Mr. Lea practices primarily in the areas of investment management, fund formations, and private equity and venture capital transactions. He has handled a large volume of private equity and mezzanine financings, created private investment funds and funds of funds, including buyout, venture capital, hybrid and multi-asset class funds, and advised clients on private placement, investment advisers and investment company act issues, and investment adviser registration and compliance. Mr. Lea is also familiar with nonprofit corporations’ tax exemption, unrelated business taxable income and governance issues.
Mr. Lea has drafted and negotiated numerous shareholder, partnership, and LLC operating agreements, insured buy-sell arrangements, employment and compensation agreements, co-investment funds for key employees, and other corporate and commercial arrangements typically encountered by private equity and other asset management firms and closely held businesses. Mr. Lea works out of both the firm’s Charlotte and Chapel Hill offices.