Venture Capital and Emerging Companies

The McNees Venture Capital and Emerging Companies (VCEC) group represents both venture capital investors and companies seeking venture capital funding. Our experience spans a wide array of industries including life sciences, technology, and service-related businesses.

We help structure and negotiate terms of venture capital financings. These are typically preferred stock and debt financings completed via private placements. Our representation of both venture capital funds and other investors, as well as companies seeking funding from such investors, allows us to appreciate the special needs and requirements of both investors and investee companies in these transactions.

We work with businesses at all stages of development from start-up to large, mature companies. We often serve as outside general counsel, especially to early-stage companies. For those companies that, for whatever reason, are not good candidates for venture capital funding, we provide counsel on alternative sources of financing. We pride ourselves on our ability to assess the sources of outside capital which a company can realistically pursue. Once this is determined, we perform the required legal tasks in a cost-effective manner, avoiding undue disruption to our client’s business.

Regardless of whether your company is seeking venture capital funding, is a start-up company or is experiencing rapid growth, it will have special needs that can be addressed by the lawyers in the VCEC group. Entity selection, agreements among owners, intellectual property protection, technology transfer and licensing are all matters for which members of our VCEC group routinely provide assistance.

We also are frequently called upon to advise clients on matters of finance and securities laws, particularly in connection with equity financings, most often by means of a private placement financing. These private placements can take a variety of forms, including sales of preferred stock, convertible debt or membership interests. They can involve diverse groups of investors, from friends and family to large institutional or strategic investors. After first understanding our client’s goals and objectives, the lawyers in the VCEC group use their extensive knowledge and creativity to assist each client’s efforts to secure the needed financing.