Choate adds fund formation partner Jason Karlinsky in New York

Choate Hall & Stewart has hired Jason S. Karlinsky as a partner in its Fund Formation and Investment Management practice, adding a lawyer with experience at Lowenstein Sandler and Credit Suisse Asset Management. The move is designed to deepen the firm’s capabilities in fund structuring and strengthen its New York presence.

Why it matters: - Choate is expanding a nationally recognized practice that advises fund managers and institutional investors. - Jason Karlinsky brings both legal and in-house asset management experience, which Choate says will help clients across the fund lifecycle. - The hire strengthens Choate’s New York footprint in a competitive market for fund formation and investment management talent.

What happened: - Choate Hall & Stewart added Jason S. Karlinsky as a partner in its Fund Formation and Investment Management practice. - Karlinsky joined from Lowenstein Sandler, where he served as senior counsel in the Investment Management Group in New York. - Choate also brought in Zohar Nadler, an associate from Lowenstein Sandler, for the same practice. - The announcement was made June 17, 2026.

The details: - Karlinsky has experience advising on investment fund structures across asset classes and across U.S. and international markets. - He spent 16 years at Credit Suisse Asset Management as in-house counsel and Americas Co-Head of Product and Business Development. - At Credit Suisse Asset Management, Karlinsky helped develop and structure new private and public investment products. - Lee Feldman, practice chair of Choate’s Private Equity and M&A Group, said Karlinsky’s background in fund structuring and operations fits the firm’s integrated, business-focused approach. - Karlinsky earned his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and editor of the Columbia Journal of Law and Social Problems. - Karlinsky earned his B.A. from Yale University, where he graduated with distinction in his major. - Karlinsky is admitted to practice in New York. - Choate Hall & Stewart says its core practices include private equity and middle market M&A, finance and restructuring, complex investigations and litigation, intellectual property, and wealth management. - Choate says its partners and practice areas are consistently recognized by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, Best Lawyers and Benchmark Litigation.

Between the lines: - The hire pairs a law-firm lateral move with a client-side background, a combination that can appeal to fund managers facing more complex regulatory and operating demands. - Adding both a partner and an associate from the same firm suggests Choate is building depth, not just adding one marquee name. - The move also signals continued competition among major firms for investment-management talent in New York.

What’s next: - Karlinsky is expected to help Choate advise fund managers on structuring, launch, and day-to-day operations. - Choate is positioning the practice for further growth as fund managers navigate a tougher regulatory and market environment. - The firm’s New York investment-management team is likely to be a focus area as Choate continues expanding its platform.

The bottom line: - Choate is betting that Karlinsky’s mix of fund formation and asset-management operating experience will deepen client coverage and accelerate growth in New York.