Christi Niehans Frentz

Christi's fund practice focuses on the formation, organization and operation of venture capital funds and their management entities. Christi advises funds in all aspects of their operations, including fundraising; preparation of offering memoranda; drafting of partnership agreements; negotiations with investors; the admission, compensation, and withdrawal of managers; conflicts of interest; the structuring of acquisitions and dispositions of investments; and compliance with securities laws and other regulations applicable to venture capital funds.

Christi works exclusively with fund sponsors and represents a range of clients, from new managers to industry leaders with billions under management.  Christi has advised clients on the formation of hundreds of funds and SPVs, enabling her to offer clients business and legal insights and market intelligence as well as an efficient fundraising and closing process.

Prior to focusing exclusively on venture capital fund formation and operations, Christi represented funds in their investments in public and private companies, and advised emerging growth companies on formation, structuring, governance matters, strategic and financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and public offerings.  Christi’s background and experience in corporate, M&A, securities and investment work combined with her deep knowledge of fund formation, fund operations, investment adviser regulations and partnership tax and accounting uniquely situates her to advise fund clients on every aspect of their business.

Christi attended law school at the University of Virginia, where she graduated Order of the Coif and served as the Managing Editor of the Virginia Law Review. Christi graduated cum laude from Princeton University, where she majored in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a certificate in Structural Engineering and Architecture and competed for the Princeton rowing and track & field teams. Prior to attending law school, Christi managed the design and construction of large-scale commercial and government projects in the Bay Area.