am Main, Straßburg und der LSE (London School of Economics), wo sie 1999 ihren LL.M. absolvierte.
Frau Volhard ist in Deutschland und Frankreich zugelassene Anwältin und spricht fließend Deutsch, Französisch und Englisch.