Schulte Adds Prominent Private Funds Partner Owen Schmidt to Its Market-Leading Investment Management Group

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Schulte Roth & Zabel (SRZ), a preeminent law firm in the private investment funds industry, announces the addition of Owen Schmidt as a partner in the Investment Management Group. Mr. Schmidt brings deep experience in private fund formation and compliance to SRZ’s market-leading funds practice.

Resident in the New York office, Mr. Schmidt joins the firm after spending almost seven years as a partner, general counsel and chief compliance officer at two large investment fund managers. Mr. Schmidt led the legal department at Falcon Edge Capital and at Valinor Management, where he was responsible for the formation and operation of credit, hedge and private equity funds and co-investment vehicles as well as the firms’ compliance programs.

A homecoming for Mr. Schmidt, he launched his career at SRZ in 2007, first as a summer associate then as an associate working in both the firm’s New York and London offices. “We are thrilled to welcome Owen back to SRZ. Our private funds practice is unparalleled, and Owen’s addition speaks to our strategy of building on our core strengths,” said Marc Elovitz, SRZ co-managing partner and chair of the Investment Management Regulatory & Compliance Group.

“We have one of the largest groups of private fund lawyers of any firm. Owen is an outstanding lawyer who will further deepen our bench and enrich our offerings for clients,” said Stephanie Breslow, SRZ partner and co-head of the Investment Management Group. “We continue to grow our funds practice in depth and size. Owen’s experience advising some of the most talented fund managers will bring even more expertise to our robust investment management practice,” commented David Nissenbaum, SRZ partner and co-head of the Investment Management Group.

SRZ is one of the most sought-after law firms for the world’s leading private investment funds. In March 2020, SRZ was again ranked the #1 onshore hedge fund law firm based on AUM by HFR’s annual Market Microstructure Hedge Fund Industry Report. Year after year, SRZ lawyers advise on many of the largest and high-profile launches and start-ups in the industry.

“I’m energized to join and help further grow SRZ’s already premier funds practice. These are some of the most highly regarded lawyers in the industry, advising many of the world’s largest private funds. I’m very excited to be back,” said Mr. Schmidt, who holds a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and a B.S. from the University of Arizona. He is a member of the American Bar Association and the New York City Bar Association, where he serves on the Private Investment Funds Committee.

A pioneer in the alternative investment management industry, SRZ has been advising private funds for more than 50 years. The lawyers have across-the-board expertise in all strategies, including credit and direct lending funds, hedge, private equity, CLOs, specialty finance, long/short equity, global macro, activist, blockchain technology, digital assets, litigation finance, LBO, distressed, real estate and venture, among others. SRZ has the largest and most comprehensive regulatory and compliance practice in the asset management space. The lawyers have specialized expertise on the issues private fund managers face in setting up, running and growing their businesses.

SRZ is ranked as a leading law firm in Chambers USA 2020, Chambers Global 2020, Chambers UK 2020, Chambers Europe 2020, Chambers FinTech 2020, The Legal 500 US 2020 and The Legal 500 UK 2020. SRZ has been the recipient of numerous industry awards, including “Asset Management Practice Group of the Year” by Law360; “Leading Law Firm for Fund Formation” in the Preqin Global Private Equity & Venture Capital Report; “Best Onshore Law Firm” at the HFM U.S. Hedge Fund Services Awards; “Leading Global Law Firm” at The Hedge Fund Journal Awards; and “Best Onshore Law Firm – Hedge Fund Start-Ups” at the HFM European Hedge Fund Services Awards, among many others.

About Schulte Roth & Zabel

Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP (www.srz.com) is a full-service law firm with offices in New York, Washington, DC and London. As one of the leading law firms serving the financial services industry, the firm regularly advises clients on corporate and transactional matters and provides counsel on regulatory, compliance, enforcement and investigative issues. The firm’s practices include: antitrust; bank regulatory; bankruptcy & creditors’ rights litigation; blockchain technology & digital assets; broker-dealer regulatory & enforcement; business reorganization; complex commercial litigation; cybersecurity & data privacy; distressed debt & claims trading; distressed investing; education law; employment & employee benefits; energy; environmental; finance & derivatives; financial institutions; hedge funds; individual client services; insurance; intellectual property, sourcing & technology; investment management; litigation; litigation finance; mergers & acquisitions; PIPEs; private equity; real estate; real estate capital markets & REITs; real estate litigation; regulated funds; regulatory & compliance; securities & capital markets; securities enforcement; securities litigation; securitization; shareholder activism; tax; and white collar defense & government investigations.