Nicholas J. Guttilla

Nick represents private fund firms in all aspects of fund formation, structuring, operations and governance. He specializes in advising sponsors of technology-focused funds in the U.S. and internationally. As fund counsel, Nick leads all parts of the fundraising legal process, including managing negotiations with prospective investors and efficiently executing fund closings, while offering objective, practical, focused business and legal insights and market intelligence. He takes a proactive results-oriented approach and has helped his clients raise hundreds of funds, ranging from top-tier industry leaders to first-time managers.

Nick exclusively represents fund sponsors. This singular focus and commitment allows him to give unbiased advice and minimizes conflicts of interest. The depth and breadth of his experience and market knowledge enables him to provide valuable business and strategic advice, while balancing the competing interests of fund sponsors and their investors. Leveraging his finance and tax background, Nick brings a comprehensive perspective, providing tailored solutions to meet his fund clients’ needs. He maintains a wide-ranging expertise in the various legal matters impacting investment firms and their funds, including securities laws, tax laws and other applicable rules and regulations. Nick regularly provides sophisticated guidance on:

• Fund formation and negotiating fund agreements
• Formulating fundraising strategy and preparing fund marketing materials
• Streamlining organizational, operational and management structures
• Governance matters and the establishment and maintenance of policies and procedures
• Drafting fund, general partner and management company governing agreements
• Hiring investment professionals and employees, separations, compensation and carried interest sharing and structuring

In addition to representing established industry leaders, Nick works with many emerging managers with founding their firms and raising their inaugural fund, including representing teams spinning out of large institutions and strategic corporations. He clients include tech company studios and incubators and their affiliated funds. Further, he advises various corporate venture capital (CVC) groups with fund structuring and terms. Nick has also guided many firms with navigating generational successions. He is a frequent speaker and panelist at various private fund industry conferences and meetings.

As a father of three daughters, Nick is particularly interested in promoting and empowering women in the venture capital field and has guided many women-founded firms.