Corporate partners James Kelly and Jeffrey Steele have joined Holland & Hart’s Salt Lake City office, bringing their comprehensive emerging company and investment fund experience to the firm’s market-leading Emerging Growth and Venture Capital/Private Equity practices.
“Holland & Hart has become a cornerstone of the emerging growth/venture capital/private equity ecosystem in Utah, and the addition of Jeff and Jim reaffirms our leadership while broadening our services to clients,” said Eric Maxfield, Holland & Hart’s Salt Lake City office administrative partner. “Their arrival adds significant depth to our representation of companies, investors, and funds. This is a significant development for our clients, the firm, and the state's entrepreneurial and investment communities.”
James Kelly has broad private investment fund expertise that includes working with hedge, private equity, real estate, and venture capital funds, and funds of funds. He represents clients in all aspects of their businesses, including fund formation, and myriad ongoing compliance, investment, operational, and regulatory matters. Jim’s practice includes advising investment managers and investors on complex business arrangements, including launching and seeding new investment programs and businesses, fund restructurings, and management reorganizations and spin-outs. Mr. Kelly is admitted to practice only in Massachusetts; he is not admitted to practice in Utah.
Jeffrey Steele counsels clients on securities and general corporate law matters, with a particular focus on emerging and developing companies in technology industries, including telecommunications, medical devices, software, and biotechnology. For more than two decades, start-ups, developing companies, and investment and venture capital firms have looked to him for counsel regarding private placements, seed and venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, licensing, initial and secondary public offerings, public company compliance work, and executive employment matters.
“We’re excited to have Jim and Jeff join our Corporate team. Not only will their services be valued in Utah, but throughout our region and the emerging growth and private investment fund communities we serve nationally,” said David Garcia, the leader of Holland & Hart’s Corporate Practice Group, which includes more than 60 professionals, of which 11 work out of the firm’s Salt Lake City office.
Kelly and Steele previously founded the Salt Lake City office of Boston-based law firm Morse, Barnes-Brown & Pendleton PC.