Stephen M. Meli is a partner and business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. Steve is based in the firm’s Boston office where he is a member of the Transactions Practice and focuses on fund formation, emerging and spin-out fund sponsors and institutional investor representation.

Fund Formation Experience

Steve focuses his practice on lower and middle market buyout, venture capital, growth equity, credit and similar private funds, including funds-of-funds and secondary funds.

With an emphasis on commercial sense and practicality, Steve advises sponsors on every aspect of their funds business, including the structuring, marketing, operating and compliance of their private funds. Steve also advises on fund re-organizations and restructurings.

Emerging/Spin-out Fund Sponsor Experience

Steve has a special focus on emerging, spin-out, “first time” and fund-less sponsors establishing their initial pooled investment vehicles. This focus includes advising on separation matters, placement agent arrangements, commercial terms and conditions, internal governance/employee and management company arrangements, SEC registration and compliance, carried interest structuring and co-investment arrangements.

Institutional Investor Representation

Steve works with endowments, charities, sovereign and private pension funds, insurance companies, funds-of-funds and secondary funds on all of their alternative investment matters, including the negotiation and structuring of primary investments and separate account arrangements, secondary transactions and portfolio company co-investments. Steve’s secondary transaction experience includes advising both U.S. and non-U.S. sellers and buyers in the structuring and negotiation of both individual and bulk sales of private fund interests.

Prior to joining Foley, Steve was a partner in the Private Investment Funds Group of Proskauer Rose LLP.