Shearman & Sterling is expanding its investment funds practice with the addition of Patrick D. Sweeney, who rejoins the firm as counsel in its New York office. Sweeney provides comprehensive legal counsel to investment managers, covering regulatory advice, fiduciary obligations, private fund formation and offerings, investment transactions, joint ventures and acquisitions, and regulatory audits.

Sweeney brings to Shearman & Sterling 25 years of experience representing investment managers in connection with their fund products. He began his legal career in the Capital Markets Group at Shearman & Sterling and subsequently spent 10 years practicing in the legal department of Merrill Lynch Asset Management, focusing on registered investment companies and investment advisor regulation. Since 2002, he has been in private practice, specializing in private fund work.

“Shearman & Sterling offers investment managers an impressive legal services platform comprised of attorneys with decades of collective, far-reaching practice experience,” said Sweeney. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join the Asset Management Group.”

Sweeney has written extensively on issues of interest to investment fund managers, including SEC compliance requirements for cybersecurity and business continuity, innovative capital raising opportunities provided by the JOBS Act and the changing regulatory environment for private fund managers under Dodd-Frank. In addition, he is a frequent lecturer at industry gatherings.