2019 speakers

Michael Kelley has more than 25 years of experience assisting U.S. and international companies and funds with all of their investment needs. He represents both inbound and outbound investors on the structuring, documentation, issuance, and management of investment funds, including providing counsel on regulatory compliance and best practices. He is experienced across a broad range of asset classes, including private equity, venture capital, and blockchain.

Michael is the former general counsel of EMP Global, where he oversaw approximately $8 billion in assets across 10 different investment funds in emerging markets. He has served on investment committees and advisory boards for funds, as well as boards of directors for project companies, in Latin America, the United States, Canada, Asia, and the Middle East.

He has supplemented his investment funds work as a transaction attorney and thought leader in the realm of litigation finance. He advises on the structuring and documentation of litigation finance transactions between and among funders, claimants, and law firms. He is also a frequent speaker at litigation finance conferences.

Michael also has significant experience with social impact investment funds, including creating innovative structures for blending for-profit and nonprofit capital. He also provides general corporate counsel, and he has served as an arbitrator and mediator in complex financial and trade disputes at the American Arbitration Association and the International Centre for Dispute Resolution.

Outside of his legal practice, Michael volunteers with a number of social impact investment incubators in Washington, D.C., and is an avid sailor and distance swimmer.