Michael Sabin

MICHAEL SABIN advises asset managers and other institutions on the formation, structuring, and operation of private investment funds and managed accounts across a broad range of strategies, including private equity, private credit, energy transition, real assets, growth equity, and secondaries. He regularly counsels sponsors on complex fundraising initiatives and internal arrangements, as well as strategic transactions involving investment management platforms.

Michael has significant experience representing sponsors, investors, and investment teams in secondary transactions, minority investments, spin-outs, seeding arrangements, and management company transactions. He also advises institutional investors on primary and secondary fund investments, separately managed accounts, and bespoke investment arrangements. 

“He is strong in all aspects of legal analysis. He is very knowledgeable and has depth and breadth of experience.”
Chambers Global 2025

Michael’s representative matters include advising global asset managers and investment firms on the launch of inaugural and successor private funds, funds-of-funds platforms, credit and structured finance vehicles, and infrastructure and decarbonization-focused strategies. He has also represented sponsors and investors in high-profile platform transactions involving the transfer of fund management rights, team lift-outs, and the formation of new investment management businesses.

Michael works extensively with clients in the private equity, private credit, real assets, and energy sectors, and is regularly recognized for his work in private fund formation and investment management.

Client feedback has earned Michael recognition in Chambers USA (Nationwide; 2021–2025), Chambers Global (USA; 2022–2025), IFLR1000 (2023–2025), and Legal 500 United States for his work in Private Equity: Fund Formation (2021–2025).

Michael served as First Sergeant (ret.) in Givati Brigade of Israel Defense Forces.

• Power Sustainable on the formation of its inaugural private equity fund focused on decarbonization and its energy and infrastructure funds.
• Five Arrows, the merchant banking division of Rothschild & Co., on multiple private fundraises and initiatives.
• Capital Dynamics on a number of private funds and managed accounts, including clean energy and infrastructure, direct lending, and secondaries strategies.
• Oil and Gas Climate Initiative Investments (OGCI) on its U.S. Decarbonization Acceleration Fund.
• Blackstone Credit (BXCI) on formation of certain private funds and managed accounts.
• TCW Asset Management on the formation of its direct lending, rescue financing, structured credit, and specialty lending private funds and accounts.
• A global financial institution on the formation of its structured credit funds.
• Investment management division of a global bank in the establishment of its infrastructure debt third-party investment program and the formation of third-party capital vehicles.
• Schroders North America on the formation of its securitized credit funds.
• Alignment Debt Holdings on its direct lending funds.
• EJF Capital on a customized credit-focused managed account program.
• Shorecliff Asset Management on its evergreen liquid credit investment program.
• American Landmark and Electra America on real estate hospitality and multi-family funds.
• DF Capital Management on its real estate funds.
• Northwind Group on its real estate debt funds and real estate healthcare debt funds.
• Greystone & Co. in the formation of its inaugural real estate debt fund with over US$1.25 billion in commitments and additional real estate fundraising initiatives.
• Grubb Properties on funds focused on multi-family real estate.
• Capital Dynamics on the lift-out of certain U.S. clean energy infrastructure (CEI) funds by APG, CalSTRS, and a subsidiary of ADIA, and the transfer of assets held by such funds to the consortium of investors; and on the spin-off sale of CD Arevon USA, Inc., including certain members of its CEI team, to the consortium to form Arevon Energy, Inc.
• Colony Capital (now DigitalBridge) in the bid for management rights of certain funds under management of The Abraaj Group (in liquidation) and assumption of management of Latin American private equity funds.
• Private equity firms, senior executives, and investment teams in negotiation of internal arrangements, spinouts, and separation arrangements.
• Alecta, Arison Investments, British Coal, ICONIQ Capital, and other institutional investors in their private fund investments, seed investments, SMA arrangements, and secondary transactions.

The above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley.