Michael Szkodzinski is counsel in the firm’s asset management group. His practice focuses on fund formation and ongoing fund advice for hedge funds, credit funds and private investment funds. Mike has extensive experience in representing investment advisers and investment companies in connection with regulatory, securities and transactional matters in both the registered and private investment funds areas.
Prior to rejoining Ropes & Gray in 2017, Mike spent several years within the legal teams of a number of premier investment managers. Mike’s comprehensive involvement in practical, day-to-day operations includes fund launches, mergers, ongoing compliance and broad oversight of regulatory issues.
In addition to his in-house roles, Mike was an associate in Ropes & Gray’s registered funds group from 2003 to 2007 and then again from 2008 to 2011.
Experience
- Advises PIMCO on private fund formation matters and all aspects of day-to-day operational and compliance matters. Mike spent two months on a secondment working from PIMCO’s Newport Beach offices.
- Advises a financial technology platform that provides access to alternative investments, including new feeder fund launches and distribution agreements.
- Advises investment advisers on registration and compliance policies under the Advisers Act.
- Counselling managers, traders and chief compliance officer on trading limits, investment compliance, and disclosure requirements for public market transactions across North America, Europe and Asia.*
- Guiding fund managers and traders on strategies pertaining to shareholder activism.*
- Design and launch of new funds and fund repositionings, with an emphasis on fixed income products.*
- Advising on the Investment Company Act and other regulatory and transactional issues for special situations transactions (private placements, restructuring transactions and corporate actions).*
- Organization of a registered fund of hedge funds; negotiation of custodian, transfer agent, sub-administration and securities lending contracts; and planned internal restructuring of an investment adviser and “no change of control” opinions under Rule 2a-6.
- Navigating mergers and acquisitions within the asset management industry, including assisting managers with integration of fund families following transactions.
- Assists clients with Form ADV filings, marketing rules compliance, implementation of Form PF, Form 13F and other regulatory issues.
*Matters completed prior to joining Ropes & Gray