January 5, 2026
New York, NY (January 5, 2026) --- Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP announced today that Stacy L. Fuller and Jesse C. Kean have joined the Firm as partners in the Asset Management Department. Stacy is based in Washington, DC and Jesse is based in New York.
“Stacy and Jesse are both highly accomplished funds attorneys who bring substantial experience advising clients on a range of innovative product development, transactional, and regulatory issues affecting registered investment companies of all types,” said Margery K. Neale, Chair of the Registered Funds practice. “Their additions further strengthen our team’s registered fund capabilities and we are delighted to welcome them to Willkie.”
A leader in the asset management industry with nearly 30 years of government and law firm experience, Stacy joins Willkie from K&L Gates. She counsels investment company complexes and advisers on a broad spectrum of regulatory, compliance, transactional and operational issues. Stacy has significant experience representing exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and also advises on complex affiliated transactions, investments in derivatives, changes of control and other transformative corporate transactions. She also regularly steers clients through the SEC’s exemptive applications process. Stacy previously served in the SEC’s Division of Investment Management, where her focus included novel ETF and fund-of-funds structures. Earlier in her career, she worked in the SEC’s Office of General Counsel. Stacy is a regular speaker on ETFs at industry conferences, and has been recognized for her leadership in the field by legal industry organizations.
Jesse is an experienced funds attorney who has led numerous transactions for open-end and closed-end investment companies, including complex fund mergers, mutual fund-to-ETF conversions, shareholder activism defense, and the registration and offering of a wide array of registered funds, including one of the largest single-day ETF launches in history. He guides fund launches and provides representation of global, emerging market, and U.S.-focused funds with a variety of market capitalizations, as well as liquid alternative funds, multi-asset funds, index funds, target date funds, ESG funds, money market funds and ETFs, among others. Jesse also counsels the independent trustees of registered funds. Jesse joins Willkie from Sidley Austin. He is a member of the New York City Bar Association, including as a member of its Investment Management Regulation Committee, and the American Bar Association. Jesse has been recognized for his registered fund work by legal industry organizations.
Stacy commented: “Willkie’s industry-leading asset management platform is one of the most diversified in the market, and its continued expansion and momentum in the space has been impressive. I look forward to bringing to bear my experience and insights for clients across the Firm.”
Jesse added: “I’m delighted to join the team at Willkie, which is known for its comprehensive funds platform and collaborative approach. I’m excited to work with Willkie’s talented practitioners to support our clients in this dynamic space.”
Willkie’s Asset Management Department leverages subject matter experience and capabilities across all asset classes to advise virtually all types of participants in the industry, including privately owned sponsors and investment managers, publicly-traded asset management firms, broker-dealers, insurance companies, wealth management platforms, and banks, among others. With approximately 125 dedicated attorneys across eight offices in the United States and Europe, we advise on the full spectrum of investment management matters, including fund formations, investments, restructurings, fund financings, asset management M&A, secondaries transactions, liquidity and capital solutions, fund “adoptions,” and operational, compliance and regulatory issues.
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Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP provides leading-edge legal solutions on complex, business critical issues spanning markets and industries. Our approximately 1,300 attorneys across 16 offices worldwide deliver innovative, pragmatic and sophisticated legal services across approximately 45 practice areas. Learn more at www.willkie.com.
