Key Takeaways
- • DLA Piper has significantly expanded its Emerging Growth and Venture Capital (EGVC) practice by adding multiple partner-level hires over an 18-month period, including Sarah Chambless, Josh Seidenfeld, John Hutar, Frances Mosley, Brady Berg, Ken Funahashi, Abrar Hussain, Kevin Milgram, Alan Bickerstaff, and Cassandra Cuellar across multiple U.S. offices.
- • The firm completed over 1,800 financings totaling more than $50 billion in the past three years, positioning it among the largest emerging growth and venture capital law firm teams globally with roots in Silicon Valley.
- • DLA Piper's EGVC practice operates through multidisciplinary teams spanning tax, intellectual property, employment, regulation, and technology, providing full-spectrum advisory services from early-stage fundraising through IPO preparation and post-exit support.
- • The firm is ranked by Chambers & Partners USA across all major and mid-market jurisdictions and maintains a global platform with significant presence in venture hubs, addressing the distinct legal and business challenges facing high-growth companies and their investors.
Summary
DLA Piper has undertaken a strategic expansion of its Emerging Growth and Venture Capital practice, bringing on a cohort of partners across multiple U.S. locations over the past 18 months. The additions include Sarah Chambless, Josh Seidenfeld, John Hutar, Frances Mosley, Brady Berg, Ken Funahashi, Abrar Hussain, Kevin Milgram, Alan Bickerstaff, and Cassandra Cuellar, reflecting the firm's commitment to strengthening its position in the venture and emerging growth markets. These hires span offices including Palo Alto and Reston, Virginia, positioning the firm to serve clients across major venture ecosystems.
The firm's credentials in this practice area are substantial. Over the past three years, DLA Piper's EGVC lawyers have completed more than 1,800 financings with an aggregate value exceeding $50 billion, demonstrating considerable deal volume and market access. The firm positions itself among the largest emerging growth and venture capital law firm teams globally, with historical roots tracing to the early days of Silicon Valley. This legacy provides institutional knowledge of venture market cycles, founder dynamics, and investor expectations that newer entrants cannot easily replicate.
DLA Piper's service model for the EGVC practice emphasizes pragmatism and cost efficiency tailored to high-growth company needs. The firm offers multidisciplinary teams that integrate expertise in corporate law, tax, intellectual property, employment, regulation, and technology—addressing the full spectrum of legal challenges facing emerging companies and their backers. For investors, the firm provides opportunity identification and return maximization strategies aligned with both short- and long-term investment objectives. For portfolio companies, DLA Piper advises on capital raising, M&A transactions, governance, and IPO preparation, often continuing to represent companies through multiple growth stages and exits.
The firm's market positioning is reinforced by its Chambers & Partners USA rankings across emerging growth and venture capital categories in all major and mid-market jurisdictions, supported by a global platform. This combination of scale, specialization, and multi-jurisdictional capability positions DLA Piper to serve institutional investors, emerging growth funds, and high-growth enterprises navigating an increasingly complex regulatory and commercial environment.
The firm's credentials in this practice area are substantial. Over the past three years, DLA Piper's EGVC lawyers have completed more than 1,800 financings with an aggregate value exceeding $50 billion, demonstrating considerable deal volume and market access. The firm positions itself among the largest emerging growth and venture capital law firm teams globally, with historical roots tracing to the early days of Silicon Valley. This legacy provides institutional knowledge of venture market cycles, founder dynamics, and investor expectations that newer entrants cannot easily replicate.
DLA Piper's service model for the EGVC practice emphasizes pragmatism and cost efficiency tailored to high-growth company needs. The firm offers multidisciplinary teams that integrate expertise in corporate law, tax, intellectual property, employment, regulation, and technology—addressing the full spectrum of legal challenges facing emerging companies and their backers. For investors, the firm provides opportunity identification and return maximization strategies aligned with both short- and long-term investment objectives. For portfolio companies, DLA Piper advises on capital raising, M&A transactions, governance, and IPO preparation, often continuing to represent companies through multiple growth stages and exits.
The firm's market positioning is reinforced by its Chambers & Partners USA rankings across emerging growth and venture capital categories in all major and mid-market jurisdictions, supported by a global platform. This combination of scale, specialization, and multi-jurisdictional capability positions DLA Piper to serve institutional investors, emerging growth funds, and high-growth enterprises navigating an increasingly complex regulatory and commercial environment.
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