T. Wesley Brinkley*

Wes Brinkley is a Shareholder at Maynard Nexsen and serves as Chair of the Firm's Fund Formation & Investment Management Practice. He is also a member of the Firm's Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity practice groups, where he brings a sophisticated, cross-disciplinary perspective to the representation of investment managers and the broader financial services community.

Wes's principal focus is the formation of private investment funds, and he represents fund sponsors ranging from emerging managers to established institutional platforms. On the sponsor side, he has built an active and diverse practice counseling private investment fund sponsors and other investment managers across the full lifecycle of their businesses, spanning the formation of real estate funds, hedge funds, funds-of-funds, feeder funds, private equity funds, collective investment funds, and other similar investment vehicles. He is also particularly active in forming funds organized to invest in pre-IPO technology companies, a niche that has become an increasingly important part of his practice. On the investor side, Wes regularly represents institutional limited partners in connection with their fund investments, giving him a perspective on fund terms and structuring that spans both sides of the table. Beyond formation work, he provides ongoing registration, compliance, and reporting advice, helping these clients navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape with confidence.

Wes negotiates separate account agreements on behalf of investment managers seeking to structure customized arrangements with institutional investors, and he assists clients in their interactions with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other federal regulators. In addition, Wes advises asset managers and other investors on a range of securities issues, including Schedule 13D/G reporting obligations, Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act filings, and insider trading considerations, allowing him to serve as a trusted advisor on matters that often carry significant reputational and regulatory stakes.

Wes earned his law degree from Harvard Law School and his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was named a Morehead Scholar and graduated with honors and highest distinction with degrees in Business and Political Science. This academic foundation, paired with his substantive experience across fund formation, regulatory compliance, and securities law, informs the practical, business-oriented counsel he provides to clients throughout the investment management industry.

Community & Professional

• American Bar Association
• State Bar of Alabama
• State Bar of Georgia
• Junior Board of Directors, Alabama Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (2010–2012)
• Junior Executive Board, Birmingham Chapter of the American Cancer Society (2009–2011)
• Golf Committee, American Cancer Society Tee Up for Life (2012)

• Represented buyer of Oklahoma oil and gas assets from bankruptcy estate of New Source Energy Partners
• Formation of Fenwick Brands Fund I, a private equity fund to invest in consumer packaged goods
• Represented buyer of Sugar Grove Station, a former Navy Information Operations Command base in West Virginia
• Formation of a number of investment funds structured as Delaware Series LLC
• Assisted SEC-registered investment adviser with management of response to SEC examination
• Formation of global macro hedge fund
• Formation of collective investment trust for ERISA clients of pension consultant
• Formation of multiple Delaware and British Virgin Islands funds-of-funds (approximately $250 million) on behalf of asset manager
• Formation of series of investment trusts (approximately $75 million) for hospital association client
• Formation of timber investment fund for Fortune 500 company
• Representation of $2.8 billion state oil and gas royalty fund in numerous investment management matters
• Formation of angel private equity fund
• Sale of portfolio of private fund investments (capital commitment of $250 million) on secondary market

Recognition

• The Best Lawyers in America© for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law (2021- present), Business Organizations including LLCs and Partnerships, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law (2023 - present), and Venture Capital Law (2026)
• Best Lawyers® 2024 and 2026 “Lawyer of the Year” for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law

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