Melissa Bender

Practice Areas

Melissa is a partner in the asset management group. She advises hedge funds, credit funds, and other private funds on all aspects of their business, with a focus on helping sponsors with fund formation and regulatory compliance matters. Named to Daily Journal’s “Top Women Lawyers” list in 2019, Melissa has been praised for “making her mark with hedge funds.” Her clients also include U.S. and international institutional investors, endowments, funds of funds, private foundations, sovereign wealth funds and family offices.

Melissa practices at the cutting edge of fund work and is recognized in her field as a member of the Legal 500 and “Up and Coming” by Chambers. She has launched numerous funds using novel hybrid structures, advises on cryptocurrency and Fintech matters, and counsels clients on environmental, social and governance (ESG) and responsible investing. Based on the West Coast, Melissa also advises clients on California laws that affect asset managers, including in the areas of privacy and lobbying.

Clients come to Melissa for elegant and pragmatic solutions, which they describe as encompassing “not only legal advice but also valuable market insights.” They also appreciate her in-house perspective, honed during her tenure as counsel at a Fortune 500 company.