โข HLEP PODCAST โข
Listen Now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
On episode 1, โ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ญ๐ก ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐: ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฉ & ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐งโ, we speak to Jeff Laretto, a partner at Cooley LLP’s New York City office, about the Emerging Companies & Venture Capital (ECVC) practice area, how it differs from other corporate practice areas like Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) and Capital Markets, and what makes successful ECVC lawyers.
Jeff also discusses what startup founders should consider at the founding stage, and how ECVC lawyers help founders avoid the biggest mistakes that tend to be made.
On episode 2, “๐๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐: ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฒ”, we speak to Christopher Higgins, a partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLPโs Washington D.C. office, about Intellectual Property (IP), including patents, trade secrets, copyrights; what types of IP considerations founders need to make as they set out to protect their ideas; and how IP lawyers help their clients navigate these issues.
On Episode 3,ย “๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง: ๐๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ”, we speak to Rebecca DeGraw of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati about raising capital at a startupโs pre-financing rounds, including its later preferred equity financing rounds, devices for raising capital like SAFEs (Simple Agreements for Future Equity), and factors for considering who to raise capital investments from
On episode 4, “๐๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ”, we speak to Robin Painter, a partner of Proskauer Rose LLP & Sarah Reed, general counsel of RA Capital Management, L.P., about what representing venture capital funds and their General Partners (GP) & Limited Partners (LP) is like. We also learn about the lawyersโ role in helping general and limited partners recognize and manage the risks involved with VC investments.
On episode 5, “๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ”, we speak to Sepideh Mousakhani, a partner at Cooley LLP’s Palo Alto office about the types of growing pains and challenges that founders tend to face as they build their startups from early into middle and late-stage companies. We also learn about how lawyers help their clients navigate this middle period and anticipate legal issues to come.
Sepideh also talks about her journey and transition from associate to partner, for all the law students interested in pursuing the partner track!
On episode 6, “๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ: ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ง-๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐”, we speak to Josh Beser, a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s New York office, about the General Counselโs role. We learn about the types of legal issues that general counsels help founders navigate and how the role compares with practicing at a law firm. Listen to hear Josh share perspectives from his time at fast-growing companies like Away, Inc!
On episode 7, “๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฌ & ๐๐๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ”, we speak to Kevin Cooper, a partner at Cooley LLPโs New York City Office, about the mergers & acquisitions practice area, what an acquisition & sale process looks like, and the types of issues that buyers and sellers need to consider in M&A deals.
On episode 8, “๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ (๐๐๐๐ฌ)”, we speak to Jordan Roberts & Ran Ben-Tzur, partners at Fenwick & West. We learn about public exits, what an IPO timeline looks like, and the types of considerations that founders need to make in preparation to go public. Jordan & Ran also share about what capital markets lawyers do and how they help clients navigate this exciting process!
On, episode 9, “๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐: ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฒ”, we speak to Milson Yu, a partner at Cooley LLP’s Palo Alto office.
We learn about the Public Companies practice area and the types of issues that companies need to adjust to after going public. Milson also shares about what it takes to make partner and discusses why diversity & representation among the partner class matters for associates considering whether to pursue the partner track.