Joseph D. Zargari focuses on the private investment fund industry, including the structuring, formation, governance, and regulation of and investment in US and non-US hedge funds, private equity funds, venture capital funds, managed accounts, and other products. In addition, Joe has a significant practice representing buyers, sellers, and general partners in secondary transactions (including portfolio sales of fund interests and GP-led transactions). He also provides legal, regulatory, and transactional advice for investment managers and institutional investors. Joe is the practice group leader for the New York office investment management practice and co-head of the firm’s secondary transaction practice.
Actively engaged in all aspects of the private funds practice, Joe’s experience covers all types of private investment funds, including hedge funds, private equity funds, venture capital funds, secondary funds, real estate funds, credit funds, infrastructure funds, energy funds, funds of funds, hybrid funds, and funds of one. He counsels sponsors through all stages of product development and capital raising, including management company and fund formation, placement agent agreements, seed and lead investor arrangements, regulatory and compliance issues, and investment activities (including direct investments and co-investments). He also advises funds of funds, pension plans, endowments, family offices, and other institutions in connection with their investments in private funds.
In addition, Joe regularly represents clients engaged in secondary transactions (including traditional purchases and sales of fund interests, fund recapitalizations and restructurings, tender offers, and structured, stapled, and synthetic secondary deals) and is a frequent speaker on the subject. He advises secondary funds, institutional investors, pension plans, endowments, family offices, and other institutions in their capacities as buyers and sellers of private fund interests on the secondary market, and has counseled clients in many leading secondary transactions.
Joe has presented at a number of industry conferences on investment management–related matters, including at conferences sponsored by the Managed Funds Association and the National Association of Public Pension Attorneys, as well as at conferences sponsored by Morgan Lewis in New York, London, Chicago, Boston, and Dallas.
Joe has also authored, and been interviewed for, articles on fund formation, investment management, and secondary transaction matters in various publications, including Private Equity Law Report, PEI’s Secondaries Investor publication, Hedge Fund Legal & Compliance Digest, HedgeFund Intelligence’s Absolute Return magazine, and the Morgan Lewis Hedge Fund Deskbook.
Up-and-Coming, Hedge Funds, USA - Nationwide, Chambers USA (2021–2023)
Recommended, Investment fund formation and management: Private equity funds (including venture capital), The Legal 500 US (2022–2024)
Recommended, Investment fund formation and management: Alternative/hedge funds, The Legal 500 US (2020–2023)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Asset Management, Law360 (2017)
Articles Editor, Buffalo Law Review
Member, American Bar Association
Member, ABA Subcommittee on Hedge Funds
Member, New York City Bar Association