Who is Vela Wood?
Welcome to Vela | Wood

Vela Wood (VW) is a boutique full service law firm with a local feel and a global impact. We focus our practice in the areas of M&A, Sports & Gaming, Venture Capital, and Corporate Transactions. We pride ourselves in building real relationships with our clients and partnering with them for the long-haul.

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We’ve Got You Covered
Mergers & Acquisitions
Startups & Venture
Sports Law
Fund Representation
Intellectual Property
Need Help Along the Way?
Vela Wood Podcasts

Whether you’re a first-time founder or a serial entrepreneur, we have a podcast for you. We’ll walk you through the legal side of things and share our experiences counseling hundreds of startups.

Podcasts
Venture Glossary

Our Venture Glossary will be your new best friend. It features over 500 terms that are common parlance in the startup world, from Accelerated Vesting to Zombie.

Venture Glossary
Venture Deals in Review

To provide analysis on early-stage venture financing in North Texas, we have reviewed our venture transactions on a year-by-year basis.

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How We’ve Helped Our Clients
Telos Health Solution

Telos provides technology solutions that deliver real-time patient measure updates and intuitive care coordination workflows that enhance community care providers’ ability to make timely value-based care decisions.  Telos came to VW after a year of operations and VW helped Telos […]

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Learn from Our Experience
Funding & Capital Raising
Understanding 83(b) Elections: A Crucial Step for Startup Founders and Employees

If you’re a founder or an early employee at a startup, equity compensation is likely a significant part of your financial upside. However, the promise of equity can come with a maze of tax implications. Enter the 83(b) election: a relatively simple IRS filing that can save you thousands (or even millions) in taxes down the road. Despite its importance, many people overlook it—sometimes to their detriment.


Corporate Governance
Venture in the Middle 2024 Trends

In 2024, VW saw a sharp rise in pay-to-play financing rounds, reflecting tougher conditions for both startups and investors. While the market experienced corrections in valuations, early-stage venture funding remained strong and Safe notes remained the dominant financing tool.


Employment
U.S. Department of Labor 2024 Overtime Rule Struck Down by Texas Court

On November 15, 2024, a Texas Federal Court ruled that the Department of Labor (DOL) exceeded its authority in raising the salary thresholds required for certain employees to qualify as exempt from overtime. The Court’s decision nullifies the 2024 Final Rule, effectively resetting salary thresholds to their pre-2024 levels.