Adam S. Tope

Partner

Adam is an excellent lawyer who consistently provides timely and effective counsel on complex legal issues.

— Chambers Global 2023

About

Bar admissionsDistrict of ColumbiaNew York

EXPERIENCE

Over 100 secondaries and GP-led transactions including:

Savant Growth in connection with its GP-led restructuring spin out of Kennet Partners and formation of a continuation fund (US$500 million)
Hamilton Lane in connection with numerous tender offers, GP restructurings, pooled sales and stapled secondaries
Pantheon in connection with secondaries transactions including pooled sales/purchases and GP-led transactions
A top-10 European secondaries firm in connection with GP-led restructurings and continuation funds
Regents of the University of California in connection with numerous secondary transactions
A family office in a secondary transaction resulting in the restructuring of a US$2 billion portfolio of private equity investments

Denali Growth Partners in connection with their first oversubscribed institutional fund
Five Point Energy in connection with their midstream and water infrastructure funds and related co-investments
Hull Street Energy in connection with its first institutional fund raising US$500 million
NewRoad Capital Partners in connection with their growth equity funds
An activist fund sponsor in the structuring, formation and negotiation of over US$1.5 billion of commitments to hybrid funds focused on public equities
A large multifamily real estate manager in connection with the formation and negotiation of a US$1.2 billion multifamily fund
A principal of a US$600 million large venture capital holding company in connection with its structuring and formation
A venture capital sponsor in the formation and operation of the world's first cryptocurrency fund of funds

Over 400 investor-side representations in funds, managed accounts and co-investments including:

Represented over half of the top-10 sovereign wealth funds in connection with their co-investments and fund investments
Numerous leading US endowments in connection with their fund investments
A top-10 allocator in connection with its fund investments and co-investments
Numerous global family offices in connection with their fund investments and managed accounts

Education

J.D., Georgetown University Law Center 2007
cum laude

B.S., Cornell University 2002

Awards

Chambers USA
- Band 5, USA - Nationwide Private Equity: Fund Formation (2021 - 2022)
  Chambers comments, "Adam Tope's diverse practice involves establishing a range of funds, including those focused on the energy sector." Clients say, "He provides great counsel and he has great experience." "He is accessible and extremely responsive."
- Recognized Practitioner, Nationwide Investment Funds: Private Equity: Fund Formation (2019)
Chambers Global
- Band 3, USA Venture Capital: Fund Formation (2023)
- Band 5, USA Private Equity: Fund Formation (2022 - 2023)
The Legal 500 United States
- Next Generation Partners, Private Equity Funds (including Venture Capital) (2019 - 2022)
Who's Who in Legal: Private Funds: Formation (2019, 2020)

Bylines

Seminars

Speaker, "Fireside chat - private credit secondaries: coming of age," Debtwire US Private Credit Forum 2023, June 14, 2023
Moderator, "A New Fund/Emerging Manager Roundtable: Ready, Set, Launch," 17th Annual Winter Forum On Real Estate Opportunity & Private Fund Investing, January 2020

Media Mentions

Quoted, "Why Startup Founders Should Check In With Their Investors About Compliance," The Defiant (February 14, 2022)
Quoted, "Placement Agents' Evolving Role in PE Fundraising and Potential Compliance Issues Sponsors Must Consider," Private Equity Law Report (November 2021)