Skye W. Smith

Ms. Smith counsels sponsors and investors on a broad range of capital formation and strategic initiatives, including fund formation, separately managed accounts, co-investment programs, strategic partnerships, continuation vehicles and other customized investment structures. She also advises sponsors, investors and strategic capital providers in connection with GP stakes transactions, revenue sharing arrangements and other transactions involving alternative asset management businesses.

Drawing on extensive experience representing both leading institutional investors and fund sponsors, Ms. Smith regularly advises clients on evolving market terms, fundraising trends, governance and regulatory considerations, and related structuring matters. She combines commercial judgment with sophisticated legal counsel to help clients raise, deploy, invest and manage capital efficiently while navigating complex regulatory, operational and business issues across jurisdictions.

Her clients include some of the world’s premier sovereign wealth funds, public and private pension plans, university endowments, funds of funds, family offices, emerging managers and established alternative asset management platforms.

Ms. Smith’s representative experience prior to joining Skadden includes advising:

• a Middle East sovereign wealth fund in connection with its $1.25 billion GP stake investment in a leading U.S.-based private equity manager focused on opportunistic structured transactions
• a U.S.-based fund of funds in connection with the formation and establishment of its emerging manager investment program
• a multifamily office in connection with its credit fund formation and LP investment matters
• the advisory committee of a private investment fund in connection with a complex governance matter involving a founder dispute
• an established sovereign investor in connection with the drafting of a best practices manual for its primary fund investment and stapled co-investment program across private equity, venture capital, infrastructure and real estate sectors
• a UAE-based sovereign wealth fund in connection with its minority co-investment in a publicly regulated power and utility company
• a U.S.-based asset manager in connection with a $2 billion bespoke platform arrangement for a UAE-based family office
• a large U.S. pension plan in connection with its seed investment in an emerging venture capital asset manager and related revenue sharing arrangement
• a sovereign investor in connection with its significant direct investment in a U.S.-based agricultural technology company