Emerging Company & Venture Capital

Our Emerging Company/Venture Capital Practice Group provides strategic legal counsel to emerging growth companies - software, optical networking, semiconductor, information technology, biotechnology, medical device and other high technology companies - as well the investment banks and venture capital firms that service such companies.

Emerging Companies

We represent numerous start-up and early stage companies from pre-formation through financing and then in ongoing operations. We assist in selecting an entity structure, memorializing the relative rights and obligations of founders, and developing executive and non-executive compensation plans and policies. We also provide critical guidance in structuring practices and policies involving the development, acquisition and exploitation of intellectual property.

Our attorneys assist in structuring, advising on and negotiating the terms of capital raising transactions. We also have extensive experience in ongoing corporate transactions, including partnering agreements, license agreements, joint venturing, sales agreements, and other important commercial arrangements. Our attorneys assist these companies as they emerge and face the issues encountered by any business by providing legal advice on labor and employment, tax, real property, estate planning, litigation, securities and merger and acquisition matters.

Our clients include software developers, telecommunications infrastructure providers, and semiconductor and optical networking companies, as well as life science companies engaged in biotechnology and the design and manufacture of medical devices and diagnostics.

Types of Transactions

Entity Structuring and Formation Equity Incentive and Benefits Plans Shareholder Agreements Private Placements and Angel Financings Venture Capital Financings Commercial Financings

Mergers and Acquisitions Intellectual Property Confidentiality Agreements Joint Venture and Strategic Partner Relationships Employment, Consulting and Trade Secrets Agreement

Venture Capital

We provide our clients advice with respect to the process of fund formation and structuring. We use our broad-based knowledge of market terms and trends to advise sponsors in the negotiation of a wide variety of private investment vehicles, as well as the full spectrum of securities, tax and regulatory issues typically associated with such transactions. We continue to represent funds following the formation process through the life of the funds in making private equity and other investments

Types of Transactions

Venture Capital Fund Formation Corporate-Venture Capital Investments General Partner Counseling