MEET THE MOFO TEAM

  • partners

  • non-partners

Michael Glaser

San Francisco

Michael Glaser

Partner

San Francisco

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Murray Indick

San Francisco

Murray Indick

Partner

San Francisco

It has been the great privilege of my legal career to help countless entrepreneurs and investors develop game-changing technologies and products.

How I Help: I work intensively with early-stage businesses as they form, seek growth capital, and develop their business plans. The work typically involves more than simple legal advice on financing terms, and so I try to holistically address the key needs of the business for the founders and investors.

Favorite app or tech product: Goodreads. Ask me about the books I think every startup founder should read!

Favorite place for client meetings: Anywhere convenient for the client, whether that means visiting their office, a productive business lunch, an early morning or late night phone call, or hopping on a plane.

Life beyond the law: When I’m not in the office, you can find me running along the Embarcadero.

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Simon Arlington

London

Simon Arlington

Partner

London

I really enjoy helping clients reach their business goals. The best part of my job is that I get to think strategically and solve problems on a daily basis, earning the trust of some truly entrepreneurial clients.

How I help: I help VC funds, PE houses, start-ups, scale-ups and management teams grow their businesses strategically. I have a wealth of experience advising on acquisitions, disposals, investments, joint ventures, partnerships, incentive plans and everything in between, acting for clients all over the world on some of their most important transactions.

Favorite app or tech product: Fitbit; sad but really addictive.

Favorite place for client meetings: Can’t beat a well-stocked coffee house or a good walk by the Thames, although meetings overlooking the Bosporus were not bad.

Life beyond the law: Snooker (real man’s pool) and spending time with my friends and family.

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Andrew Boyd

London

Andrew Boyd

Partner

London

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Kristina Ehle

Berlin

Kristina Ehle

Partner

Berlin

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David Ephraim

Boston

David Ephraim

Partner

Boston

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Seth Graham

Tokyo

Seth Graham

Partner

Tokyo

I provide market knowledge, legal resources and other tools to help startups capitalize on their vision and passion and succeed in the marketplace.

How I help: I assist startups by helping to identify (and protect) their core value proposition, and advise on how best to capitalize on that. Specifically, I work with companies form the beginning to develop a sound IP strategy, protecting their most valuable assets, to help develop a business model (and IP portfolio) that give companies an advantage over competitors and that investors will want to fund. In addition, I assist in developing form contractual arrangements (licenses, sales and services agreements, etc.) to help startups exploit their IP assets while protecting their interests. Most importantly, I help leverage relationships with investors, engineers and other entrepreneurs across Tokyo, Asia and the US to assist in envisaging and executing on growth plans to help realize the commercial potential of a startup’s business.

Favorite app or tech product: Anything AI-related – amazing commercial potential. I’m also very interested in the disruptive effect that blockchain technology can have and how its potential can be realized in a responsible and successful way.

Favorite place for client meetings: It’s always nice to meet clients at their place of business, to get a feel of how they operate. I also like meetings at cafes and restaurants to facilitate informal discussions.

Life beyond the law: I love food, so I’m often visiting new restaurants or spending time cooking for my family. I also enjoy the outdoors (skiing in the winter, hiking/camping/canoeing in the summer).

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Gavin Grover

San Francisco

Gavin Grover

Partner

San Francisco

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Tim Harris

Palo Alto

Tim Harris

Partner

Palo Alto

It’s incredibily energizing and fulfilling to work alongside entrepreneurs (and the investors backing them) to help them translate their dreams and visions into real-world technologies and companies that change the way the world operates.

How I Help: I help startups from formation through acquisition or IPO in matters including capital raising (both angel and venture capital), debt financing, equity incentive compensation and business development. I love to share with my startups the market customs, best practices and forward-thinking strategies that I have learned over the past two decades across multiple industries through several economic cycles. I also put my first career as a software engineer to use through licensing, joint development, distribution and other technology transfer matters.

Favorite app or tech product: My iPhone has just become another appendage, so maybe that doesn’t count. Otherwise, hacking on a Raspberry Pi has been a lot of fun.

Favorite place for client meetings: Given the pace of today’s startups, very few take place in person, but when I do meet with clients in person, I love our new Conference Center in Palo Alto with a view of the courtyard and fountain.

Life beyond law: I sing the National Anthem at sporting events, and have performed at several colleges and universities.

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Daphne M. Higgs

Palo Alto

Daphne M. Higgs

Partner

Palo Alto

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Shai Kalansky

San Diego

Shai Kalansky

Partner

San Diego

One of my favorite parts of my job is working with emerging companies to help them build their businesses, whether in their early formation or later stage with an eye towards an exit.

How I help: In addition to helping clients with their corporate formation, financing and mergers and acquisition transactions, I use my experience as a licensing and employment lawyer to provide holistic guidance on the day-to-day issues facing emerging companies. Some of the best value we add is not just in our role as lawyers, but in bringing our varied experience to bear on our clients’ problems.

Favorite app or tech product: Spotify’s “Discover Weekly” playlist has helped discover great new artists and introduced me to new songs by some of my favorite artists.

Favorite place for client meetings: I love the breweries here in San Diego. They are a great place to catch up and chat in an informal atmosphere while sampling the best of what our city has to offer.

Life beyond the law: Running, traveling and cooking.

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Matthew Karlyn

Boston

Matthew Karlyn

Partner

Boston

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Bradley Kondracki

San Francisco

Bradley Kondracki

Partner

San Francisco

The most rewarding part of working with emerging companies is working directly with entrepreneurs to help them realize their goals.

How I help: I act as a trusted advisor to emerging companies by helping them grow and scale throughout their life cycle. In this role, the spectrum of companies I work with range from those that are just incorporating to those that are getting ready to go public and everything in between. From working with so many companies at all of these various stages of their development, I am able to help advise clients on the best ways to position themselves for future success.

Favorite app or tech product: With three kids and a wife who is a partner at another big law firm, Instacart has been a lifesaver.

Favorite place for client meetings: If it was up to me, always happy to meet on the golf course!

Life beyond the law: I enjoy skiing and trying to improve my golf game. I’m also into poker and made the final table of the World Series of Poker back in law school although I don’t play nearly as much these days.

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Jim Krenn

San Diego

Jim Krenn

Partner

San Diego

I love working alongside innovative and dedicated entrepreneurs with groundbreaking ideas and technologies to strategize throughout the lifecycle of their companies and turn their vision into reality.

How I help: I help startups get formed, financed and achieve liquidity through an acquisition or IPO.  I have represented private companies in over $1 billion in equity and debt financings ranging from seed rounds to $100 million plus later stage rounds. I also advise investors (angel, venture capital and strategic) in investments in, and acquisitions of, these companies.  I work with clients to understand their business so that I can provide strategic, practical advice to help them achieve their objectives.

Favorite app or tech product: Google Maps.  Never be lost or late again.

Favorite place for client meetings: Lunch at Karl Strauss. You cannot beat a midday break outside in the sun by a koi pond.

Life beyond the law: Surfing, camping and chasing after my kids.

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Michael Krigbaum

Palo Alto

Michael Krigbaum

Partner

Palo Alto

I’ve worked with entrepreneurs and investors for many years and am always impressed by the ideas and innovations that they create. It’s a fantastic community.

How I help: I help startups during all stages of their lifecycles, whether it’s company formation and general corporate counseling during the early stage, raising rounds of venture capital as they scale, or selling the company when the time is right.

Favorite app or tech product: I can’t get a self-driving car fast enough. In the meantime, I enjoy listening to my five-year-old say, “Alexa, play ‘I Wanna Rock’ by Twisted Sister on Spotify.”

Favorite place for client meetings: I like seeing the client’s office but understand that they might be bored by it, so then I like taking clients out for sushi.

Life beyond the law: A perfect day is BBQing from morning to night on my smoker while tinkering with my daughters on our tropical fish tanks.

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Mike LaPlante

San Francisco

Mike LaPlante

Partner

San Francisco

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Paul 'Chip' L. Lion III

Palo Alto

Paul 'Chip' L. Lion III

Partner

Palo Alto

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Suz Mac Cormac

San Francisco

Suz Mac Cormac

Partner

San Francisco

As Chair of the firm’s Social Enterprise + Impact Investing and Energy + CleanTech practice groups, I find it uniquely fulfilling to help emerging companies and their investors channel great ideas and good intentions into tangible, positive change.

How I Help: I have extensive experience representing startup to late-stage private companies primarily in the clean technology, renewable energy and sustainability space. I counsel on corporate and finance matters in connection with equity and debt financings, mergers, acquisitions, asset purchases and sales, reorganizations, and joint ventures. I’m frequently called upon for my expertise in new corporate forms, hybrid of “tandem” structures with non-profits and for-profits, and alternative debt and equity instruments. I also regularly advise boards of private and public companies, special committees, and CEOs on corporate governance as it relates to sustainability and CSR.

Favorite app or tech product: Strava. I love tracking the miles I run each week.

Favorite place for client meetings: A walk in the Presidio

Life beyond the law: When I’m not preaching to the world about the power of corporate form, I spend my time outside the office with my three young sons. I currently coach my youngest’s little league team. Go Pirates!

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Alistair Maughan

London

Alistair Maughan

Partner

London

It’s incredibly energizing and fulfilling to work alongside entrepreneurs (and the investors backing them) to help them translate their dreams and visions into real-world technologies and companies that change the way the world operates.

Intro sentence: The work I do for growing tech-based companies is like watching technology evolution in action. It’s great to see next generation technology fueling business growth.

How I help: I help companies to protect and monetize their technology, through IP protection to contractual arrangements with investors and customers. Often the greatest challenge is identifying the likely areas for protection, exploitation and risk mitigation for a technology development not clearly covered by existing legal or contractual standards.

Favorite app or tech product: Even after 30 years living in London, I still sometimes need help getting around – so Citymapper is my favourite app. And the fact that it works equally well when I’m visiting clients around different European cities is a real bonus.

Favorite place for client meetings: If I can combine a client meeting with a visit to the client’s technology development site, that’s my preference. But last year’s visit to a client’s (completely legal!) cannabis farm in the English countryside was also a highlight!

Life beyond the law: Ideally, I’d be playing sport. But, in reality, most weekends I spend driving my kids around and then usually standing watching behind a football touchline, cricket boundary rope or a squash court – and often all in the same day.

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Gordon Milner

Hong Kong

Gordon Milner

Partner

Hong Kong

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Stephanie Thomas

Palo Alto

Stephanie Thomas

Partner

Palo Alto

Whether it's a first time fund manager or a team that is raising fund XI, it's incredibly rewarding to work alongside VC fund managers and their investors to help them build mutually beneficial and lasting partnerships.

How I help: I help VC fund managers form and operate their funds. I also help VC firms navigate the regulatory changes that are impacting the venture capital industry.

Favorite app or tech product: Loving Just Ahead – a travel app offering audio tours through National Parks (that works without cell service). Perfect for finding the road less traveled.

Favorite place for client meetings: Anywhere for lunch with great coffee nearby.

Life beyond the law: When I’m not at the office, you can find me outside – skiing, hiking, horseback riding or camping.

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Jason Nelms

Singapore

Jason Nelms

Partner

Singapore

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John Rafferty

San Francisco

John Rafferty

Partner

San Francisco

The best part of being a startup lawyer is gaining the trust of the founders and executives of the startup, so that they essentially see me as a member of their C-suite.

How I Help: I advise emerging growth companies backed by venture capital and private equity firms on all corporate, transactional and financing matters.

Favorite app or tech product: Wunderground. The best weather app there is.

Favorite place for client meetings: At the client’s office.

Life beyond the law: Tennis is my sport. I played the junior circuit and now play with my kids. It’s the highlight of my weekend. I can still beat them, but barely.

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Steve Rowles

San Diego

Steve Rowles

Partner

San Diego

I can’t get enough of working with extremely smart people implementing transformative technologies.

How I can help: Certain critical elements of expertise can only be garnered through experience. As a leader of MoFo’s venture practice, I have logged my 10,000 hours in problem solving for, communicating to, counseling and negotiating for entrepreneurs and investors in ways that create value.

Favorite app or tech product: DraftKings

Favorite place for client meetings: The golf course.

Life beyond the law: Voracious reader, avid golfer and proud father.

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Jim Ryan

Palo Alto

Jim Ryan

Partner

Palo Alto

Every day is exciting when you get to work with intelligent and driven entrepreneurs and investors to help them create the next killer app or blockbuster drug.

How I help: From formation to acquisition or IPO and everything in between (for example, commercial agreements and debt or equity financings) I always aim to provide practical advice to help founders build a successful company. My experience representing companies also informs my work with investors so that I can help them stay focused on the issues that are most relevant to strengthening companies and protecting their investments.

Favorite app or tech product: I’m currently obsessed with my Vive (bonus that I get to run it on the rig I just built up myself).

Favorite place for client meetings: With clients based everywhere from Shanghai to New York I’m just as likely to be having a client meeting on Skype as at one of the Philz coffees in Palo Alto.

Life beyond the law: I’m an avid soccer fan, former competitive cyclist (now just a normal cyclist) and love seeking out a good meal.

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Stephanie Sharron

Palo Alto

Stephanie Sharron

Partner

Palo Alto

I love working with clients to help them strategize about how to innovate and partner with others to maximize the potential of their businesses and technologies. I particularly enjoy exploring new business models with an eye toward their strategic objectives and business goals.

How I help: I represent emerging growth, private and public companies across sectors and industries, with a particular focus on helping companies with business models that leverage data through technology. I help clients structure and negotiating complex partnering arrangements, working closely with my colleagues on regulatory issues across sectors such as data privacy, data security, mobile payments, and financial services.

Favorite app or tech product: I like Dashlane as I’m always looking for secure means for generating and managing complex passwords. I also am finding apps and services recently developed and released that help people to organize collectively, such as Slack and Hustle are super interesting. I am still a Facebook junky—I have a broad circle of friends with whom I’d not be in close touch without it. And Spotify is still my “go to” for music.

Favorite place for client meetings: I love a good cup of coffee so am always on the lookout for new coffee places. My latest find is Backyard Brew on California Avenue in Palo Alto.

Life beyond the law: Working on causes that I care about, whether through pro bono representation or through organizing volunteers and engaging in civic life are my passions outside of the office right now. To unwind, I love to spend time in our national and state parks, along our Pacific coast and in the outdoors.

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Shannon Sibold

Palo Alto

Shannon Sibold

Partner

Palo Alto

I enjoy working in tandem with some of the Bay Area’s most innovative minds and feel honored to play a role in the growth of such groundbreaking technologies.

How I help: I help start-ups at all phases of maturity, from advising founders on how to structure the initial capitalization of their company all the way through to an IPO or an acquisition. I think it’s critical for us to really get to know the founders, their technology and their vision for their company to best serve their needs and advise them accordingly. On the investor-side I assist venture capital firms, private equity groups and underwriters with all types of investments, from seed financings through public company offerings and everything in between. Being at the forefront of such innovation in the Bay Area is thrilling and I’m proud to help my clients realize their big ideas. I often tell my friends back home that I live in the future!

Favorite app or tech product: Google Home and Google Home Mini help me organize my life.

Favorite place for client meetings: San Jose Sharks games in the MoFo seats!

Life beyond the law: When I’m not at the office you can usually find me racing (and beating the partners) up mountains on my road bike!

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Alfredo Silva

San Francisco

Alfredo Silva

Partner

San Francisco

My job is to think creatively and balance competing interests to solve complicated problems, and the end result is that the companies I’m working with are able to raise the capital they need to grow, creating and maintaining jobs for others while bringing great products and services to consumers.

How I help: I represent companies throughout their lifecycles, from entity formation to debt and equity financing to exit alternatives, including initial public offerings and mergers and acquisitions. I also counsel investors in venture financing, late stage / growth equity financing, strategic investments, secondary transactions, and impact investments in private companies in a wide variety of industries. Since I have a background in engineering, I get numbers, and often work closely with executives, finance teams, and financial advisors and analysts to model out complex capital structures, financing scenarios, and liquidity events. In doing so, I help clients analyze what’s possible, understand consequences of various transaction structures, and enhance their economics in deals in value from the tens of millions to the billions of dollars.

Favorite app or tech product: I spend a lot of time these days checking Coinbase, seeing how the market reacts to developments in the cryptocurrency and blockchain spaces.

Favorite place for client meetings: It’s great when you’re close enough with a client to catch up and talk shop at their house!

Life beyond the law: Skiing at Lake Tahoe in the winter, weekends in Dolores Park in the summer, and travel to see family and friends in between.

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Chuan Sun

Hong Kong

Chuan Sun

Partner

Hong Kong

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Eric Akira Tate

San Francisco

Eric Akira Tate

Partner

San Francisco

I love learning about the new ideas that entrepreneurs come up with that I never could, and it is fulfilling to know that I can play a small part in helping to support them in their efforts.

How I help: I try to help startups begin on the right foot with respect to their human resources and hiring policies and practices, and continue to support them as their personnel needs and business grow and evolve. Being able to quickly triage personnel issues for growing companies is consistently viewed as a key value add. Dealing offensively and defensively with restrictive covenants and trade secrets is my specialty and with the stakes so high, an area in which startup clients continue to need true expertise. From advising potential founders who are thinking about forming a company, to negotiating the employment aspects of multibillion dollar transactions, emerging company clients also seem to appreciate the experience that comes from advising companies big and small in the Valley since the 1990s.

Favorite app or tech product: Anything that helps me to save time. I am currently getting a lot of use out of AdobeScan, Amazon, Waze, LinkedIn, Munchery, and Uber.

Favorite place for client meetings: Ideal location is a client’s office. First, anything that helps me learn more about my clients, what happens day to day, can only help me be a better partner and service provider. Second, most of the clients I work with have better dining facilities on site than we do.

Life beyond the law: When I am not at the office, I am moonlighting as the personal Uber driver for my two toddlers.

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Teresa M.L. Tate

San Francisco

Teresa M.L. Tate

Partner

San Francisco

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Jennifer Lee Taylor

San Francisco

Jennifer Lee Taylor

Partner

San Francisco

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Thomas Chou

Los Angeles

Thomas Chou

Partner

Los Angeles

While my journey representing startups began in the Bay Area during the first dot-com boom, I have been on the front lines in China, Hong Kong and other Asian markets as the startup ecosystem has blossomed in this part of the world.

How I help: I help startups in Asia and the US from formation through acquisition or IPO in matters including capital raising (angel, venture capital and private equity), equity compensation, and strategic alliances. I love to share with my startups the market customs, best practices, and forward-thinking strategies that I have learned over the past eighteen years in Silicon Valley and Asia through several economic cycles. In particular, my advice often involves bridging market terms and structures between companies and investors in Silicon Valley, on one hand, and Asia, on the other.

Favorite app or tech product: I enjoy making producing short amateur non-commercial videos. There is no shortage of video available on social media, so I try to put some effort into my videos to make them worthwhile for sharing. Videoleap is my go to app in 2019 for editing.

Favorite place for client meetings: I’m old school and prefer to invite clients into my personal office for meetings. This is also serves as a good incentive for me to keep my office clean (and free from attorney-client privileged paperwork) and to keep it stocked with a small but well curated selection of whiskies to sip (at appropriate times)!

Life beyond the law: I began practicing yoga in 2012, which has become an important aspect of my overall lifestyle – offering functional mobility, helping me maintain a calm state of mind, and offering family bonding opportunities with my wife and daughters.

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Steven M. Tyndall

Austin

Steven M. Tyndall

Partner

Austin

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Janet Xiao

Palo Alto

Janet Xiao

Partner

Palo Alto

I love working with extraordinary entrepreneurs on exciting technologies and strive to add value to their business.

How I help: I help companies build a strong IP position from inception. This involves devising patent strategies as well as defending the company’s IP positions in investor due diligence settings. Brainstorming with entrepreneurs about their cutting-edge technologies and business strategies is a favorite part of my practice. I am creative in addressing sophisticated IP issues and practical in providing strategic advice.

Favorite app or tech product: iPhone.

Favorite place for client meeting: Our new conference center at MoFo Palo Alto provides the best venue for client meetings.

Life beyond law: I serve leadership roles in life sciences organizations, which helps me stay close to the life sciences community. In addition, my two tech-savvy daughters keep me busy and help me stay current on new technology trends.

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Jay de Groot

San Diego

Jay de Groot

Senior Counsel

San Diego

It’s deeply gratifying to advise startups and their investors as they come together to turn today’s great ideas into tomorrow’s industry-changing technologies and products.

How I Help: I counsel number of venture-backed and private equity-backed companies, in the life sciences, technology, and cleantech sectors, as well as the funds that finance them. In the last several years, I’ve been fortunate enough to close more than 80 venture capital financings with over $1 billion of aggregate proceeds.

Favorite app or tech product: The Irish Illustrated app in order to feed my obsession with Notre Dame sports. As a “Double Domer”, I really have no choice!

Favorite place for client meetings: Enoteca Del Fornaio at Del Mar Plaza watching another spectacular sunset over the Pacific.

Life beyond the law: Expanding my rather exceptional culinary skills with a current focus on my Italian repertoire.

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Otis Littlefield

San Francisco

Otis Littlefield

Senior Of Counsel

San Francisco

It’s very exciting to work with entrepreneurs (and the investors backing them) to learn about their cutting edge technologies to develop IP strategies that best protect the technology to advance their companies’ business objectives.

How I help: I like working with startups from the very beginning to build a solid foundation for their IP strategy, usually through a combination of in-licensing and filing patent applications on key aspects of the clients’ technologies. Working on both licensing and patent prosecution, I can provide insight to my startups in building an IP portfolio that competitors will want or need to license and investors will want to fund.

Favorite app or tech product: I almost hesitate to share, but I am loving Waze for its live mapping driving instructions. With everyone else using Google maps, Google’s ‘best’ directions quickly get jammed with drivers where Waze directions stay clear.

Favorite place for client meetings: I love visiting clients at their offices because I get to meet more of the team developing and advancing products, which gives me a better sense of their products and how to focus their IP portfolios.

Life beyond the law: When I’m not at the office, I love cooking.  It’s the former biochemist in me.

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Danli Guo

Palo Alto

Danli Guo

Of Counsel

Palo Alto

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Scott Perlov

Denver

Scott Perlov

Of Counsel

Denver

It’s incredibly energizing and fulfilling to work alongside entrepreneurs (and the investors backing them) to help them translate their dreams and visions into real-world technologies and companies that change the way the world operates.

How I help: “I help startups from formation through acquisition or IPO in matters including capital raising (both angel and venture capital), debt financing, equity incentive compensation and business development. I love to share with my startups the market customs, best practices and forward-thinking strategies that I have learned over the past decade across multiple industries through several economic cycles.”

Favorite place for client meetings: “Any place where there’s decent coffee.”

Life beyond the law: “When I’m not at the office or “home office”, I’m hiking with my dogs, skiing, listening or playing music (classical, classic rock, classic folk rock or classic jazz), writing or more accurately rewriting that elusive novel, and/or working on my skills as a family diplomat.”

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Marc Baliatico

Marc Baliatico

The best part of my practice is getting to serve as a thought partner to our incredible clients.

How I help:

I assist startup companies and emerging managers by helping with their corporate formation, financing rounds and merger and acquisition transactions. I also provide general regulatory and corporate advice on a day-to-day basis to these clients and strive to act as a thought partner and colleague for these clients.

Favorite app or tech product:

Barry’sX – post COVID, it has been hard to find a consistent training product and this app helps to showcase the ability for technology to bring group workouts to a home setting.

Favorite place for client meetings:

Anywhere – I love to travel and try new places and it is always great to experience these with new and existing clients and colleagues.

Life beyond the law:

My husband and I love to sail and travel. We were married in Mallorca and are always trying to explore new places and cultures. We also love to spend trips sailing through the Caribbean. It is incredible to be on the water and have a new place to explore every day.

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Brennen Brodersen

San Diego

Brennen Brodersen

Associate

San Diego

I am passionate about partnering with paradigm shifting technology, life science and healthcare companies and helping them navigate various legal matters to help them achieve their goals.

How I help:

I assist startups by helping with their corporate formation, financing rounds and merger and acquisition transactions.

Favorite app or tech product:

It is probably a tie between my Apple Watch and my iPad. I can access and do almost anything I need from those two devices.

Favorite place for client meetings:

Coffee shops. I appreciate the chance to engage in casual conversations and discover what motivates and inspires my clients.

Life beyond the law:

I love travelling and active outdoor activities, such as running, soccer, surfing, biking and more. Any day spent at the beach is a good one — which makes San Diego a great spot to be.

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Hila Cohen

New York

Hila Cohen

Associate

New York

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Andrew Dixon

San Diego

Andrew Dixon

Associate

San Diego

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Stephanie L. Drumm

Denver

Stephanie L. Drumm

Associate

Denver

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Benjamin Fox

San Francisco

Benjamin Fox

Associate

San Francisco

I feel fortunate to assist companies and investors focused on tackling our most pressing global environmental and social challenges.

How I help: I provide counsel to companies from formation until exit, including in connection with corporate structure and governance, early- and late-stage equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures.  As a member of our Social Enterprise + Impact Investing Group, I frequently advise clients on the legal tools available to promote mission-driven businesses, including attracting non-profit and for-profit capital, and utilizing hybrid non-profit/for-profit structures and new corporate forms.  I also have a particular expertise in the renewable energy sector and work closely with investors, renewable energy developers and cleantech startups on a wide range of corporate matters.

Favorite app or tech product: GuitarTuna. It’s pretty good at tuning my guitar.

Favorite place for client meetings: At a baseball game. Fenway Park will always be the best, but other stadiums will suffice.

Life beyond the law: Enjoying the great outdoors.

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Ophir Gam

Palo Alto

Ophir Gam

Associate

Palo Alto

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Ludovica Gardani

Miami

Ludovica Gardani

Associate

Miami

The best part of working with emerging companies is to see the impact that helping these companies navigate legal matters has on reaching their goals.

How I help:

I assist startups by helping with their corporate formation, financing rounds and merger and acquisition transactions. It is great to see the companies that you have worked with grow and succeed in the market.

Favorite app or tech product:

Between Netflix, Peacock and Apple TV, I love being able to watch all my shows from anywhere I want. But probably Instacart is my lifesaver.

Favorite place for client meetings:

Coffee shops. Nothing is better to informally chat with clients than in front a hot cup of coffee.

Life beyond the law:

I love travelling and cooking (especially Italian food). I also enjoy swimming and fishing and generally just being in the ocean.

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Robin M. Gimm

New York

Robin M. Gimm

Associate

New York

The best part of working with startups is getting to interact closely with passionate founders and help them navigate the complexities of the legal landscape as part of their journey to build a successful company.

How I help: I assist startups by helping with their corporate formation, negotiating their financing rounds, assisting with any day-to-day corporate legal needs and helping them through their exit event. It is great to see the companies that I have worked with grow and succeed in the market.

Favorite app or tech product: I am currently enamored with tinkering with ChatGPT and the various generative AI apps that are out there. It’s always exciting to see how quickly people get creative with newer technologies. But my screentime usage tells me I’m always on Instagram and TikTok and I probably fall prey to targeted shopping ads too easily – the algorithms know me too well.

Favorite place for client meetings: Boba shops. Nothing better to keep the brain turned than the sweet rush of brown sugar boba with milk tea while meeting and working with my clients.

Life beyond the law: I am obsessed with my dog and love taking him to the beach and local breweries. I also love travelling, board games and pretending I can paint. I also love being in the ocean and try to go SCUBA diving and just be on a boat whenever I can.

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Damien E. Holmes

Palo Alto

Damien E. Holmes

Associate

Palo Alto

The best part of working with startups is playing a small but important role in the maturation process from idea to commercialization to market capture. I also enjoy interacting with my clients who I find to be scrappy, engaging, inspiring, and a wealth of knowledge with respect to a world that sits adjacent to my corporate legal practice.

How I help:

I help startups solve legal and business problems throughout their entire life cycle, whether it is pre-formation conversations with a founder that has an idea, forming a corporate structure that enables both stability and growth, raising capital from investors, or helping in the completion of an exit transaction. I also represent investors in financing transactions at all stages, from angel rounds to growth equity investments. The breadth of exposure I have from representing both startups and investors allows me to identify and share market trends with, and sound advice to, my clients as they navigate their work on a daily basis.

Favorite app or tech product:

Spotify given my (slightly alarming) love for all types of podcasts, from origin stories of successful companies to shows led by former athletes.

Favorite place for client meetings:

Wherever a particular client feels most comfortable.

Life beyond the law:

I love any outdoor environment from the mountains to the ocean. I am also a sucker for any type of cookie (except oatmeal raisin).

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Thomas Hopkins

Palo Alto

Thomas Hopkins

Associate

Palo Alto

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Anthony G. Krueger

Austin

Anthony G. Krueger

Associate

Austin

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Wonnie Lee

Washington, D.C.

Wonnie Lee

Associate

Washington, D.C.

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Andrew Lu

Palo Alto

Andrew Lu

Associate

Palo Alto

I empower founders to navigate their legal matters efficiently and get back to building.

How I help:

I work closely with startups to find practical solutions for their legal needs. My practice focuses on (1) corporate formation and structuring and (2) fundraising, from pre-seed SAFEs and convertible notes through late-stage PE investments. I also help connect startups to colleagues who specialize in other areas such as patent prosecution, IP licensing, tax and executive compensation, and FDA and other regulatory areas. Startups appreciate my collaborative and practical problem-solving approach to working with investor counsel to get deals done quickly and efficiently.

Favorite app or tech product:

I’m a huge nerd and early adopter, so I’m constantly trying out new things. Some examples of the new tech I’ve been using lately include:

  • a Pomodoro productivity timer cube that has different preset countdown times depending on which of its sides is facing up
  • a smart air purifier which can measure air quality and detect human presence and intelligently pause or unpause based on that information
  • an Outlook plugin that uses AI to categorize emails and file them in the right folders

Favorite place for client meetings:

I love visiting clients where they work and getting to see (or in some cases, play with!) what they’re building.

One of the coolest things about working as a startup lawyer is seeing what some of the smartest and most creative people in the world are building. Some recent highlights include startups working on the following:

  • inventing a cancer radiotherapy machine which tracks where cancer cells are in real time in order to deliver higher doses of radiation and treat cancers which have metastasized
  • developing realistic VR simulations for doctors, nurses, and first responders
  • turning abandoned oil wells into giant gravity-based batteries to store renewable energy generated by wind and solar.

Life beyond the law:

Before law school, I was a programmer, and I occasionally still write little programs for fun.

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Brooke Reczka Maker

New York

Brooke Reczka Maker

Associate

New York

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Maxwell Rich

New York

Maxwell Rich

Associate

New York

The most rewarding part of working with emerging companies and novel investment managers is seeing their goals turn into world-changing realities.

How I help:

I act as a trusted advisor to emerging companies, funds and alternative investment vehicles and governments. My unique perspective from the issuer, investor and regulator perspective, allows me to help my clients tackle immediate issues as well as plan for the future.

Favorite app or tech product:

Bang & Olufsen Speakers, having speakers that sound great and blend in with the furniture help me maximize space and volume in Manhattan.

Favorite place for client meetings:

Osamil Upstairs when in Manhattan, Trade when in London.

Life beyond the law:

I enjoy long distance running, live music, and designing suits and overcoats.

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Shiri V. Shenhav

Palo Alto

Shiri V. Shenhav

Associate

Palo Alto

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Caroline Sir

Palo Alto

Caroline Sir

Associate

Palo Alto

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Katherine Suzuki

Palo Alto

Katherine Suzuki

Associate

Palo Alto

It’s incredibly fulfilling to work alongside entrepreneurs (and investors backing them) to help them turn their dreams and visions into real-world technologies and companies.

How I help: I help emerging growth companies, across various industries and throughout various stages of their life cycle, with formation, financings, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters. I also assist venture capital firms and investors with financings and mergers and acquisitions transactions.

Favorite app or tech product: I’m a huge fan of Resy, OpenTable, Tock, and Yelp (to name a few). I love trying new restaurants in the Bay Area.

Favorite place for client meetings:  I enjoy visiting our clients’ offices; it is truly amazing to see the our clients grow from the beginning stages of formation.

Life beyond the law: When I’m not at the office, I’m at AT&T Park rooting for the Giants or trying new recipes at home!

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Olga Terets

San Francisco

Olga Terets

Associate

San Francisco

I love working with early stage companies and seeing how their ideas grow and expand. It’s energizing and rewarding to help founders and early stage companies navigate legal matters, so that they can focus on growing and developing their products.

How I help: I assist startups by helping with their corporate formation, financing rounds and merger and acquisition transactions. It’s so rewarding to see the companies that you helped form or worked with grow and succeed. As a member of our Social Enterprise + Impact Investing Group, I frequently advise clients on the legal tools available to promote mission-driven businesses, including utilizing hybrid non-profit/for-profit structures and new corporate forms.

Favorite app or tech product: Netflix, Sling, Amazon Prime, and UberEats are all apps that get frequently used. My favorite tech products are a toss-up between my apartment’s keyless entry and my PetCube camera (checking in on my pup is the ultimate mid-day boost).

Favorite Place for Client Meetings: With clients located everywhere the default client meeting is Zoom or Skype, but there’s nothing better than a baseball game (Go Giants!).

Life Beyond the Law: I like spending time outside and trying new restaurants (bonus points if my pup is able to join).

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Christian Villanueva

Palo Alto

Christian Villanueva

Associate

Palo Alto

The best part of working with emerging companies is to help facilitate and grow partnership between founders and investors that allow impactful and innovative ideas and technologies reach their full potential.

How I help: I assist startups by helping with their corporate formation, scaling, financing rounds, strategic transactions, and merger and acquisition transactions. It is great to see the companies that you have worked with grow and succeed in the market.

Favorite app or tech product: I love my apple watch. Being able to track fitness, health, and my time all in one device is such a convenience and time-saver. Ironically it lets me stay off my phone.

Favorite place for client meetings: Our client’s office space. I like visiting our client’s in their own-creative space. Seeing how and where they work always energizes me.

Life beyond the law: I love watching or playing sports, especially football. I also enjoy getting outside and being around the water whether it is hiking, swimming, or surfing.

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Gigi Yuen

Hong Kong

Gigi Yuen

Associate

Hong Kong

I love seeing the germination of different ideas and their application across various sectors – finance, energy, sports, entertainment, education - you name it. It’s a first row seat to witnessing the birth of concepts that can have a profound impact on their industries (if not our daily lives).

How I help: on the emerging company side, I work with startups and advise on regulatory requirements, formation, structuring and debt and equity financing rounds.  On the venture capital side, I help various regional funds on their investments and acquisitions.  Given the creative nature of startup ideas, we are constantly testing new regulatory boundaries. My computer science background allows me to dissect and analyse technology within the applicable regulatory framework.

Favorite app or tech product: PayMe and Apple Pay

Favorite place for client meetings: Ciak, just downstairs from MoFo HK – good for a coffee, lunch, or some light libation.

Life beyond the law: On the ski slopes, enjoying the après ski scene (and/or a good soak in an onsen!).

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Justin T. Wood

Denver

Justin T. Wood

Associate

Denver

I am as much of a general advisor and partner as I am an attorney. I love contributing to the transformative products that my clients are creating.

How I help:

I am an extension of my clients. My role spans the entire spectrum of the corporate life cycle from formation to exit – my job is to close deals, engage with the work force, take care of the cap table, and connect you with the best specialists in the world as you need them. As a member of your team, my goal is to do it like you would do it yourself.

Favorite app or tech product:

As the reigning league champion, it has to be the NFL fantasy football app. (But check back next year to see if the current season changes my opinion).

Favorite place for client meetings:

Any good brewery. My favorites are Bruz off Fax, Our Mutual Friend, Avery, and Renegade.

Life beyond the law:

I love travelling, hiking, skiing, sports, and video games. I’m also a foodie even though I hate myself every time I say it.

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