Most of our clients are high-potential emerging technology businesses and their founders. In addition, we represent non-technology companies with similar attributes. We also represent institutional venture capital firms and others in their investment activities. We have an active practice representing foreign technology companies migrating to the U.S. and reincorporating here. In the merger and acquisitions area, most of our clients are selling their businesses, although we also regularly represent buyers. We help resolve disputes through negotiation and persuasion and go to court when necessary. The goal of our practice is to make a significant contribution to our clients’ success.

Our practice is focused on successfully addressing the needs of emerging companies.
We actively mentor, guide, and advise founders as they build their core team, raise capital, establish strategic relationships with vendors and customers, and mature the business in the
Silicon Valley environment. In this process, we focus on both the immediate impact of the client’s legal relationships and the long-term consequences of these relationships for the client’s business plan and ultimate sale or IPO. See Areas of Practice.

We believe that emerging companies benefit most from experienced lawyers who function as their general counsel. Unlike many law firms, we do not attempt to serve
emerging clients primarily through junior associates or narrowly focused practice groups. Our model is to offer clients an exceptional balance of legal skills and business acumen through seasoned attorneys who have broad experience advising technology companies on business transactions. Our lawyers are accessible and responsive. We augment our team with other seasoned professionals whom we call on as needed to provide specialized services to our clients.

We have a network of valuable business contacts and a record of successful introductions. We regularly provide introductions to potential board members, senior executives, and others with outstanding credentials and relevant experience who can serve as consultants or interim or full-time management. Many of our clients obtain financing from local venture capital sources, while others prefer backing from operating companies, foreign investors, and wealthy executives who invest in and mentor start-ups. We have terrific contacts with all of the foregoing.

We represent buyers and sellers of businesses and are frequently engaged at the time
of sale. Although many companies hope to go public, selling the business is a much more common form of exit. We help clients who have not been through a sale before understand the process and turn it to their advantage. On the “sell side,” our clients may include the business entity, some or all of its shareholders, management, or other stakeholders. We are often brought into transactions at the time of sale to act as special counsel to sellers who want to augment or change their legal team. These clients are normally referred to us by executives, accountants, and investment bankers who have worked with us before on successful transactions. We have handled all varieties of acquisition transactions involving public and private and foreign and domestic parties. These include mergers as well as purchases and sales of stock and assets in exchange for cash and securities. See Areas of Practice.