11 March 2026

Private Credit Academy

Wednesday, March 11, 2026 | New York

8:00 am ET – Registration and breakfast
9:00 am ET – Programming
5:00 pm ET – Cocktail reception

DLA Piper is pleased to announce our first Private Credit Academy—a full-day, deal-driven training program designed for junior to mid-level professionals looking to deepen their understanding of the private credit market and sharpen their technical skills across the full deal lifecycle.

Join us as DLA attorneys and leading voices from across the industry share strategies and insights across Direct Lending, Fund Finance, Structured Finance, Tax, and Technology to deliver an integrated view of today’s private credit landscape—and the skills needed for the next generation of dealmakers.

The day concludes with a networking mixer to connect with peers and industry practitioners.

Space is limited. Request your invitation today.

Agenda

9:00 AM | Welcome Remarks

9:10 AM | Panel 1: Direct Lending Fund Formation
Focus: Forming a direct lending fund, including tax issues and rated feeders.

Speakers:
Grant Buerstetta, Partner, Structured Finance
John Reiss, Partner, Investment Funds
John Wei, Partner, Tax
Jen Johnson, Head of Legal, Nuveen Leveraged Finance, Nuveen

10:25 AM | Panel 2: Financing Tools of a Private Credit Fund
Focus: Setting up leverage facilities for debt funds, including sublines, credit NAV facilities, and back leverage.

Speakers:
Ryan Moreno, Co-Head Private Credit and Fund Finance and Co-Chair Leveraged Finance
Shana Ramirez, Head of West Coast Fund Finance
Matt Mildenberg, Vice President, EverBank
Adam Strauss, Senior Vice President/Structured Finance, CNB
Jonathan Landsberg, CFO of Direct Lending, 26North
Steve Berry, Managing Director, Head of Credit NAV, NLC
Viravyne Chhim, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, MGG Investment Group

11:40 AM | Panel 3: Direct Lending Private Credit vs. Syndicated Loan Market
Focus: Comparing private credit and syndicated loan deal terms.

Speakers:
Alan Rockwell, Partner, Leveraged Finance
Maria Cornilsen, Partner, Leveraged Finance

12:40 – 1:25 PM | Networking Lunch

1:25 PM | Panel 4: Asset-Backed Finance (ABF): Opportunities and Risks
Focus: Exploring current trends, opportunities, and risk factors in asset-backed financing.

Speakers:
Claire Hall, Co-Chair, Structured Finance
Andy Sroka, Partner, Structured Finance

2:40 PM | Panel 5: Exercising Remedies in Private Credit
Focus: Practical strategies for enforcing rights and remedies in distressed scenarios.

Panelists:
Jamie Knox, Co-Chair Leveraged Finance

3:55 PM | Panel 6: How Technology and AI Are Transforming Private Credit
Focus: Innovations in technology and AI reshaping deal sourcing, underwriting, and portfolio management.

Panelists:
Matt Schwartz, US Finance Chair, Co-Head Private Credit and Fund Finance
Justin Hewitt, Partner, Venture & Growth Lending

5:00 PM | Networking Mixer