Overview
Amanda Persaud is a co-chair of the Investment Funds & Private Capital practice at Paul Hastings. She ranks among the nation’s top attorneys for private equity, credit and hybrid fund raises, with more than 25 years advising preeminent private fund sponsors. A trusted adviser to global alternative asset management firms, Amanda counsels clients on fundraises, fund transactions and firm governance and ownership across private equity, private credit — including direct lending and distressed and opportunistic strategies — hedge, infrastructure and real estate, for both open- and closed-end fund structures.
She frequently counsels private equity founders and senior executives on upper-tier firm arrangements. Her work in asset management M&A and sponsor solutions includes GP stakes transactions, succession planning, management buyouts, preferred equity structures, joint ventures and spinouts.
Recognized over the course of her career by leading legal directories and industry publications, including by Chambers USA and Chambers Global, Amanda is described by clients as having “great knowledge of the industry,” “expertly navigating intricate legal and regulatory challenges,” and delivering “outstanding client service [with] a high-level of legal sophistication.” She was also named a Notable Woman of Law by Crain's New York Business.
Amanda’s clients have included Acadia Infrastructure Capital, Apollo Global Management, Ashe Capital Management, Balbec Capital/Starwood Capital Group, Biospring Partners, Blackstone, Bluestone Investment Partners, Carlyle, Charlesbank Capital Partners, CI Capital Partners, Declaration Partners, Freeman Spogli, Hilco Global, Houlihan Lokey, Invesco, KKR, Monomoy Capital Partners, Muzinich, New Mountain Capital, PCCP, PEAL Capital, Snowhawk, The Vistria Group, Woodline Partners and Wynnchurch Capital.
Accolades
- Private Equity: Fund Formation, Chambers Global
- Private Equity: Fund Formation, Chambers USA
- Private Equity Funds, IFLR1000
- Thought Leaders – USA, Private Funds, Lexology
- Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law, Best Lawyers in America
- Finance and Banking, Mondaq Thought Leadership Awards
- Notable Women in Law, Crain’s New York Business
- Business and Finance, Girl Scouts of Greater New York Woman of Distinction Award
Education
- University of Virginia School of Law, J.D.
- Duke University, B.A.
Engagement & Publications
Speaking Engagements
- “Upper Tier Terms for Private Equity Attorneys,” Practising Law Institute, Twenty-Seventh Annual Private Equity Forum, Speaker (April 2026)
- “Liquidity Solutions and Exploring Additional Sources of Capital,” Practising Law Institute, Advanced Issues in Private Funds 2025, Moderator (July 2025)
- “Liquidity Solution and Exploring Additional Sources of Capital,” Practising Law Institute, Advanced Issues in Private Funds 2024, Moderator (July 2024)
- “What’s the Deal with GP Stakes Investing?” Kayo Conference Series, 2023 Women’s Private Equity Summit, Speaker (June 2023)
- “Trends in Alternative Funds,” International Bar Association, 32nd Annual Conference on the Globalisation of Investment Funds,” Moderator (May 2023)
- “Upper-Tier Considerations,” Practising Law Institute, Twenty-Fourth Annual Private Equity Forum, Speaker (April 2023)
- “End-of-Life Issues (Continuation Funds, GP-Led Secondaries, Recapitalizations),” Practising Law Institute, Speaker (June 2022)
- “Upper Tier: Structures and Considerations,” Practising Law Institute, Advanced Issues in Private Funds 2021, Speaker (June 8, 2021)
- “Private Equity Fund Terms and Structures: Hot Button Issues,” Practising Law Institute, 20th Annual Private Equity Forum, Speaker (July 15, 2019)
- “The Rise of Long-Term Capital and Alternative Investing,” Markets Group, 8th Annual Private Equity U.S. Spring Forum, Speaker (May 6, 2019)
- “Alternative Investments Driving Change,” Out Leadership, Global Insights: Business Innovation Driving Change, Panelist (May 2, 2019)
- “Private Equity: Record Levels of Dry Powder Coupled with High Valuations,” SEO Alternative Investments Conference, Speaker (March 6, 2019)
- “Limited Partner Perspectives: The Role of Private Credit in an Institutional Portfolio,” Kayo Conference Series, Credit Forum, Moderator (Oct. 2, 2018)
- “Insights from the Top of the House: Ownership, Carry and Operations,” Kayo Conference Series, Private Equity Summit, Moderator (Oct. 2, 2018)
- “Elements of Growing a Successful Firm,” SEO Alternative Investments Conference, Speaker (Feb. 9, 2018)
- “Keynote Panel: Institutional Investors’ Perspectives on PE,” Kayo Conference Series, Women’s Private Equity 5th Annual Conference, Moderator (Oct. 3, 2017)
- “General Partner Arrangements: Structure and Terms,” Practising Law Institute, 18th Annual Private Equity Forum, Speaker (July 11, 2017)
- “The increasing use of alternative fee arrangements by private funds,” International Bar Association, 18th Annual International Conference on Private Investment Funds, Speaker (March 6, 2017)
- Practising Law Institute, 17th Annual Private Equity Forum, Speaker (July 6, 2016)
Thought Leadership
- “Five reasons to consider a GP-led secondary,” Lexology, Co-Author (Jan. 22, 2025)
- “Calm in the Storm: Investing in Infrastructure,” Lexology, Co-Author (June 28, 2023)
- “Why Conduct a GP-Led Secondary?” Lexology, Co-Author, (May 23, 2023)
- “SEC Proposes Cybersecurity Risk Management Rules for Registered Funds and Advisers,” Lexology, Co-Author (May 23, 2023)
- “SEC Proposes Cybersecurity Risk Management Rules for Registered Funds and Advisers,” Lexology, Co-Author (Feb. 18, 2022)
- “Private Equity: Longer Term Investment Structures,” Practising Law Institute, Author (May 13, 2019)
- “Credit Funds Report - The Road Ahead: Driving Success in 2020,” Lexology, Co-Author (Oct. 3, 2019)
- “Private Equity Funds: Structural and Operational Legal Considerations” (Chapter 47), Investment Adviser Regulation, Third Edition, PLI Press, Author (October 2018)
- “Credit Funds: A Framework for Addressing and Mitigating Conflicts of Interest,” Co- Lexology, Author (Feb. 28, 2018)
- “Private Equity Carried Interest Arrangements: A Business Perspective,” Practising Law Institute, Eighteenth Annual Private Equity Forum Handbook, Author (July 2017)
News
- “Inside the top 5 funds of 2024’s first quarter,” Law360, Quoted (March 29, 2025)
- “Thought Leader – Amanda Persaud,” Who’s Who Thought Leaders, Profiled (Jan. 17, 2023)
- “Survey Examines Trends in Fees, Structures And Governance of Credit Funds Post Coronavirus,” The Private Equity Law Report, Quoted (Jan. 12, 2021)
- “Kreutzer’s Take: Bracing for the GP Double-Dip,” WSJ Pro Private Equity, Quoted (July 26, 2017)
- “Co-investor ‘tourists’ push back at GPs trying to shift broken deal fees their way,” Buyouts, Quoted (Nov. 15, 2016)
Involvement
- Member – DukeWIN Leadership Council
- Co-chair – Private Investment Funds Forum of New York City
- Member – Association of the Bar of the City of New York – Committee on Private Investment Funds
- Member – Board of Directors of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York