McDermott Will & Schulte, a global law firm

Co-Head of Credit Funds. Maintains a diverse practice that includes liquid funds, private equity funds and the structuring of investment management businesses and focuses on the formation of private equity funds (including LBO, mezzanine, distressed, real estate and venture) and liquid-securities funds (including hedge funds, hybrid funds, credit funds and activist funds) as well as providing regulatory advice to investment managers.

Stephanie also represents fund sponsors and institutional investors in connection with seed-capital investments in fund managers and acquisitions of interests in investment management businesses and funds of funds and other institutional investors in connection with their investment activities, including blockchain technology and virtual currency offerings and transactions.

Stephanie serves as a past chair of the Private Investment Funds Subcommittee of the International Bar Association, a founding member and former chair of the Private Investment Fund Forum, a former member of the Advisory Board of former Third Way Capital Markets Initiative, a former member of the Board of Directors and current member of 100 Women in Finance, a member of the Board of Visitors of Columbia Law School and a member of the Board of Directors of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York.

Stephanie has received the highest industry honors, including:

• Named to the inaugural Legal 500 US Hall of Fame in the “Investment Fund Formation and Management: Alternative/Hedge Funds” category.
• Listed in Chambers USA, Chambers Global, Crain’sNotable Women in Law, IFLR1000 Women Leaders, Best Lawyers in America,
• Recognized by Who’s Who Legal: The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, which ranked her one of the world’s “Top Ten Private Equity Lawyers”), Who’s Who Legal: The International Who’s Who of Private Funds Lawyers (which ranked her at the top of the world’s “Most Highly Regarded Individuals” list),Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders: Global Elite, Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders: Private Funds, Expert Guide to the Best of the Best USA, Expert Guide to the World’s Leading Banking, Finance and Transactional Law Lawyers, Expert Guide to the World’s Leading Women in Business Law and PLC Cross-border Private Equity Handbook, among other leading directories.
• Selected as one of “50 Leading Women in Hedge Funds” by The Hedge Fund Journal.
• Law360’s “Asset Management Practice Group of the Year” for her representation of leading private investment funds.

At the 2020 Americas Women in Business Law Awards, she was named:

• “Private Funds Lawyer of the Year” by Who’s Who Legal
• “Best in Investment Funds” and “Outstanding Practitioner”  by Euromoney Legal Media Group

She was also named one of the 2012 Women of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of Greater New York.

Stephanie is a much sought-after speaker on fund formation and operation and compliance issues, and regularly publishes articles on the latest trends in these areas.

Stephanie is a frequent contributor to major publications and has:

• Co-authored Private Equity Funds: Formation and Operation (Practising Law Institute) and Hedge Funds: Formation, Operation and Regulation (Full Court Press).
• Contributed a chapter on “Hedge Fund Investment in Private Equity” for inclusion in PLC Cross-border Private Equity Handbook 2005/06(Practical Law Company) and a chapter on “Advisers to Private Equity Funds — Practical Compliance Considerations” for Mutual Funds and Exchange Traded Funds Regulation, Volume 2 (Practising Law Institute).
• Written New York and Delaware Business Entities: Choice, Formation, Operation, Financing and Acquisitions(West) and New York Limited Liability Companies: A Guide to Law and Practice (West).

Counsels private fund managers on regulatory compliance, with a focus on the Investment Advisers Act of 1940

Guides clients through SEC registration, examinations, and enforcement matters

Designs and enhances compliance testing programs and trainings

Advises on regulatory considerations for blockchain technology, digital assets, and virtual and digital currency business initiatives

Global Co-Head of Investment Management. Advises on corporate and securities matters for investment managers and alternative investment funds.

Jason represents institutional and entrepreneurial investment managers, financial services firms and private investment funds in all aspects of their business. He advises managers of hedge, private equity and hybrid funds regarding the structure of their businesses and on day-to-day operational, securities, corporate and compliance issues; structuring and negotiating seed and strategic investments and relationships and joint ventures; and advising investment managers with respect to regulatory and compliance issues.

Jason was named to the Business Insider’s “Ready To Launch” list, which identifies the 29 leading bankers, advisers and lawyers for hedge fund launches.

Ian M. Schwartz is the global co-head of investment management and co-head of private equity funds at McDermott Will & Schulte. He focuses his practice on advising investment firms and private equity sponsors on the formation and marketing of their funds and investments. Additionally, Ian is highly skilled in counseling private fund clients in connection with structuring fund investments, including general partner-lead secondary transactions and co-investment structures.

Ian has served as legal counsel in numerous multibillion-dollar and middle-market private investment fundraisings for institutional and boutique sponsors across a spectrum of investment strategies, including buyout, real estate, loan origination, debt, credit, fund of fund, healthcare, infrastructure, region specific, secondary, venture, growth equity, distressed/special situation, energy, funds-of-one, seeding, and co-investment. He also has extensive experience advising investment firms and private equity sponsors on hybrid, semi-open ended, and other bespoke fund structures that align the fund’s liquidity profile and terms to the liquidity and characteristics of the underlying investments.

He also regularly assists fund sponsors with their internal operational matters, such as the organization and documentation of their firm governance arrangements, carry plan structuring, and employee co-investment vehicles and structures. Ian also counsels fund managers on a wide range of regulatory and compliance matters.

Ian is ranked as a leading investment funds lawyer by numerous publications, including Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 US, and IFLR1000.

In addition to fund sponsors, Ian’s clients include top institutional limited partners, family offices, sovereign wealth funds, and senior investment professionals.