Ari Zak

Ari Zak is a Partner in the Firm’s Tax Practice. He focuses his practice on the taxation of investment funds and their investors, particularly on matters relating to mutual funds, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, business development companies and variable insurance funds. He also advises on matters relating to private investment funds, including debt funds and private equity funds, in addition to transactional matters involving clients in the financial services industry.

Ari frequently provides guidance on the structuring and launch of new funds and financial products, regulatory disclosures, mergers and restructurings involving investment funds, ongoing tax compliance requirements and the tax treatment of financial instruments.

Notable experience prior to joining Simpson Thacher includes advising:

• Antares Capital in connection with the launch of Antares Private Credit Fund, a public, non-traded business development company
• KKR Income Opportunities Fund (KIO) and KKR Credit Advisors on the acquisition of the assets of Insight Select Income Fund by KIO
• Centerbridge Partners in the formation of Overland Advisors, its strategic partnership with Wells Fargo to launch a private credit platform
• North Haven Private Income Fund LLC (PIF) and SL Investment Corp. (SLIC), each a BDC managed by MS Capital Partners Adviser Inc., on their merger agreement for PIF to acquire SLIC
• AllianceBernstein L.P. in connection with the launch of AB Private Lending Fund, a public, non-traded, perpetually offered BDC
• Crescent Capital Group LP on the launch of several direct lending funds, including Crescent Direct Lending Fund III, which raised $6 billion in investable capital

A highly talented lawyer, Ari has been recognized by The Legal 500 US for Tax: U.S. Non-Contentious Tax and by Chambers USA for Tax. He also serves as Vice-Chair of the Investment Management Committee of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation and is a Member of the Investment Company Institute Tax Advisory Committee. A thought leader in the tax space, Ari is an author of the Bloomberg BNA Tax Management Portfolio on Taxation of Regulated Investment Companies.

Ari received his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 2006, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and a Member of the Columbia Business Law Review, and received his B.S., summa cum laude, from Yeshiva University in 2002. He is admitted to practice in New York.