George T. Lee
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George T. Lee

Partner

Chair, Financial Services Industry GroupChair, Private Equity/ Investment Practice Group

Dallas
P 214.855.3035

My clients like working with me for my legal skills and my practical advice. Because I have served as both inside and as outside general counsel for investment managers, I have the experience to know what is important from both a legal and a business perspective. I enjoy getting to know my clients and having them rely on me as their trusted advisor.

George Lee is well known as one of the top investment management lawyers in Texas. His practice includes representation of private equity funds, hedge funds, registered investment advisers, and family offices.

George represents both emerging managers and well established firms in all phases of their business, including fund formation, investment management agreements prime brokerage agreements, seed investments, side letters, separately managed accounts, and mergers and acquisitions. He thoroughly understands all state and federal laws applicable to investment managers and represents clients in connection with SEC, CFTC, and Texas Securities Board registrations and examinations. He also advises family offices on the family office registration exemption and represents them in the negotiation of their investments with fund managers.

George’s legal career has included working in New York city with an AMLAW 100 law firm, starting a boutique law firm focused on the investment management industry and serving as general counsel to a private fund manager. For many years, George worked at international law firm Akin Gump. In 2008, he launched and grew Lee & Stone, which merged with Gardere & Wynne (now Foley & Lardner) in 2014. Prior to Lee and Stone, he was general counsel, chief compliance officer, and chief operating officer of Greenway Capital, a Dallas- based hedge fund manager.

A seasoned business lawyer as well as an industry thought leader, George is credited with shaping state and federal securities laws, including the Texas private fund managers’ exemption and the SEC family office exemption.

Significant Matters

  • Representation of a crypto currency manager in the 2022 launch of a Cayman Islands Master Feeder Fund.
  • Representation of a large family office in connection with multiple investments in all asset classes.(2019-present).
  • Representation of a private equity firm in the launch of their fourth fund and related co-investment vehicles. 2021-2022.
  • Representation of an electricity trading firm in the launch of their first energy trading fund. 2021.
  • Representation of a seasoned hedge fund manager in the launch of its first special situations fund 2022.
  • Representation of a retiring wealth manager in the sale of his SEC registered investment adviser 2021.
  • Representation of a Catholic charity in the launch of its first social impact fund. 2021.
  • Representation of a large family office in restructuring its seed investment in a private equity fund manager 2021.
  • Representation of a private equity fund in recapitalization of its portfolio investment in an oil field services company in 2021.
  • Representation of energy company in launch of first solar fund. 2019.
  • Representation of the sponsor of an oil and gas fund in its Rule 506(c) offering in 2019.
  • Representation of the sponsor in the launch of a $50 million qualified opportunity fund
  • Representation of the sponsor in the launch of $150 million solar fund
  • Representation of the sponsor in the launch of a $50 million private equity fund
  • Representation of the sponsor in the launch of a $125 million hedge fund
  • Representation of the sponsor in the 506(c) offering of a $75 million oil and gas fund
  • Representation of the registered investment adviser in the acquisition of another RIA
  • Representation of the registered investment adviser in the investigation by Texas Securities Board
  • Representation of the registered investment adviser in the launch of a SMA business

Areas of Focus

Industries

Services

Education

Education

  • University of Texas at Austin School of Law (J.D., 1987)
    • Phi Delta Phi
  • Carleton College, Northfield, MN (B.B.A., Economics, with honors, 1983)

Admissions

Bar Admissions
  • Texas, 1987
  • New York, 2002
Court Admissions
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District, Texas, 1991
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District, Texas, 1989

Leadership

  • State Bar of Texas, Business Law Section, Executive Council (2019-present)
  • State Bar of Texas, Business Law Section, Investment Funds Chair (2014-2022)
  • State Bar of Texas, Securities Law Committee, Vice-Chair (2023-present)
  • Dallas Bar Association, Securities Law Section, Chair (2018)
  • Private Equity CFO Association, Advisory Board, Dallas Ft. Worth Chapter, Member
  • CASA of Dallas Volunteer
  • Pro Bono representation of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
  • Active supporter of St. Philips School and Community Center
  • Active supporter of Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program

Recognition

  • Best Lawyers in America, 2023 Lawyer of the Year, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
  • Best Lawyers in America® for Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, and Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law 2020-2023
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® Rating

AV-Preeminent-Rating-2021

 

Speeches/Publications

  • Speaker, Raising Funds for Private Equity, State Bar of Texas Choice, Governance & Acquisition of Entities CLE, June 2, 2023.
  • Presenter, thirteenth annual Essentials of Business Law, 2022.
  • Author, Co-Investments and the ethics of investing with your client, 2022.
  • Moderator of panel, From Bitcoin to DeFi: regulatory and legislative developments in the digital asset world, 2021.
  • Speaker, Basics of a Private Securities Offering, State Bar of Texas CLE, March 11, 2011.
  • A Close Look at the New Texas M&A Broker Exemption, Law 360, April 30, 2015.
  • Effective Disclosure of Investment Advisor Risks, Journal of Practical Compliance & Risk Management, May-June 2012.

Outside of Work

On weekends, George is as likely to be found on the golf course as at the symphony. He and his wife also enjoy watching independent movies and visiting their daughter in Upstate New York.