I'm generally recognized as a leading corporate and securities lawyer in the Silicon Valley and US capital markets. I form new startups every week and, over the years, have worked with over a thousand companies as general outside counsel. I work with those companies and their investors, investment banks and strategic partners regularly on all types of equity and debt financings, capital markets and M&A deals. More importantly, having "been there, done that" at all stages of growth, I have broad corporate development experience and insight into market terms and practices and have come to be valued by clients as a trusted advisor on their most important issues and challenges. Also, I frequently speak on industry and deal issues. I've co-chaired what is likely the leading corporate/securities law conference in the country (PLI's Annual Institute) and helped create and co-chair the leading venture capital law programs in the country (PLI's VC series).
Growing up, I spent time in Palo Alto, Chicago and Southwest Virginia, before attending college and law school at Columbia in New York City. After school, I joined a Wall Street law firm, then moved to the Palo Alto area in the 90s to join one of the original leading Valley firms. Since then, I've led corporate practice groups and local offices of other firms. I've learned so much from all those experiences and the tons of great people I've met along the way. DLA Piper has been a unique place to practice – another original leading firm in the Valley, which merged with other firms to become perhaps the largest global corporate and litigation firm in history. Our firm has virtually limitless resources in every practice area and geography to cover any business legal needs of our clients. The firm fits the constantly evolving landscape in the technology, life sciences and other emerging growth sectors we mostly run into here – right now it is social networking, cryptocurrency and digital assets, personalized medicine or artificial intelligence, and the next big thing will be something else every couple years. That constant evolution, new sectors, new business models, new legal challenges and the heavy deal volume keep work challenging and fun.