Lelamarie Kelly | Corporate Attorney, Of Counsel
Lela Kelly joined Carbon Law Group in 2021. Her practice primarily consists of technology and other related transactions, equity and/or debt financings, complex financial transactions, general corporate matters, commercial transactions, and privacy laws.
Professional Experience
Upon graduating law school in 2009, Lela started her legal career at San Francisco office of Jones Day. During her time with the firm, Lela assisted in the formation of a growth equity fund consisting of overseas investors looking to invest in later-stage, pre-IPO companies. To that end, she researched and prepared memoranda on the legal and business issues concerning fund formations and participated in exempt security financings under Reg. D of the Securities Act of 1933. She also reviewed private placement documents for overseas private equity investments and drafted and revised numerous multi-million dollar loan work-out documents for large banking institutions. Lastly, Lela researched and wrote legal memoranda regarding the impact of the Affordable Care Act on the acquisition and expansion of physician-owned hospitals.
Upon departing Jones Day, Lela went into private practice and has been acting as outside general counsel for a variety of start-up and emerging growth companies. As such, Lela has enjoyed a large amount of responsibility and has been able to find innovative ways to address her clients’ legal matters.
Lela’s work includes management of corporate books, documenting shareholder and director meetings, stock incentive plans and related agreements, buy-sell agreements for both corporations and LLCs, distributor and reseller agreements as well as mutual release and non-disparagement agreements. She also drafts marketing agreements, licensing agreements, supplier agreements, basic intellectual property agreements, as well as employment and consulting agreements. In addition to overseeing her clients’ general corporate needs, Lela is in charge of ensuring her clients’ strict compliance with some industry specific regulations, namely HIPAA and ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations). Recently, she represented a seed investor in negotiating the newly popular SAFE (simple agreement for future equity). Notably, Lela has acted as sole counsel representing her clients in various transactions, including an acquisition of a distressed e-mail hosting company by an e-mail security company, in addition to a variety of equity and debt financing deals. Due to her extensive duties, she gained meaningful experience that enhanced her ability to quickly learn and master a variety of legal tasks.
Educational Experience
Lela received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern California, magna cum laude. She subsequently obtained her Juris Doctor degree from UCLA School of Law, with a specialization in business law. Lela brings strong corporate and technology experience, including experience at one of the most reputable global firms. She is admitted to practice law in California