Brett M. Renzenbrink
Partner
Brett works as “Outside CLO” (Chief Legal Officer) for a number of startups, emerging companies, and established organizations, from single member LLC startups to companies with nine-figure annual revenue and hundreds of employees. In this role, Brett adds accretive value to his clients’ growth, while forecasting blind spots and mitigating risk. In particular, Brett enjoys working with entrepreneurs, investors, and business owners to design corporate strategy and build out plans for growth and protection; analyzing property and leasing issues; developing and implementing best practices for compliance with employees and independent contractors; negotiating with vendors and customers to create maximum net-benefit relationships; and instituting proactive and preventative litigation strategy and defending and enforcing corporate rights when suits are initiated.
Though industry agnostic, Brett has extensive experience working with (i) venture capital funds and SPVs (including those with a cannabis-venture investing thesis), (ii) technology/SaaS-based companies (including blockchain/crypto/NFT-related), and (iii) transportation/logistics companies (in particular 3PLs) on architecting motor carrier/customer strategy and handling unique employee, supply chain, and compliance issues. He also has a track record of implementing creative techniques to assist clients, including architecting the “shared services platform” for nonprofits that dovetails with the “Outside CLO” platform, and goes over and above to establish extreme, results-oriented client service.
Education & Admissions
Education
- The Ohio State University
(B.A., cum laude, 2007)
- Salmon P. Chase College of Law, Northern Kentucky University
(J.D., cum laude, 2010)
Admissions
- State of Ohio
- Commonwealth of Kentucky
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
Experience
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
- Built numerous investment vehicles (venture capital, SPV, investment clubs) that have raised and deployed millions of investment capital into bio-pharmaceutical, software/tech/SaaS, cannabis-venture, and real estate ventures.
- Served as “outside general counsel” for venture-backed companies, including clients raising funds at valuations in excess of $500 million.
- Assisted clients in business purchases/sales.
- Founded as partner a company that has dealt with complicated business/legal issues related to scale, distribution, IP protection, and financing.
- Constructed the legal architecture for several joint venture investment opportunities involving multistate cannabis operations.
- Served as counsel for entities providing solutions related to digital assets (cryptocurrencies, blockchain services, and NFTs).
- Represented IP-related companies and aided owners of intellectual property (or proven business models) in license strategy buildouts.
- Represented multiple third-party logistics brokerages with gross top-line revenue in excess of 1BB.
- Acted as mentor/legal counsel for countless entrepreneurs and startup founders.
Publications & Presentations
Publications
- “4L, What They Don’t Teach You About in Law School,” Cincinnati Book Publishing (April 2018)
Involvement
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Cincinnati Bar Association
- Columbus Bar Association
- Ohio State Bar Association
- Kentucky Bar Association
- Meritas Law Firms (Global Board Member, 2018)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Emery Federal Credit Union (Vice Chairman of the Board, 2016-present)
- BNI OTR, Downtown Cincinnati BNI (President, 2016-present)
- Greater Cincinnati Mortgage Bankers Association (Board of Directors, 2013-2016)
- Columbus Bankers Association
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America (Volunteer)
- Elder High School (Mock Trial Coach)
Honors
- Named to the Cincinnati Business Courier’s list of Forty Under 40 (2021)
- Named to the Ohio Super Lawyers list of Rising Stars (2013-2021)
- Selected to the American Institute of Legal Counsel’s list of Top Corporate Lawyers in Ohio (2021)
- Voted “Top Young Lawyer in Ohio” by Cincinnati Magazine (2019)