Build Your Foundation

Great companies are built on great foundations.  At Perkins Coie we work with founders and entrepreneurs to choose the right form of business entity, issue equity to the founding team, structure founders' relationships to ensure the long-term viability of the business and ensure that the intellectual property of the business is secure within the entity from day one.  Knowing that capital is tight for startups, we offer innovative fee arrangements and client relationships because we know that our guidance can be crucial for long-term success.

Money Is the Lifeblood of Emerging Companies

We help clients raise money by maintaining relationships with key venture capital groups and other potential investors. We know market terms and have a negotiating style that gets our clients the best deals possible, while preserving strong relationships with investors (some of whom will become board members) By working efficiently and offering creative billing arrangements, we can be sure to provide great value.

Business Relationships

As a full-service law firm, Perkins Coie offers emerging growth companies counsel on a wide range of critical early-stage business activities, including structuring outsourcing arrangements, negotiating trade secret and noncompete agreements with employees, and developing key customer and vendor contracts.

Financing to Grow the Business

Companies seeking private investors value law firms that offer both investor contacts and extensive experience in venture capital and private investments. Perkins Coie is a recognized leader in venture capital transactions, representing companies seeking financing as well as venture capital firms seeking to invest. Our team was recognized by Chambers USA as one of the leading Venture Capital practices in the United States and by U.S. News & World Report as having a "tier 1" Venture Capital Law practice. We are the only law firm headquartered north of San Francisco with a broad practice representing leading venture capital firms. We have the ability to introduce our clients to our venture capital contacts and thus help both the companies seeking funding and the venture capital firms looking for new investments. Our representation of emerging growth companies and venture capital firms provides us with a breadth of experience negotiating and closing financing transactions quickly and efficiently.

Commercial Transactions

Companies involved in clean technology industries frequently need legal assistance for their commercial contracts in many different areas ranging from intellectual property licensing, joint venture formation, and distribution, financing, project development, and construction agreements. Perkins Coie is uniquely positioned to assist with contracts in those disparate areas due to the combination of a prominent IP and technology practice representing startup and established companies and our 100-year history as a full-service business law firm representing companies in a multitude of industries in varied commercial transactions. Our lawyers help our clean technology clients find practical, efficient solutions to their business needs by pragmatically applying our experience in preparing and negotiating their commercial contracts.

Project Finance and Commercial Finance

In renewable energy and other capital intensive clean technology projects, project finance is an important financing method. Perkins Coie has been active in renewable energy and other project finance activities for over 30 years. We have assisted project sponsors, utilities, developers, equity investors, contractors and lenders with their project finance activities. Perkins Coie also assists clean technology and other clients in a wide range of complex commercial lending transactions including secured and unsecured loans, equipment leases and loans, revolving credit facilities, and letters of credit.

Tax Credits, Renewable Portfolio Standards, RECs and Green Tags

Many clean technology companies are active in industries where tax credits and governmental programs, regulations and mandates have a significant financial impact on their business. Our attorneys are familiar with both the policy issues and practical implications concerning federal and state tax credits, renewable portfolio standards, RECs and green tags. We frequently advise clients on how to take advantage of the opportunities and challenges those tax credits and government programs, regulations and mandates present.

Public Offerings and Mergers & Acquisitions

As a company grows and prospers, it often needs to raise money. Perkins Coie has significant experience helping companies grow from their beginnings as startup private companies, through any IPO or follow-on public offerings and beyond. We advise clients in a wide range of public and private debt and equity financings, including Rule 144A transactions and other public and private placements of debt and preferred and convertible securities. We represent over 75 public companies and have completed over 200 public offerings and institutional placements over the past decade, including assisting several companies with their initial public offering activities during the past few years.

Many clean technology companies are or will be involved in merger and acquisitions activities, either as a buyer or in an exit sale to a strategic buyer. With nearly 100 M&A attorneys, Perkins Coie has the depth and resources to manage even the most demanding transactions. Backed by an Am Law 100 firm with more than 800 attorneys, our M&A attorneys can draw upon Perkins Coie's extensive subject matter resources to assist our clean technology clients who are involved in M&A activities and have related needs such as dealing with securities, antitrust, employment, environmental regulation, intellectual property rights and federal and state taxation matters.