Current Topics In Fund Governance

Robert’s principal areas of practice are private equity and privately negotiated mergers and acquisitions. He has represented numerous investment funds and corporate clients in different sectors of the energy industry and a wide spectrum of other industries, including technology and financial services. Robert’s extensive private equity experience covers the full transactional cycle of investment funds, ranging from fund formation to acquisitions, recapitalizations, minority investments, complex equity arrangements, and exits. He teaches classes on “Oil and Gas Law and Governance” and “Energy Deals" at New York University.

• Mark focuses on advising investment managers in connection with various aspects of their businesses, including structuring, establishing, and operating private investment funds and other investment management products; developing and maintaining compliance programs; negotiating joint ventures and seeding arrangements; and making investments. He also represents general partners who are raising co-investment vehicles, limited partners on primary investments in private funds, and buyers and sellers in secondary market transactions involving private fund interests and portfolios of assets held by private funds. Mark has experience representing institutional investors and family offices in connection with investments in asset managers and strategic partnerships with asset managers. He has also represented clients in a variety of other transactions, including securities offerings, and mergers and acquisitions. His clients include sponsors and limited partners of private equity funds, real estate funds, funds of funds, hedge funds, distressed funds, and venture capital funds. Prior to joining V&E, Mark served as Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Goldman, Sachs & Co., and advised businesses in Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and the Merchant Banking Division.

Experience Highlights

• Related Fund Management in the formation of Related Real Estate Fund II, an approximately $1 billion fund focused on real estate investment opportunities 
• SCF Partners in its $600 million private equity fund specializing in oilfield services investments
• Related Fund Management in the formation of a real estate fund focused on investments in energy-driven markets
• Hedge fund sponsor in connection with the acquisition of a portfolio of interests in energy focused private equity funds and privately held companies
• Trust company in connection with a seed investment in a newly formed real estate fund manager

Private Investment Funds

• Related Fund Management in the formation with an institutional investor of an investment vehicle dedicated to renovating multifamily real estate assets
• Foundation in connection with a strategic partnership with an alternative asset manager
• Lime Rock Partners in the formation of a co-investment vehicle for Lime Rock Partners’ investment in Shelf Drilling International Holdings, a global shallow water drilling contractor
• Related Fund Management in the formation of multiple investment vehicles focused on investments for institutional investors in real estate-related debt
• Goldman Sachs Asset Management in connection with numerous strategic partnerships with institutional investors
• TPG Capital in the formation of TPG Partners IV, L.P. 
• TPG Capital in connection with the formation of TPG Partners V, L.P
• Goldman Sachs in connection with the formation of a U.S.-focused real estate fund for sovereign wealth funds
• Goldman Sachs in connection with the formation of an open-ended, core real estate fund

Private Equity

• The Carlyle Group in the acquisition of the North American power generation assets of Cogentrix Energy, including five coal and solar power projects and a development pipeline of gas and renewable projects, from The Goldman Sachs Group
• Warburg Pincus in its $315 million line of equity commitment to Hawkwood Energy, an exploration and production company focused in the Rocky Mountains and Midcontinent
• Goldman Sachs Vintage Funds in the acquisition of U.S. and international portfolio companies 
• Funds managed by TPG in connection with the acquisition of TIM Hellas Telecommunications S.A

Mergers & Acquisitions

• U.S. Real Estate Opportunities, L.P. in the acquisition of a portfolio of office properties from a leading real estate developer, owner, and manager
• Goldman Sachs Real Estate Partners, L.P. in the acquisition of a multitenant retail building
• U.S. Real Property Income Fund, L.P. in the acquisition of a multifamily asset