Jeffrey A. Bekiares

Jeffrey Bekiares is an Associate in the Corporate Practice of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP.

Mr. Bekiares primarily practices in Securities, and he has worked on numerous private and public offerings during his time with SGR. Mr. Bekiares regularly works on securities regulatory matters at the federal and state levels, including Securities Act (1933) and Securities Exchange Act (1934) registration, reporting and compliance requirements.

Mr. Bekiares also has broad-based experience working on general corporate matters. In this area he has assisted clients with entity formation, contract negotiation, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate governance. Mr. Bekiares’ clients include both domestic and international organizations.

Mr. Bekiares also has experience working with the Firm’s Bank Regulatory group, assisting state and national banks at all stages including bank formations, offerings and troubled institutions.

Mr. Bekiares’ practice has also assisted the Firm’s Bankruptcy group in various matters of debtor and creditor representation.

As an active member of the not for profit community in the metro Atlanta area, Mr. Bekiares serves on the board of directors of one of Georgia’s oldest organizations providing mental health and family counseling to the underserved community. Mr. Bekiares has also been active in several pro bono representations in the Atlanta area, and is an active supporter of pro bono and charitable organizations. Prior to joining SGR, Mr. Bekiares served as a judicial assistant for the immigration court in Orlando, Florida, and has also previously served as a legislative assistant to a Peer of the House of Lords in London, England and a Member of European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.

Mr. Bekiares received his B.A. degree, cum laude, with highest distinction in International Studies from the University of Illinois in 2002. He earned his J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2006 and was Order of the Coif. While at the University of Florida, he was a Board Member of the Florida Law Review. Mr. Bekiares is a member of the Georgia Bar.

Recent representative transactions in which Mr. Bekiares played a role include the following:

• $91 million follow-on registered public offering for an exchange listed technology company.
• $37 million private placement of securities for public national bank to raise capital for a variety of purposed including FDIC assisted transactions.
• Merger of two listed public company airlines.
• $55 million private acquisition of multi-state emergency response technology company.