J Wesley Jones

Practice Areas

Venture Capital and Mergers & Acquisitions lawyer Wes Jones has represented public and private companies in corporate transactions since 1995. Wes has extensive experience working with venture capital firms and their portfolio companies in the technology, energy and life sciences industries, with a focus on emerging and venture-backed technology companies.

In the mergers and acquisitions space, Wes represents both private equity funds and other strategic buyers, as well as emerging companies in their liquidation events or IPOs.

Having seen nearly every step in the maturity process of tech venture-backed companies, Wes brings unique insight to his clients. In 1998, he took a hiatus from law firm practice to help grow the software company BroadJump through three rounds of venture capital funding and a successful merger with Motive, and then led Motive through its IPO in 2004. In 2005, he returned to V&E, where he excels at helping clients build their companies from the ground up—resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, and significant liquidity for founders and investors.

In representing software company SailPoint Technologies, Wes has helped the company grow through multiple rounds of venture funding and as it acquired other businesses before taking it public in 2017. Wes has also represented Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures (SAEV) through multiple investments in the U.S.

Career

Clerk to The Honorable Walter J. Cummings, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 1995-1996; Admitted to Texas Bar, 1996; joined Vinson & Elkins, 1996; admitted to partnership, 2008; General Counsel of private, then publicly-traded, software company, 1999-2005.

Personal

The University of Texas School of Law, J.D. with honors, 1995 (Secretary of the Chancellors; Order of the Coif; Texas Law Review) and The University of Texas, B.B.A. Finance, 1992.