DLA Piper is pleased to welcome partner Evan Zhao, following on the heels of his long-time colleagues Andrew Kreisberg, Mara Topping, and Katherine McCullough, who recently joined the firm’s Investment Funds practice.

Zhao’s practice focuses on domestic and international investment funds and asset management. He advises sponsors on all aspects of their fund formations and represents institutional investors, including sovereign wealth funds, university endowments, pension plans and family offices, in their alternative investments. His experience extends to both closed-end and open-end structures, including co-investment vehicles, continuation funds, hedge funds and permanent capital vehicles across diverse strategies.

“Evan – alongside Andrew, Kate, and Mara – will further enhance our Chambers-ranked practice and our legal-industry leading services. Additionally, his strategic thinking and extensive experience advising investment managers in establishing private equity funds across a variety of sectors will provide additional value to our clients,” said Jesse Criz, co-head of the firm’s Investment Management and Funds Practice.

“Evan is well known in the industry for his extensive private markets experience. His contributions will further enhance our representation of active sovereign wealth funds and sponsors in forming private equity funds,” said David Parrish, global co-head of the firm’s Investment Management and Funds Practice.

Zhao will join Topping and McCullough as a resident in the firm’s Washington, DC office.