“Entrepreneur. MBA. Lawyer. Advisor. Mentor. Investor. He is the first person I call when making any significant decision.” - Entrepreneur & Startup Advisor Client
Brian is a partner in HMB’s Business and Finance Group. He is also a leader in the firm’s Venture Capital and Technology practices, founded HMB’s Social Impact practice (philanthropy and impact investing) and serves on the firm-wide Executive Committee. In addition, Brian leads the firm’s ETA/Search Fund efforts. He serves his company clients as day-to-day general counsel and regularly advises companies, investors, acquirors and executives on strategic and milestone transactions, often including venture capital and private equity transactions and mergers & acquisitions.
Brian partners with investors, entrepreneurs and executives on the legal and business issues they face at every stage, from startup through growth to exit. He coaches and guides his clients as they explore different strategies, transactions and opportunities.
The companies Brian works with are often technology driven or enabled and connected to a host of industries. His institutional clients include venture capital funds, private equity funds, family offices, search funds and fundless sponsors.
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In a cross-practice group collaboration through HMB’s Social Impact practice, Brian helps clients deploy capital to support social impact and philanthropic outcomes. In addition to being a social impact lawyer, he is an active member of the global community and also serves as the Chief Investment Officer of Beyond Capital Fund, an impact investment fund that invests in for-profit social enterprises in East Africa and India. More locally, he served as the inaugural Impact Investor in Residence at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business from 2015-2018.
Lawyer, Impact Investor, Tech Investor, Entrepreneur, Kitchen Sink
Brian has a reputation for pragmatic, solution-oriented outcomes, efficient and effective problem solving and technical expertise.
Experience
- Startup and early stage companies (particularly, technology driven and enabled),
- Angel investors
- Venture capital funds
- Inbound C-suite executives
- “Old-line” middle market businesses
- Banking institutions
- Private equity funds and mezzanine and specialty finance (e.g., equipment lenders) companies
Education
- Northwestern University School of Law, J.D.
- University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, M.B.A. with honors
- University of Michigan, B.A. in Economics and History
News
- Client Success: HMB Represents Lumiata in Sale to Market Leader in Value-based Kidney CareMay 16, 2022
HMB would like to congratulate Lumaita, a healthcare-specific AI platform, on a successful sale to Somatus, the nation’s leading and largest value-based kidney care company. Lumiata is a predictive analytics company that specializes in tools for healthcare. Lumiata was represented by Brett M. Winterstein, Brian H. Axelrad, Marla M. Izbicky and Ryan T. Kelley.
- Client Success: Aegon Asset Management and Avenue Capital Group Closes $50MM in Growth FinancingDecember 9, 2021
HMB congratulates clients Aegon Asset Management and Avenue Capital Group which recently announced the closing of a $50 Million growth financing round in Intellihot to advance innovative green technologies.
- Client Success: HMB Represents Long-time Client and Social Enterprise LuminAID in Sale to Leading Provider of Outdoor Recreation ProductsDecember 1, 2021
HMB Represents Long-time Client and Social Enterprise LuminAID in Sale to Leading Provider of Outdoor Recreation Products.
- Client Success: HMB Congratulates Impact Investment Fund Beyond Capital Ventures on its Investment in Vieberg TechnologiesSeptember 1, 2021
Beyond Capital Ventures invests in next wave innovation addressing the growing needs of 1 billion+ consumers in India and East Africa. The firm first closed in Spring 2021 and will invest in conscious leaders building businesses to address growing needs in “need-to-have” sectors, primarily in healthcare, agriculture and financial inclusion.
- Client Success: HMB Congratulates Everywhere Wireless on Growth Capital Investment with Boston-based Private Equity FirmJuly 23, 2021
HMB would like to congratulate Everywhere Wireless, a preeminent Internet service provider in Chicago, and CEO and Founder Keegan Bonebrake and the rest of the Everywhere Wireless team on a successful investment round with M/C Partners ("M/C"), a Boston-based communications and technology focused private equity firm. Everywhere Wireless, one of the largest private Internet Service Providers to multi-family and commercial…
blog
- Cybersecurity PreparednessJanuary 29, 2020
As 2020 kicks off, cybersecurity remains ever present in the news whether its predictions for cyberattacks in conflict between state actors, such as the United States and Iran, or the recent New York Times report regarding a possible hack at the Ukrainian gas company at the heart of the impeachment investigations.
- SEC Proposes Changes to Accredited Investor Standard and Assesses its Impact on the MarketplaceJanuary 9, 2020
In December 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) proposed amendments to the definitions of “accredited investor” and “qualified institutional buyer”.
