Mark Paist

Mark Paist serves as an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School, teaching in the International Transactions Clinic. With over 30 years of legal practice, he specializes in international development finance, complex corporate transactions, and cross-border infrastructure projects globally.

His academic background includes:

• BA in Economics from Stanford University
• Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia

Paist's research focuses on Corporate and Securities Law and International and Comparative Law, emphasizing legal frameworks for infrastructure development, political risk management, and emerging market investments. His expertise bridges transactional law with sustainable development finance, drawn from decades structuring multinational deals in high-risk environments.

Notable career positions include Associate General Counsel for Project Finance at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC/DFC), where he managed multibillion-dollar portfolios, and Principal Legal Counsel at Africa50 in Casablanca, where he spearheaded infrastructure financing across Africa until his 2023 return to the United States. He currently mentors students in the International Transactions Clinic, guiding cross-border advisory work with startups in Kenya and Costa Rica as reported in June 2025.