ZELDA DESOUZA, SENIOR COUNSEL

Zelda DeSouza is Senior Counsel in the Corporate and Real Estate Departments at Sklar Kirsh LLP.  Zelda advises private fund sponsors, real estate sponsors, family offices, investment advisers and institutional investors on a broad range of transactional, regulatory, compliance and strategic matters. Her practice focuses on the formation, structuring and operation of private investment funds and investment vehicles, including real estate, private equity, venture capital, credit and hedge funds, as well as related joint ventures, co-investments, regulatory and compliance matters, and strategic investment transactions.

Zelda counsels clients throughout the lifecycle of investment platforms and transactions, including fund formation, sponsor structuring, investor negotiations, side letters, governance matters and ongoing operational and compliance considerations. Drawing on experience gained at leading international law firms and a global investment platform, she provides practical, business-oriented advice tailored to the objectives of sponsors, investors and operating businesses.

Prior to joining Sklar Kirsh LLP, Zelda served as Vice President of Compliance at SoftBank Investment Advisers, where she advised on fund, regulatory and compliance matters for a global investment platform. She also served as interim in-house counsel supporting a Fortune 5 technology company, advising on corporate governance, entity management and global subsidiary matters.

Previously, Zelda practiced in the investment management and private funds groups of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP. Her experience includes advising sponsors on the formation and operation of private investment funds, representing institutional investors in fund investments and counseling investment advisers on regulatory and compliance matters. Throughout her career, she has worked extensively with leading global institutional investors, including sovereign wealth funds, public pension systems, endowments, foundations and family offices, providing her with a unique perspective on both sponsor-side and investor-side considerations.

Prior to entering private practice, Zelda served as a Revenue Agent with the Internal Revenue Service.

Zelda received her Juris Doctor from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and is admitted to practice in New York.