Brian Wolfe is a lawyer, investor, and educator with deep expertise in private equity, entrepreneurship and small business acquisition. He is a retired partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where he practiced private equity M&A law for 17 years, and is the managing partner of Funded Ventures, an investment firm focused on small business acquisition. Brian previously co-led a SaaS roll-up with sale to Alpine Investors.

Brian also teaches courses on “Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition” and private equity at Washington University in St. Louis, the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, and Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, and speaks frequently on these topics.

Brian serves on the board and audit committee of Chicago Public Media (owner of the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ), and the boards of Intersect Illinois, Breakthrough T1D Illinois, the Greater Chicago Legal Clinic, and the Skandalaris Center at Washington University. He was appointed by Governor Pritzker to serve on the Illinois Courts Commission and is a member of both the Economic Club of Chicago and Young Presidents’ Organization.

Outside of work, Brian enjoys watching his four kids perform on the sports field and theater stage, playing golf and paddle tennis, and traveling with his family.