Debra K. Lussier
Partner
Debra Lussier is a partner in Ropes & Gray’s asset management group and the co-leader of the firm’s buyout and growth equity funds team.
Deb counsels sponsors at all stages, from new managers launching their first funds, to mature sponsors who have been in business since the launch of the private equity industry. Deb is called upon when sponsors are facing their most important questions related to internal compensation, succession planning and bet-the-company matters.
Clients rely on Deb for her sound judgment and holistic understanding of the private funds landscape, honed over more than two decades of experience with fundraising, investments and funds transactions. Clients appreciate her ability to cut through complexity and deliver creative, first-of-a-kind solutions. An avid user of technology and data, Deb spearheaded the development of a proprietary database of buyout fund terms, along with her co-leader on the buyout and growth equity funds team.
Deb values the deep, longstanding relationships she has cultivated with clients, who view her as a trusted advisor to their businesses. She delivers the same level of attention and care to her colleagues within the firm, acting as a mentor to and advocate for the next generation of women and diverse lawyers.
Experience
- BV Partners
- Equality Asset Management
- Gauge Capital
- Gridiron Capital
- Parthenon Capital
- TSG Consumer Partners
- Manulife / John Hancock
- Constitution Capital Partners
- Columbia University
- Temasek
Publications
- Quoted, “Midmarket Firms Re-Evaluate Regional Bank Risk Following Crisis,” The Wall Street Journal (March 20, 2023)
- Quoted, “SVB’s Swift Demise Unsettles The Private Financing Sector,” Law360 (March 10, 2023)
- Co-author, “GP-led Secondary Transactions Are Transforming the Private Fund Landscape,” Preqin (September 26, 2022)
- Quoted, “Access to track record a key component to branching out,” Pensions & Investments (June 28, 2021)
- Quoted, “As SEC Focuses on SPACs, Conflicts Come to the Fore,” Private Equity Law Report (June 15, 2021)
- Quoted, “Proxy for Permanence: Unique Challenges of Creating Private Fund PCVs and Potential Solutions (Part Three of Three),” Private Equity Law Report (June 8, 2021)
- Quoted, “Proxy for Permanence: Common Features and Structures of Private Fund PCVs (Part Two of Three),” Private Equity Law Report (May 25, 2021)
- Quoted, “Proxy for Permanence: Longer Duration, Not Perpetuity, Is Hallmark of Private Fund PCVs (Part One of Three),” Private Equity Law Report (May 18, 2021)
- Quoted, “Inside The 10 Largest Private Equity Funds From Q1,” Law360 (April 2, 2021)
- Quoted, “'It's an Accelerator:' Pandemic Intensifies Top Alts Themes,” FundFire (August 28, 2020)
- Quoted, “Buyout Firms Seek Capital Recycling as Coronavirus Bites,” WSJ Pro Private Equity (May 20, 2020)
- Quoted, “The Difficulties Of PE Fundraising In A Post COVID-19 World,” Law360 (April 24, 2020)
- Quoted, “Withstanding the Coronavirus Pandemic: Business Continuity and Other Operational Risks (Part Three of Three),” Private Equity Law Report (April 7, 2020)
- Quoted, “Withstanding the Coronavirus Pandemic: Key Person Clauses, Fundraising Disruptions and Deal Flow Issues (Part Two of Three),” Private Equity Law Report (March 31, 2020)
- Quoted, “Withstanding the Coronavirus Pandemic: Form ADV Filing Relief, Investor Communications and Liquidity Risks (Part One of Three),” Private Equity Law Report (March 24, 2020)
- Featured, “How 4 Firms Are Moving The Needle On Gender Diversity,” Law360 (July 23, 2017)
- Co-author, “Private equity in United States: market and regulatory overview,” Practical Law (October 11, 2016)
Presentations
- Panelist, “Where Will Private Funds Invest in 2020 and in a Post-COVID World?” FundFire Exchange Webcast (August 27, 2020)
- Moderator, “How to Deploy $1 Trillion with a Recession on the Horizon” Kayo Women's Private Equity 7th Annual Conference (September 23, 2019)
- Panelist, “What Matters to Private Equity LPs Today,” Kayo Women's Private Equity 5th Annual Conference (October 3, 2017)
- Speaker, “Best Practices in GP / LP Communications,” 4th Annual Kayo Women’s Private Equity Conference (October 5, 2016)
- Speaker, “Private Equity: Year in Review and Looking Forward,” Maples Investment Funds Forum (February 27, 2016)
Education
- JD, magna cum laude, Boston College Law School, 1999; Symposium Editor, Boston College Law Review
- BA, magna cum laude, Boston College, 1994
Admissions / Qualifications
Qualifications
- Connecticut, 2013
- Massachusetts, 1999
Awards
- Boston Magazine “Top Lawyers” (2021)
- Chambers USA (2021-2022)
- The Best Lawyers in America (2022-2023)
- IFLR 1000 (2016-2023)
- Legal 500 (2015-2019)