Barnes Shaun Gradient
Barnes Shaun Square

Shaun Barnes

Partner

Shaun Barnes represents domestic and international private equity, growth equity, and venture capital fund sponsors. Focusing on middle-market and lower-middle market firms, Shaun advises fund sponsors on all aspects of the fund formation process, as well as GP-led secondaries, internal sponsor business arrangements and regulatory compliance. He also advises institutional investors in connection with primary fund investments, co-investments, and secondary transactions. Shaun brings a unique breadth of experience to his client work given his prior practice in Hong Kong advising a variety of Asia-based private equity sponsors investing across the region.

Shaun’s clients have included New Energy Capital Partners, Chiratae Ventures, Omega Funds, i-Qu & Co., LFM Capital Partners, and Grove Street Advisors.

  • XPV Water Partners in forming XPV Water Fund III, a $350 million water-focused private equity fund, and multiple co-invest funds.
  • Sverica Capital Partners VI, a $750 million private equity fund.
  • Riverside Partners in a $532 million, multi-asset GP-led secondary transaction.
  • New Energy Capital Infrastructure Credit Fund II, a $500 million clean energy infrastructure fund.
  • LFM Capital Partners II, a $184 million private equity fund focused on the manufacturing and industrial sector.
  • Ecosystem Investment Partners in the formation of their fifth flagship fund.
  • Nebrodi Partners in multiple private equity primary investments and co-investments.
  • Grove Street Advisors on the formation of multiple separately managed accounts for global institutional investors.
  • Cherry Ventures on U.S. fundraising and structuring matters.
  • BlueYard Capital on U.S. in the formation of U.S.-domiciled digital assets funds.
  • Vidia Equity on U.S. fundraising and structuring matters.

  • “Retail investment strategy (RIS): Democratization of investment funds,” speaker, YPOG PE Legal Conference, June 2024

  • Member of the Board of Directors, Greater Boston Legal Services
  • Member of the Board of Directors, Project Place
  • Member of Choate’s Pro Bono Committee

  • Duke University School of Law, JD (2012) magna cum laude
  • Boston University, MA (2009)
  • Boston University, BA (2005) summa cum laude

  • Massachusetts