David Moody has been with the firm since 2003. His tenure as General Counsel for Ziff Brothers Investments, LLC, was instrumental in giving him a strong and fundamental grasp on the full range of legal challenges faced by a multi-billion dollar investment fund operating in today’s global markets. Prior to that, David was an associate with Cleary Gottlieb where he focused on fund formation and private M&A.
Over the course of his career, David has developed and fine-tuned his instincts for assisting clients as they work through the early stages of fund formation and raising capital. He often serves as a trusted advisor in the critical task of devising a partnership structure and legal strategy that strikes the right balance between the interests of founders and seed investors.
“There’s legal art and craft in bringing parties together to set up a new fund. It’s not just a matter of knowing the intricacies of partnership and securities law. You also have to be attuned to interpersonal and business dynamics.”
“Having served as counsel to hundreds of funds and investment managers, we have a wealth of experience over the years that enables us to fill the role of trusted advisor. We understand partnership and investment fund dynamics because we are immersed in them every day.”
In his day-to-day practice, David counsels funds of all types and sizes, from multi-billion dollar multi-strategy hedge funds to start-up venture capital funds focused on a narrow market niche. As David explains it: “Success in serving our clients calls for a combination of a generalist’s breadth with a specialist’s depth of knowledge and experience. With clients operating across global financial markets, counsel has to master the intricacy of legal and regulatory requirements in multiple jurisdictions, which are sometimes conflicting. At the same time, like the general counsel of any business, you also have to be prepared to handle the full range of more mundane problems, from employment contracts to licensing agreements.”