Mike Suppappola is co-head of the Secondary Transactions and Liquidity Solutions Group and a partner in the Private Funds Group.
Named as a 2025 Private Equity MVP in Law360, Mike is widely recognized in the private funds industry for his extensive experience in representing secondary fund managers in connection with all aspects of their business, including fund formation, secondary transactions (including GP-led liquidity processes, private tender offers, tail-end sales and preferred equity transactions), primary investments and co-investments. He also advises a broad spectrum of fund sponsors who pursue a variety of strategies and sectors, including private credit, distressed and special situations, buyout, structured capital, growth equity, venture capital, real estate and funds-of-funds. After the fundraising period, Mike continues to serve as a trusted adviser throughout the lifespan of a fund, with a focus on general partner and management company internal governance and day-to-day operational issues.
An active member of the private funds community, Mike is frequently invited to lecture at industry events on business and regulatory topics. He is recognized as a top practitioner in Chambers, Legal 500, IFLR 1000 and Lawdragon Insights: Private Funds, where clients praise him as “extremely well respected,” “thorough and [with] a good sense for what’s important,” and commend his ability to “’get to the bottom line very quickly.” Mike has been published or quoted in numerous industry publications and treatises, including Bloomberg, Private Equity International, Secondaries Investor, Private Equity International Modern Fundraiser, U.S. Private Equity Fund Compliance Companion, Private Funds Management, PE Manager, Compliance Intelligence and Regulatory Register.
Education
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University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D.
With Honors Editor-in-Chief, Connecticut Public Interest Law Journal, 2004-2005
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University of Massachusetts, B.A.
summa cum laude
Admissions & Qualifications
- Massachusetts
Awards & Recognition
Chambers USA: Massachusetts: Private Equity: Fund Formation 2021-2025
Chambers USA: Nationwide: Private Equity: Secondaries 2025
The Legal 500 United States: Investment Fund Formation and Management: Private Equity Funds 2014, 2017-2023
The Legal 500 United States: Private Equity Funds (Including Venture Capital) 2024-2025
Massachusetts Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" 2009-2020
IFLR1000
Matters
A representative list of his clients and recent projects includes:
- abrdn in the formation and operation of a broad range of fund of fund products, primary investments, secondary investments, and regulatory compliance and operational issues
- Ares Management in the formation and operation of secondaries and structured capital solutions funds, secondary transactions and general operational matters
- Banner Ridge Partners in connection with secondary transactions and general fund-related matters
- Glouston Capital Partners in the formation and operation of secondaries funds, secondary transactions and primary investments
- Highvista Strategies in the formation and operation of a broad range of fund of fund products, primary investments, secondary investments, and regulatory compliance and operational issues
- Lexington Partners in the formation and operation of secondaries funds, secondary transactions, primary investments and general operational, regulatory and compliance matters
- L2 Point in the formation and operation of structured capital solutions funds
- Northgate Capital in connection with fund-related matters
- Siguler Guff in connection with secondary transactions and general fund-related matters
- StepStone Group in connection with secondary transactions and general fund-related matters
- TorQuest Partners in connection with regulatory, operational and fund-related matters
- Värde Partnersin the formation and operation of credit funds focused on global private lending opportunities, as well as operational, regulatory and other global fund-related matters