Bourke to Lead RPCK’s Fund Formation Practice, Adding to RPCK’s Leading Presence in Impact Investing

New York, NY — March 31, 2022—RPCK Rastegar Panchal LLP (RPCK), an international law firm focused on providing highly-tailored and innovative solutions to leading impact investors, entrepreneurs and growth enterprises around the world, announced today it has hired Aaron Bourke as Senior Counsel and Head of RPCK’s Fund Formation practice. Mr. Bourke was previously a Counsel in the Private Fund Formation team at Reed Smith LLP (Reed Smith) and was a Co-Founder of Reed Smith’s Social Impact Finance Group, playing a significant role in building one of the leading impact practices at an AMLAW firm. Mr. Bourke is also the co-founder of the Impact Investing Legal Working Group (IILWG). He is based in RPCK’s New York City office and reports to Founding Partner Chintan Panchal and Senior Partner Joshua Teitelbaum.

As Head of RPCK’s Fund Formation practice, Mr. Bourke is responsible for building and expanding the firm’s fund formation capabilities for clients. He is widely recognized for his deep and diverse experience in impact investing, particularly with respect to social impact fund formation. He has also provided general advisory services and acted as a de facto outside general counsel for a range of well-known impact fund managers.

Mr. Bourke is RPCK’s third senior hire of 2022 in the U.S., further adding to the firm’s leading presence in impact investing and corporate finance at a time of explosive growth in the sector. RPCK advises many of the leading impact investors on ground-breaking, multiple-bottom line transactions around the world and has advised pioneering family offices and fund managers on a wide variety of novel, innovative and catalytic capital structures. RPCK also regularly counsels visionary social entrepreneurs on creative ways to achieve impact through commercial success.

Since its founding in 2010, RPCK’s legal guidance to clients in the impact space has helped to deploy over $1 billion in impact capital in the U.S. and a wide range of developed and emerging markets. The firm’s expertise in venture capital, private equity, corporate securities and M&A, commercial lending, fund formation and growth company representation, combined with its unique understanding of impact drivers and mission alignment, enables the team to structure innovative multiple-bottom line transactions that achieve long-term, measurable results.

As Co-Founder and Leader of Reed Smith’s Social Impact Finance Group, Mr. Bourke worked with social impact fund managers deploying strategies ranging from fintech for financial inclusion to sustainable agriculture internationally, and minority banking to pay-for-success financing domestically. He also initiated and developed the firm’s partnership with the International Transactions Clinics at New York University School of Law and the University of Michigan Law School, through which law firm attorneys have supervised law students representing impact investors and social enterprises on a broad array of transactions.

Mr. Bourke holds a J.D. from New York University School of Law and a B.A. from The College of William & Mary. He holds a bar admission in New York. In addition to his prior roles described above, he is formerly the Chair of the New York Regional Board for Indego Africa; a Legal Fellow, NYU Center for Human Rights and Global Justice for People’s Watch in Tamil Nadu, India; and a Development Volunteer for the Foundation for Sustainable Development in Rajasthan, India.

Chintan Panchal, Founding Partner, RPCK: “Aaron is a true pioneer in the social impact finance space who could write his own ticket anywhere in law, so we’re especially proud for him to join our firm. At a time when the field of impact investing is experiencing tremendous growth, clients need counsel that can help them successfully execute complex impact investing transactions, and this requires the ability to bring the tools of corporate finance to bear in the impact arena. A leading impact investing practitioner, Aaron built his career on a foundation rooted in the best of traditional corporate finance, and in this sense is a perfect fit for our firm. He brings a proven ability to translate visionary concepts into innovative, sophisticated financial structures to drive systems change. I am confident that Aaron’s addition to the RPCK team will enable us to help the impact investing sector meet the moment at this important inflection point in its growth.”

“What also excites us about Aaron is his personal passion for mentorship and fostering community within the impact law field. This is reflected in his work with the IILWG and the partnerships he has developed with the International Transactions Clinics at New York University School of Law and the University of Michigan Law School. We take pride in RPCK’s ability to provide lawyers with a deeply satisfying experience both professionally and personally and look forward to the integral role Aaron will play in furthering our culture of excellence. On behalf of our entire firm, I am delighted to welcome him to our firm.”

Aaron Bourke, Senior Counsel, RPCK: “As a law professional in the social impact sector I have personally witnessed RPCK’s uniquely remarkable transformation into the go-to law firm in the impacting investing sector. What makes RPCK so special is that it’s an entrepreneurial venture rooted in purpose and the best of corporate finance that has now reached this institutional status with impressive momentum. The firm’s client roster is a virtual who’s who of the most innovative game changers in impact, including fund managers, family offices and institutions committed to financing solutions that can crowd in capital flows while creating positive social and environmental change for the world.”

“My joining RPCK is really the culmination of my own personal and professional trajectory. I have always wanted to build my practice in an environment that is fully aligned with my principles and values that is also committed to applying the same rigor, best practices and innovative thinking to impact investing transactions as in traditional finance. I believe RPCK fills a long-standing gap in the social impact sector, and the world’s changemakers that choose RPCK as their partners will gain access to world-class expertise and the unparalleled knowledge they need to navigate the context, terrain and challenges of impact investing. I am inspired by the success Chintan and his team have achieved and am so pleased to join the team.”

About RPCK Rastegar Panchal LLP

RPCK Rastegar Panchal LLP (RPCK) is an international boutique law firm with a practice focused on providing highly-tailored and innovative solutions to investors, entrepreneurs and growth enterprises around the world. Among our clients are leading family offices and foundations, high growth companies, and investment funds across a broad spectrum of industries throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. RPCK has offices in New York, Vienna and Denver.

Media Contact:
Cindy Stoller
Confluence Partners
917-331-0418
cstoller@confluencepartners.com