Kevin Vela

Kevin Vela is the managing Partner at Vela Wood. He focuses his practice in the areas of venture financing, M&A, fund representation, and gaming law. In recent years, he has represented both startups and investors in hundreds of convertible instrument and equity financing transactions ranging from angel rounds through Series C rounds. Kevin has been selected as a Super Lawyer in 2021 and 2022, a Super Lawyer Rising Star in 2014-2018, a Top Latino Lawyer three times, a Best Lawyer in Dallas by D Magazine five times, including most recently in 2023, and is a Texas Bar Foundation Fellow, an honor granted to 1/3 of 1% of Texas attorneys. Kevin Vela is a graduate of the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, where he earned his B.A in Business Administration and J.D. with Honors.

Prior to law school, Kevin spent seven years in Dallas, working in finance and marketing. Although he began his career working for Fortune 500 companies, an entrepreneurial spirit led Kevin to pursue roles in several startup companies. Later, he started his own business, a test preparation company. Having scored in the top five percent on the GMAT, LSAT, and GRE, Kevin used his test-taking expertise to help thousands of students increase their scores and gain admission to graduate school.

Kevin is active in the business and startup communities. He currently teaches two separate venture law courses at SMU Dedman School of Law and is a part of the Dallas Business Journal Leadership Trust, a network of influential business leaders in Dallas. Kevin is active in promoting a responsible gaming agenda in Texas and is a board member of the Fantasy Sports Gaming Association. He is also a member of Digital Dallas and is the Chairman of the Board of the Greenville Avenue Area Business Association (which puts on the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dallas). Kevin is a mentor for RevTech, a leading venture fund and accelerator, and co-manages Blossom Street Ventures, a Dallas-based SAAS and software venture capital fund.

Contact

• Telephone: (214) 821-2300
• E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Website: velawood.com/kevin-vela