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Douglas R. Spear

Douglas R. Spear

Partner

Atlantic Station
201 17th Street NW
Suite 1700
Atlanta, GA 30363
T 404.322.6266
doug.spear@nelsonmullins.com
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Doug is the Co-Chair of the firm’s Corporate practice group and is a leading adviser to high growth businesses and their investors. He combines practical legal expertise and judgment with strong business acumen to provide clients with unique legal representation.

From 2022 to 2024, Doug was the Chief Legal Officer of Greenlight Financial Technology, Inc., where he...

Doug is the Co-Chair of the firm’s Corporate practice group and is a leading adviser to high growth businesses and their investors. He combines practical legal expertise and judgment with strong business acumen to provide clients with unique legal representation.

From 2022 to 2024, Doug was the Chief Legal Officer of Greenlight Financial Technology, Inc., where he was responsible for all aspects of the company’s legal, compliance and privacy functions and served as an active member of the management team of one of the world’s leading consumer and fintech companies.  

Previously, Doug helped to build and lead the firm's Emerging Companies practice, advising emerging and growth stage technology and life science companies, as well as venture capital firms and angel investors. Over the course of more than 25 years in practice, Doug has helped clients to close thousands of transactions yielding billions of dollars in growth capital and liquidity.  

Doug was ranked in Band 4 by Chambers and Partners in its 2020 and 2021 Startups and Emerging Companies USA Nationwide survey, noting that he “is well regarded for his practice representing technology and software startups, as well as their investors.” Doug is extremely active in startup communities in the Southeast and beyond, working closely with founders, investors, and other advisors to help to build growing companies in various industries. In this regard, Doug and his team serve as outside general counsel to hundreds of growing companies.

Doug previously served as an Adjunct Professor at Emory University School of Law, where he taught the Venture Capital Law course from 2014 to 2024.

Douglas R. Spear

was responsible for all aspects of the company’s legal, compliance and privacy functions and served as an active member of the management team of one of the world’s leading consumer and fintech companies.  

Previously, Doug helped to build and lead the firm's Emerging Companies practice, advising emerging and growth stage technology and life science companies, as well as venture capital firms and angel investors. Over the course of more than 25 years in practice, Doug has helped clients to close thousands of transactions yielding billions of dollars in growth capital and liquidity.  

Doug was ranked in Band 4 by Chambers and Partners in its 2020 and 2021 Startups and Emerging Companies USA Nationwide survey, noting that he “is well regarded for his practice representing technology and software startups, as well as their investors.” Doug is extremely active in startup communities in the Southeast and beyond, working closely with founders, investors, and other advisors to help to build growing companies in various industries. In this regard, Doug and his team serve as outside general counsel to hundreds of growing companies.

Doug previously served as an Adjunct Professor at Emory University School of Law, where he taught the Venture Capital Law course from 2014 to 2024.

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Recognitions

The bar rules of some states require that the standards for an attorney's inclusion in certain public accolades or recognitions be provided. When such accolades or recognitions are listed, a hyperlink is provided that leads to a description of the respective selection methodology.

Community

  • Member of the Board of Trustees of The Temple Hebrew Benevolent Congregation in Atlanta
  • Former Member of Board of Directors, Jewish Family and Career Services of Atlanta
  • Involved in numerous charitable and civic organizations in Atlanta

Doug is the Co-Chair of the firm’s Corporate practice group and is a leading adviser to high growth businesses and their investors. He combines practical legal expertise and judgment with strong business acumen to provide clients with unique legal representation.

From 2022 to 2024, Doug was the Chief Legal Officer of Greenlight Financial Technology, Inc., where he... was responsible for all aspects of the company’s legal, compliance and privacy functions and served as an active member of the management team of one of the world’s leading consumer and fintech companies.  

Previously, Doug helped to build and lead the firm's Emerging Companies practice, advising emerging and growth stage technology and life science companies, as well as venture capital firms and angel investors. Over the course of more than 25 years in practice, Doug has helped clients to close thousands of transactions yielding billions of dollars in growth capital and liquidity.  

Doug was ranked in Band 4 by Chambers and Partners in its 2020 and 2021 Startups and Emerging Companies USA Nationwide survey, noting that he “is well regarded for his practice representing technology and software startups, as well as their investors.” Doug is extremely active in startup communities in the Southeast and beyond, working closely with founders, investors, and other advisors to help to build growing companies in various industries. In this regard, Doug and his team serve as outside general counsel to hundreds of growing companies.

Doug previously served as an Adjunct Professor at Emory University School of Law, where he taught the Venture Capital Law course from 2014 to 2024.

Education

  • University of Pittsburgh School of Law, JD (1998)
  • University of Pennsylvania, BA, with honors (1995)

Admissions

  • Georgia
  • Pennsylvania

Practice Areas

Industries

The bar rules of some states require that the standards for an attorney's inclusion in certain public accolades or recognitions be provided. When such accolades or recognitions are listed, a hyperlink is provided that leads to a description of the respective selection methodology.

  • Member of the Board of Trustees of The Temple Hebrew Benevolent Congregation in Atlanta
  • Former Member of Board of Directors, Jewish Family and Career Services of Atlanta
  • Involved in numerous charitable and civic organizations in Atlanta