LR
Reilly
LR

Liam Reilly

Advisor, Counsel & Builder

I'm curious, practical, and connected across the Midwest tech community. I provide fractional general counsel services through Reilly GC, work with founders through BlackOak Partners on strategic advisory at inflection points, and advise on M&A and commercial transactions—staying close to the people building companies worth rooting for.

Most days, I'm helping startups navigate contracts, governance, and investor relations—making sure legal work supports momentum instead of slowing it down. I also write Field Notes for Founders, a newsletter sharing practical insights from the intersection of law, capital, and the startup trenches. I care about getting the details right and keeping things moving.


Projects

What I'm building

BlackOak Partners

Founder advisory at inflection points

Partner with founders navigating capital strategy, positioning, exit planning, and the operational clarity needed to move with confidence.

blackoak.partners

Tiny Travelers

Family-friendly KC finds

Local-led baby-equipment rentals, backed by curated content that spotlights nearby events and short "Adventures."

tiny-travelers.co

Field Notes for Founders

Practical startup insights

Short, practical insights from the intersection of law, capital, and startup operations—written by someone who's negotiated deals, evaluated investments, and advised founders.

fieldnotesforfounders.substack.com

AppealPath

Faster marketplace appeals

AI-assisted "Plan of Action" drafting plus a vetted referral workflow for sellers facing takedowns and quality reviews.

appealpath.co

Stealth project

Smart legal introductions

Exploring an automated, curated path to the right attorney—built around trust, context, and double opt-in intros.

More soon
Experience

Mini timeline

Fractional General Counsel
Jan. 2026–Present

Provide fractional general counsel support to founders and leadership teams at venture-backed and growth-stage companies. Focused on practical execution across corporate governance, commercial contracting, fundraising support, and day-to-day legal operations. Act as a steady, embedded legal operator who helps teams move quickly without unnecessary friction.

Fractional GC
Legal operations
Venture & growth companies
Commercial contracts
Governance
Visit Reilly GC
Attorney (M&A & Corporate)
· Foreman Law
2025–Present

Deal support on local mid-market sell-side transactions in healthcare and technology; corporate formation and commercial contracting.

Sell-side M&A
Corporate formation
Commercial
General Counsel & Investment Principal
· KCRise Fund
2021–2025

First in-house counsel; managed legal across a portfolio of 50+ companies, $100M AUM, and 3 funds; leads 35+ venture financings for high-growth technology companies.

Venture finance
Governance
Investor relations
Associate (Tech & IP)
· Husch Blackwell
2017–2021

Advised growth companies on SaaS, IP, and data licensing, and on strategic partnerships across regulated and emerging tech.

SaaS & IP
Data licensing
Emerging technologies
COO
· Wildcat Cycle, LLC
Aug 2012 – Dec 2014

Co-founded and ran operations for a student bike-rental startup; grew the fleet to 30+ bikes and led community engagement around cycling in Manhattan, KS.

Operations
Community programs
Process design

Need the full resume? Email me.

Community

Where I try to be useful

Midwest • KC

Startup & venture ecosystem

Support founders, investors, and operators across the region; frequent collaborator with local venture and innovation groups.

Involvement

Alumni & community engagement

Active in alumni, legal, tech, and nonprofit communities; organizing meetups and intros that turn into real relationships.

Get in Touch

Let's build something practical

If you're exploring a deal, building product, or want a warm intro in KC, I'm happy to help.

Email Liam LinkedIn