Sara Stinnet

Sara E. Stinnett

Partner
Austin
About

Sara Stinnett focuses on representing institutional investors in connection with their investments in private equity funds and other alternative assets, including review and negotiation of investment documentation and side letters, secondary transactions, direct and structured co-investments and funds-of-one. Her clients include university endowments, sovereign wealth funds, state pension plans, fund of funds and family offices. Sara frequently negotiates and advises in large-scale secondary portfolio transactions and assists clients in all stages of the secondary transaction process.

Sara also has significant experience with fund formation, portfolio company formation, public and private mergers and acquisitions, offerings of debt and equity securities and state and federal securities law compliance.

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
Abstract building

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

22 October 2024 .2 minute read

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Connect

Phone

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