Erick Marin – Locust Point Capital

When Erick Marin picks up a guitar, his focus narrows to the music—the rhythm, the tone, the precision of each note. It’s the same disciplined concentration he brings to his role as general counsel and chief compliance officer for Locust Point Capital, a lower middle market lender and investor specializing in the seniors housing and care industry.

Erick Marin | Locust Point Capital | General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer

“The discipline, focus, and repetition to be a good musician is similar to being a lawyer,” Marin says. “You have to put in the time to develop the skill set. The ability to tune out distractions and focus on what’s in front of you is key in both.”

For Marin, that balance of creativity and structure is what defines his success. After two decades in Miami’s growing financial sector, he’s built a career on adaptability, relationships, and a deep sense of purpose—qualities that have helped him guide Locust Point Capital through a new chapter of strategic growth.

The firm, which relocated its headquarters from New Jersey to Miami, provides short-term, non-dilutive capital to owner-operators in the seniors housing and care industry. Its innovative lending platform offers a full capital stack—from senior mortgages to subordinate debt and preferred equity—helping operators expand, refinance, or remodel facilities that serve aging populations nationwide.

At a time when demographic shifts are reshaping the U.S. economy, Marin’s leadership is helping the firm meet an urgent social and financial need: the growing shortage of quality senior care housing.

From LA to Miami, a journey built on purpose

Marin’s path to becoming a general counsel wasn’t linear, but it was intentional. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Hawthorne, California—home of the Beach Boys—he grew up in a household rooted in hard work and aspiration. His parents, immigrants from Costa Rica, instilled in him a deep appreciation for opportunity.

“I’m the first person in my family to graduate from college and law school,” he says. “Making my parents proud has always been a big part of my motivation. I think about that every morning over a cup of coffee.”

After earning a degree in philosophy from Tulane University and a law degree from Boston University, Marin began his legal career in Boston. But when a close friend—now Miami Mayor Francis Suarez—encouraged him to consider South Florida, he took the leap.

“That decision changed my life,” he reflects.

Miami was still emerging as a finance hub when Marin arrived. His early years in private practice connected him with major investment clients, including H.I.G. Capital, where he would spend the next 17 years as assistant general counsel. There, Marin was part of a transformative period, helping the firm grow from $3.5 billion to $67 billion in assets under management.

“That was where I really got under the hood of the private funds business,” he says. “It was a front-row seat to see how a firm can evolve from a regional player to a global organization. It taught me the business side of law, not just the legal side.”

That experience—working across fund strategies and managing legal operations for 18 global offices—laid the foundation for Marin’s next step: leading the legal and compliance function for a smaller but highly focused private investment firm ready to scale.

A growth story

Locust Point Capital represents a different kind of challenge. Unlike the large, structured environment of H.I.G., Locust Point’s team is lean. Marin leads legal, compliance, and even human resources, often wearing multiple hats throughout the day.

“I’m one of five people who contribute to the management of this firm,” he says. “As part of the management team and investment committee, I help make decisions that directly shape our strategy and future. It feels entrepreneurial.”

Since joining the firm in June 2024, Marin has taken on a major initiative: restructuring Locust Point’s Senior Mortgage Fund into an evergreen fund. Once completed, this shift will allow for continuous capital raising—enabling the firm to serve clients more flexibly while expanding its investor base.

It’s a timely move. The seniors housing sector faces a widening gap between supply and demand. Based on U.S census data and information from NIC MAP (a data analytics platform exclusively focused on the seniors housing and care sector), the U.S. needs roughly 60,000 new senior living units each year in order to maintain pace with current demand. However, less than 14,000 units have been built in the U.S. in each of the last 2 years. Eric Smith and Daniel Contardi, Locust Point’s founders and seasoned veterans in the space, recognized the opportunity and moved to Miami to position the company for its next phase of growth.

With approximately $1.6 billion in regulatory assets under management, Locust Point has plans to grow that number severalfold.

“Our founders see potential to reach $5 to $10 billion over the next few years,” Marin says. “It’s exciting to help build the infrastructure to support that growth from the ground up.”

In practical terms, that has meant revising compliance programs, modernizing fund documentation, and hiring key personnel—including a compliance officer who joined in 2025 after a nearly nine-month search.

“It’s been one of the biggest challenges of being in a small shop,” he says. “You’re responsible for everything, and hiring the right people can take time. But once you get the right team in place, it makes all the difference.”

The small-firm advantage

Working in a smaller firm also means being close to the action—something Marin relishes after years in a larger corporate environment.

“With this job, I’m up early every day because I’m excited to be part of the decision-making process,” he says. “Having a seat at the table with the founders and management team makes it feel like this place is partially mine. I get to see the direct impact of my work.”

That sense of ownership is what drew him to Locust Point. While larger firms offer stability and resources, smaller organizations provide agility and influence.

“Here, there’s no bureaucracy,” he explains. “If I have an idea, I can walk down the hall, talk to the founders, and we can make a decision in real time.”

It’s also a culture that values collaboration and cross-functional thinking. Marin’s role often extends beyond law and compliance—he’s involved in software implementation, payroll systems, and strategic planning.

“In a small firm, you have to be well-rounded,” he says. “You can’t just stay in your lane.”

That adaptability mirrors his philosophy as both a lawyer and a musician. Success, he believes, depends on the ability to stay sharp, keep learning, and stay attuned to the rhythm of change.

“Lawyers often struggle to be well-rounded,” he says. “They’re driven by academics and career, but the best lawyers I know have something outside of work that keeps them grounded.”

For Marin, that grounding comes from music—and a lifelong passion for performance and sound.

Music, motion & mindset

Marin started playing music at four years old, and today, his home “looks like a music store.” He plays guitar daily and collects instruments from around the world. Music is more than a hobby—it’s a reflection of how he approaches problem-solving, leadership, and balance.

“The discipline you develop as a musician is exactly what you need in law,” he says. “It’s about practice, repetition, and understanding that mastery doesn’t happen overnight. You have to stay humble enough to keep learning.”

When the pressures of his work mount, Marin often turns to his guitar.

“It’s a great outlet when things get stressful,” he admits. “There’s something therapeutic about focusing on the sound and letting everything else go quiet.”

That same pursuit of rhythm and control extends beyond his career and music. Marin maintains a rigorous workout schedule—five or six days a week—and indulges a love for adrenaline-filled hobbies, including motorcycles and sports cars.

“I just bought a Porsche 911 Carrera S,” he says, laughing. “I’ve wanted one for a long time. For me, driving is like music—pure focus and feeling.”

And like his favorite blues-rock guitarist, Chris Buck of the U.K. band Cardinal Black, Marin sees artistry as a form of expression that requires constant refinement.

“He has such an expressive, vocal touch on the guitar,” Marin says. “It’s inspiring—it reminds me that even in law, there’s an art to what we do.”

As Locust Point Capital continues to grow, Marin is focused on building a legal and compliance function that scales with it—an infrastructure that will sustain the firm through its next several funds and expansions.

He’s also thinking about his own trajectory. “I’ve always got an eye on the next thing,” he says. “Whether it’s expanding my role here, serving on a board, or continuing to build my personal brand, I want to keep evolving.”

It’s a mindset that reflects the same energy driving Locust Point’s future: the willingness to take risks, think creatively, and pursue excellence with discipline.

From his early days in Boston to his rise in Miami’s financial world, Marin’s journey is proof that success comes from mastering both the scales and the spreadsheets—balancing the art of focus with the rhythm of ambition.