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Michael D. Saarinen
Co-Chair, Fund Formation and Structuring @ Lowenstein Sandler LLP
Michael D. Saarinen is a partner and Co-Chair of Fund Formation and Structuring at Lowenstein Sandler LLP, based in New York.1 He is a highly respected lawyer in the private funds industry, specializing in counseling asset managers on the formation, capitalization, and operation of private funds and specialized investment vehicles.1
Key aspects of Michael Saarinen's career and expertise include:
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Practice areas: His practice spans various asset classes and strategies, including buyout, growth equity, venture capital, real estate, hedge funds, credit, infrastructure, energy, and fund-of-funds.1
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Expertise: Saarinen has particular expertise in bespoke arrangements such as SMAs, co-invest funds, pledge funds, and joint ventures.1
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Client services: He provides guidance on critical matters including business initiatives, strategic transactions, compensation, restructurings, secondaries, regulatory issues, and crisis management.1
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Previous positions: Before joining Lowenstein Sandler in October 2023, Saarinen was a partner at Shearman & Sterling LLP and Alston & Bird.1 He also served as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at SECOR Asset Management.1
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Education: Saarinen received his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School and his B.A., magna cum laude, from Columbia University.1
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Recognition: He has received numerous accolades, including being named the exclusive U.S. winner of the Lexology Client Choice Award for Private Funds in 2021, 2022, and 2025.13 He has also been recognized by Who's Who Legal as a global fund formation leader since 2018.1
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Recent achievement: In February 2025, Saarinen was named a Lexology Index 2025 Global Elite Thought Leader in the category of Client Choice – Private Funds.3
Michael Saarinen's LinkedIn username is michaelsaarinen.2


