MENTORS PROGRAM

I was a partner at the law firm of Donahue, Mesereau & Leids specializing in venture capital, securities & merger & acquisition transactions. In so doing, I served as primary outside counsel to private and public companies, representing them in various corporate transactions, including early-stage financings to initial public offerings, public and private securities offerings, public regulatory disclosures, proxy battles, hostile takeover fights and recapitalizations. I also advised boards of directors about corporate governance and securities regulation issues. During my legal career, I represented companies and underwriters in a wide range of domestic and international corporate transactions, such as leveraged buyouts, restructurings, and public and private securities offerings, including secured and unsecured Rule 144A note offerings, commercial paper offerings, tender offers, convertible bond offers and proxy fights.
Among some of the more notable transactions in which I had a leading role, I was involved in one of the first e-commerce IPOs, taking Shopping.com public in 1997, and represented a startup that was formed by a number of UCLA computer science majors that received funding from Ron Burkle, the founder of The Yucaipa Companies, and Mike Ovitz, one of the founders of Creative Artists Agency. While that company, Scour.net, eventually didn’t succeed, one of the founders, Travis Kalanick, has gone on to lead Uber Technologies, Inc.
My career was abruptly ended in 2001 when, while I was on my way home after completing the sale of a client to a foreign purchaser, I was rear-ended by a drunk driver who was travelling at over 70 MPH. After ten (10) spinal surgeries and over 50 other medical procedures, this led me to angel investing where one focus is to look for new companies and technologies that can help with spinal and nerve injuries and pain management. I generally invest in the healthcare sector and technology companies that have some socially responsible aspect in their mission. I have over 30 investments in startup companies which include the following: Thrive Market, events.com, Empyr (formerly, mogl.com), Connected Signals, Klickly, Jaanuu, Arsenic, Court Buddy, Vow to be Chic, Trufl, Blokable, Kush, SmartCSM, Rinse and Contraline.