Cooley LLP, whose team is predominantly based in California, but offers a nationwide practice reaching the firm’s Boston office, has a practice which is strongly geared towards the field of venture capital fund formation. The team has clients including some of Silicon Valley’s original venture firms, as well as high-growth emerging companies and investing in early-stage funds, but also is involved in fund deals relating to the US, China, and other jurisdictions. Located in Palo Alto, John Dado spearheads the team, with a client base of early-stage venture capital firms and top venture capital firms, and centers his practice around the formation of venture capital or buyout funds. John Clendenin, also in Palo Alto. In San Francisco, Eric Doherty advises some of the group’s largest funds.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
- Profile
Key clients
- 01 Advisors
- A*
- Acrew Capital
- Andreessen Horowitz
- Galvanize Climate Solutions
- Haun Ventures
- Headline
- M33 Growth
- Refactor Capital
- Redpoint
Work highlights
- Represented Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) in the closing of US$7.2 billion for the following new funds, American Dynamism (US$600 million), Applications (US$1 billion), Games (US$600 million), Infrastructure (US$1.25 billion) and Growth (US$3.75 billion).
- Advised Institutional Venture Partners (IVP) on the raise of its US$1.6 billion 18th fund to partner with transformational technology companies and help supercharge their growth.
- Advised Menlo Ventures on its close of US$1.35 billion in new capital.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
John Dado
Other key lawyers
John Clendenin; Jimmy Matteucci; Matthew Smith