Sara Stinnet

Sara E. Stinnett

Partner
Austin
About

Sara Stinnett is co-lead of the secondaries solutions practice and frequently negotiates and advises in large-scale secondary portfolio transactions (both sell side and buy side), GP-led continuation vehicles, structured secondaries, preferred equity transactions, NAV facilities, and secondary direct transactions. Sara assists clients in all stages of the secondary transaction process, including new market participants as well as veteran buyers and sellers.

Sara also represents institutional investors in connection with their primary investments in private equity funds and other alternative assets, including review and negotiation of investment documentation and side letters, direct and structured co-investments and funds-of-one. In addition, Sara has significant experience with fund formation, GP removal, fund restructuring, and LPAC guidance.

Her clients include fund of funds, governmental and corporate pension plans, university endowments, sovereign wealth funds, investment advisors, and family offices.

Areas of FocusCorporateInvestment Management and FundsInstitutional Investors
Bar admissionsTexas

EXPERIENCE

  • Represents a diverse list of clients in buy-side and sell-side private fund secondary transactions
  • Advises clients seeking to invest in alternative assets, including private equity funds, real estate funds, venture capital funds, emerging managers and emerging markets
  • Negotiates single-investor funds, allowing for customized fees, investment strategies and life-cycles
  • Represents private fund sponsors on the formation and operation of private investment funds, including matters of regulatory compliance, internal arrangements and extraordinary events
     

Awards

Chambers USA

  • Band 3, Nationwide Investment Funds: Investor Representation, (2022 – 2025)
  • Up and Coming, Nationwide Investment Funds: Investor Representation, (2019 – 2021) 

Chambers Global

  • Band 3, USA Investment Funds: Investor Representation, (2023 – 2025)
  • Up and Coming, USA Investment Funds: Investor Representation, (2020 – 2022) 

The Legal 500 United States

  • Recommended, Private Equity Funds (including Venture Capital), (2022, 2024)
    Clients comment, "Sara Stinnett is beloved by not only our legal department but by all business people who work on the transactions because she delivers timely and excellent quality of work and commercially viable solutions. Sara handles huge volumes of work without missing a beat – she provides consistently excellent work. She’s also a pleasure to work with and takes on tasks with such a positive attitude. She is a vital part of making our business run."
Education
  • J.D., University of Virginia School of Law
  • B.A., University of Virginia

Bylines

Media Mentions

  • Quoted, "Side Letter: Lead buyer desire", Private Equity International, October 14, 2025

My latest insights

News

DLA Piper advises Greenridge Growth Partners in closing US$255 million fund

22 October 2024 .2 minute read

News

Leading investment funds practice joins DLA Piper

5 March 2018 .5 minute read

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Connect

Phone

+1 512 457 7247
(Work, Austin)
+1 512 541 9350
(Work)