Jonathan A. Karen is a Partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where he is a member of the Firm’s corporate department.  Mr. Karen focuses on the organization and operation of a wide range of private investment funds, including buyout funds, distressed, mezzanine and other debt funds, infrastructure funds, real estate funds, venture and growth capital funds, co-investment funds, hybrid funds and hedge funds.

He also counsels investment firms on a wide variety of matters involving private funds, including internal economic arrangements for private fund sponsors, M&A transactions and strategic investments involving private fund sponsors, as well as joint ventures, spin-outs and other corporate transactions involving private investment funds.

Mr. Karen has significant experience with a diverse group of investment firms, and representative clients include Blackstone, Calera Capital, The Carlyle Group, Centerbridge, Lexington Partners, Macquarie and Silver Lake.

Mr. Karen is cited as a recommended private equity funds lawyer in The Legal 500 United States 2011.  He joined Simpson Thacher in 2001.  Mr. Karen received his J.D. from New York University School of Law in 2001, where he edited the Annual Survey of American Law from 1999-2000.  He received his B.A. from Duke University, cum laude, in 1998.

Publications

•	Regulations Proposed to Implement the Volcker Rule
•	Getting The Deal Through – Private Equity 2011
•	Getting the Deal Through, Private Equity Fund Formation (US), 2011
•	Getting the Deal Through, Private Equity Fund Formation (US), 2008

Speaking Engagements

•	Jonathan Karen to Speak at The Knowledge Congress’ “The Capital Overhang Issue in Private Equity Funds Explored” Live Webcast November 21, 2011
•	Olga Gutman Chaired and Ms. Gutman and Jonathan Karen Spoke at the City Bar Center’s “What Attorneys Need to Know About Private Equity and Hedge Funds” Program November 9, 2011
•	Jonathan Karen Speaks at the International Bar Association's 12th Annual Conference on Private Investment Funds March 17, 2011

Admissions

•	New York 2002

Education

•	New York University School of Law, 2001 J.D. Annual Survey of American Law, 1999 - 2000
•	Duke University, 1998 B.A. Cum Laude