Michael Akkawi Bio

Michael is a seasoned private equity and fund formation lawyer who advises clients on market-leading transactions, investments, and fund matters. He draws on his extensive knowledge of business issues and market practices to represent a broad spectrum of private equity funds, pension funds, strategic investors, and fund sponsors. On the transactional side of his practice, Michael counsels funds and investors in all aspects of transactions and other investment activities, including leveraged buyouts, majority and minority equity investments, co-investments, and restructurings. He also handles LP-led and GP-led secondary transactions, including buying and selling LP interests and advising on continuation fund transactions. Michael’s practice also encompasses advising sponsors on structuring and negotiating private market funds and on their internal governance and economic arrangements. He has acted for sponsors of buyout, venture capital, infrastructure, secondary, search, and other types of private market funds, including SeaFort Capital, Maverix Private Equity, Amplitude Venture Capital, Overbay Capital Partners, and Imperial Capital funds. In addition to his corporate practice, Michael actively supports nonprofit organizations, including having acted as corporate counsel to the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity, a Canadian provincial government-sponsored organization that he founded. Michael also served as the institute’s director for more than a decade. His other work for nonprofits has included advising the Heart & Stroke Foundation, COSTI Immigrant Services, and International Lawyers and Economists Against Poverty on corporate and commercial matters, as well as counseling organizations that support the welfare of children. Michael frequently writes and speaks on topics related to private equity investments, including open-ended funds and formation considerations for first-time funds. Prior to joining Mintz, Michael served as the head of the Private Equity Practice and the Funds Practice of a major Canadian law firm, where he led the firm’s work on transformational transactions and innovative fund structures.