Rebecca (Becky) Baird
Partner
Becky served as an attorney in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for 24 years, where she began her career in appellate litigation. She litigated extensively before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, reaching the rank of Deputy Assistant General Counsel, where she led a team of attorneys handling high-volume, precedent-shaping Veterans benefits cases.
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After 15 years in litigation, she joined a newly created team of attorneys focused solely on research, where she provided counsel to numerous VA health care systems on complex research, regulatory, and intellectual property matters. She negotiated high-stakes agreements with industry, academia, and nonprofit partners, and served as a national subject matter expert on emerging research issues including cannabis, psychedelics, and precision oncology. Her work also included responding to Congressional and White House inquiries, contributing to federal rulemaking, and strengthening governance and compliance for VA-affiliated nonprofit corporations. As a senior attorney, she played a pivotal role in steering VA research through some of the nation's most high-profile initiatives, including President Biden's Cancer Moonshot and the federal government's Operation Warp Speed/White House COVID-19 Response.
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At Sequoia Partners, Becky advises nonprofit clients on transactions, compliance, and employment matters.
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Becky is a graduate of George Mason University School of Law and is passionate about public service. She has served on numerous nonprofit boards and volunteers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Location
Bethesda, MD
Bar Admission
Maryland
Practice Areas
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Outside General Counsel
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Government & Public Sector
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Nonprofits & Social Impact
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Regulatory & Compliance
Melissa H.D. Balough
Partner
Melissa has been practicing as a litigator for over two decades. She has taken cases for both plaintiffs and defendants from pre-litigation strategy through discovery, trial, and appeal, handling commercial disputes on the civil side, white-collar criminal defense and government investigations by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission, and infringement actions before the U.S. International Trade Commission, the federal district courts, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Her real estate litigation practice runs from purchase and sale disputes through boundary, easement, and title fights, and includes the occasional tree law matter, where the stakes are personal and the law is stranger than most people expect.
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Melissa looks for creative ways through problems that are stressful, expensive, and disruptive, and she measures a solution by whether it gives clients what they actually need. She has seen the law from every rung: she began as a legal assistant, clerked for Chief Judge Danny Boggs of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, served in government, advised a presidential candidate on policy, and has practiced in Big Law and in smaller offices.
Location
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Bar Admission
California
Virginia (inactive)
Massachusetts (inactive)
Practice Areas
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Litigation
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Real Estate & Land Use
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Regulatory & Compliance
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Outside General Counsel
Tom Bealer
Associate
Tom is a corporate and commercial attorney advising companies of all sizes on a wide range of issues and transactions including financings, corporate formations, corporate governance, and commercial transactions.
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Prior to joining Sequoia Partners, Tom worked as an attorney at a social impact-focused law firm where he worked on a variety of financings, investment fund formations, and corporate governance related issues. To start his legal career Tom worked as a legal fellow at Techstars, one of the world's largest accelerators with an investment portfolio of over 2,500 companies, where he worked directly with founders to navigate Techstars' onboarding and investment processes. His broad background with the challenges that businesses and founders encounter enables him to identify and address issues before they arise.
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Outside of the office, Tom enjoys skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, and golfing with his wife and two daughters.
Location
Denver, CO
Bar Admission
Colorado
Practice Areas
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Capital Raising & EC/VC
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Corporate & Securities
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Commercial Contracts
Brett Cook
Partner
Brett advises technology companies, financial institutions, and high-growth organizations on the full spectrum of privacy, cybersecurity, and data governance matters.
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Brett brings deep in-house experience from senior privacy and security roles at Wells Fargo, Motorola Solutions, and ServiceNow. Brett was also Senior Internal Investigator at Uber Technologies. Across these organizations, he built and operationalized enterprise privacy programs, advised executive leadership and boards on regulatory risk, and guided product, engineering, and security teams through complex compliance challenges spanning the GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and dozens of other global data protection regimes.
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His practice focuses on privacy program development, cybersecurity risk management, AI governance, vendor risk oversight, incident response planning, and regulatory readiness. Brett is known for translating technical regulatory requirements into practical, business aligned strategies that enable innovation while maintaining defensible compliance postures.
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Before entering private practice, Brett served as an officer in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps, where he advised global commands on cybersecurity, data protection, and national security regulatory matters. He holds a Private Company Governance certification from the Private Directors Association, IAPP certifications in Information Privacy Technology and U.S. Privacy; and remains actively engaged in the privacy and data protection community.
Location
Fort Worth, TX
Bar Admission
Florida
Practice Areas
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Privacy & Technology
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Regulatory & Compliance
Caitlin Cunningham
Partner
Caitlin Cunningham is an attorney and strategic advisor with nearly two decades of experience spanning federal service and private practice. Before joining Sequoia Partners, she built a distinguished career in public-sector leadership, working in real property, contracting, and program management, including service as a Presidential Management Fellow, a Lease Contracting Officer, and a Level III FAC-P/PM certification in federal acquisition. Caitlin is one of the few attorneys in the nation with true expertise in the processes and regulations governing federal lease acquisitions.
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Caitlin's private practice includes land use, real estate transactions, and leasing. She also advises clients on government contracts and subcontracts, including Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), and provides fractional general counsel services.
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Clients rely on Caitlin for clear, practical guidance, grounded in sound judgment and responsiveness. She translates complex regulatory frameworks into actionable next steps, helping clients move projects and transactions forward while managing risk along the way. Clients value her breadth of experience, responsiveness, and commitment to achieving practical outcomes that support long-term growth and risk management.
Location
Raleigh, NC
Bar Admission
New Jersey
North Carolina (pending)
Practice Areas
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Real Estate & Land Use
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Government & Public Sector
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Outside General Counsel
Steven (Steve) Forbes
Partner
Mr. Forbes is an attorney providing capital raising, M&A and general corporate services to companies, venture capital firms and institutional investment firms of all sizes, from start-ups to established privately and publicly held companies, venture capital firms and institutional investment firms. Mr. Forbes is a founder and partner at Sequoia Partners, LLP. Prior to Sequoia Partners, Mr. Forbes founded his own boutique firm in 2020 after practicing at Skadden, Arps, one of the preeminent corporate law firms in the world, for almost 22 years. Mr. Forbes retired from Skadden, Arps in 2019. Prior to going to law school, Mr. Forbes practiced as a Certified Public Accountant for almost 3 years with Deloitte & Touche LLP. Due to his many years of practice, Mr. Forbes has gained significant experience in all aspects of capital raising and M&A, having successfully represented clients in 1,000s of transaction. Mr. Forbes has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, a Master of Business Administration degree and Juris Doctorate degree, all from the University of Wisconsin.
Location
Chicago, IL
Tampa, FL
Bar Admission
Illinois
Practice Areas
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Mergers & Acquisitions
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Capital Raising & EC/VC
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Corporate & Securities
Donica Forensich
Managing Partner
Donica is a corporate attorney with over 25 years of legal experience advising clients on the full range of corporate and securities transactions. She focuses on guiding emerging growth companies through every stage of their lifecycle—from formation and early fundraising to strategic growth and successful exits. Her work includes advising on debt and equity financings, and mergers and acquisitions, as well as tackling corporate governance matters, equity administration, executive compensation, and technology transactions. Donica is also the Managing Partner of Sequoia Partners.
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She works closely with founders, investors, and operators, and is particularly passionate about supporting first-time entrepreneurs as they build and scale their businesses. Donica's clients span a broad range of technology-driven industries, and she is deeply committed to working with women-led and impact-driven companies.
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Donica is known for her practical, business-first approach. She takes the time to understand each client's business, goals, and risk tolerance, and delivers clear, focused advice that avoids unnecessary legal complexity. She frequently serves as outside general counsel to startups, providing strategic support that evolves alongside the business.
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Before becoming an attorney, Donica spent six years as a corporate paralegal in both large law firm and in-house environments. She then began her career as an attorney at DLA Piper, later served as in-house counsel at Sun Microsystems and Infinera Corporation, and returned to private practice in 2013 to focus on emerging companies and venture capital law where she was a partner at Paradigm Counsel LLP and Scale LLP before co-founding Sequoia Partners, LLP. Donica participates as a legal mentor for the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship's Startup Incubator Program and is a lecturer in Business Law in the Orfalea College of Business at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Location
Paso Robles, CA
Bar Admission
California
Practice Areas
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Corporate & Securities
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Capital Raising & EC/VC
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Mergers & Acquisitions
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Outside General Counsel
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Nonprofits & Social Impact
Marissa Fox
Partner
Marissa is a corporate and real estate attorney who represents buyers, sellers, and investors in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, financings, and other complex transactions. She also serves as outside general counsel to early-stage and established operating companies, advising on corporate governance, securities matters, and commercial arrangements.
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Her real estate practice includes the acquisition, financing, development, leasing, and disposition of commercial property, as well as land use and entitlement matters in heavily regulated jurisdictions. She recently served as the court-appointed referee for the $15.4 million sale of a 31-acre property to the California Tahoe Conservancy, a historic acquisition pursued by state and regional conservation partners for decades.
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Marissa also advises tax-exempt organizations on formation, governance, and operations, including hybrid and multi-entity structures. She founded a marine conservation nonprofit whose work has been featured in BBC's Blue Planet series.
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Outside of the office, Marissa is a former professional snowboarder who enjoys surfing and paddling in her free time.
Location
Santa Barbara, CA
Bar Admission
California
Practice Areas
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Real Estate & Land Use
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Corporate & Securities
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Nonprofits & Social Impact
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Capital Raising & EC/VC
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Jenna Geuke
Partner
Jenna is a commercial and corporate attorney who serves as a trusted legal partner to clients of all sizes and at every stage of growth. Based in Colorado, she focuses on structuring, drafting, and negotiating commercial contracts and thrives in the details of complex transactions. She's known for her practical, no-nonsense approach: identifying risks before they surface, crafting precise language that holds up under pressure, and moving deals forward efficiently without sacrificing her clients' positions.
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Before joining Sequoia Partners, Jenna built an extensive private practice advising companies across a range of industries and deal types on high-stakes commercial matters. She began her legal career as in-house counsel at Techstars, one of the world's largest accelerators with an investment portfolio of over 2,500 companies. That experience gave her a deep familiarity with the challenges companies face and the ability to spot and address common issues before they arise.
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When she's not closing deals, Jenna is a foster volunteer for an animal rescue organization and has helped find homes for over seventy cats and dogs. She also enjoys yoga, golf, and exploring Colorado's hiking trails.
Location
Denver, CO
Bar Admission
Colorado
Practice Areas
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Commercial Contracts
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Privacy & Technology
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Outside General Counsel
Benjamin (Ben) Golopol
Counsel
Ben is a corporate attorney at Sequoia Partners, where he focuses on complex commercial transactions across a range of industries. He has a knack for finding creative solutions to the last sticking points in a deal and helping clients close as efficiently as possible. His practice also includes advising emerging companies on product development and intellectual property licensing.
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Prior to joining Sequoia, Ben was an attorney at Scale LLP. His experience also includes serving as Corporate Counsel at DISH Network, where he handled commercial agreements related to television programming, with a focus on retransmission consent agreements. Earlier in his career, he served as Corporate Counsel and Product Manager at TermScout, a legal tech software company. Ben earned his JD from the University of Colorado Law School and his BA from the University of Wisconsin. He is based in Denver.
Location
Denver, CO
Bar Admission
Colorado
Practice Areas
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Commercial Contracts
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Privacy & Technology
Tyler Hayden
Partner
Tyler is a corporate and securities attorney with a passion for entrepreneurship. He serves as outside general counsel for clients of all sizes, with a primary focus on startups. He strives to understand a client's goals from not only a legal perspective, but from a personal and business perspective. Tyler assists startups and investors in a wide range of transactions including entity formations, restructurings, day-to-day corporate governance, equity and debt financings, securities law compliance, and liquidity events. He takes pride in delivering efficient and tailored solutions to assist his clients in reaching their goals at all stages of their life cycle.
Location
Denver, CO
Bar Admission
Colorado
Practice Areas
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Corporate & Securities
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Mergers & Acquisitions
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Capital Raising & EC/VC
Jacqueline ( Jacki) Post Ladha
Partner
Jacqueline Post Ladha brings more than two decades of experience with government, public private partnerships, real estate, private equity, investment structuring, and social impact. She advises clients on complex business transactions, partnering with the public sector, acquisitions, alternative financing, fund formation, public private partnerships, and strategic asset management. Her practice includes working with startups, investors, and organizations to navigate regulatory challenges, optimize corporate structures, and achieve strategic goals.
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Jacki pairs executive leadership with legal counsel across government and the private sector. At the Department of Veterans Affairs, she established and led the Real Property Strategic Utilization and Public-Private Partnerships office, overseeing a then-$5 billion portfolio and structuring public-private partnership models that streamlined delivery, cut costs, and expanded services for veterans; she also advised the Secretary's team on real estate and healthcare assets and contributed to the federal Cancer Moonshot initiative.
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In the private sector, she co-founded and served as Co-Managing Partner and General Counsel of a real estate investment firm named to the Inc. 5000 (top 9% fastest-growing), where she combined legal and business leadership with mission-driven work. Jacki often serves as Outside General Counsel for her clients as she is known for her strategic insight, deep industry knowledge, and ability to deliver results in complex and evolving markets. Her dedication to creating value for clients and driving impact makes her a trusted advisor across sectors.
Location
Denver, CO
Bar Admission
Florida
Practice Areas
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Corporate & Securities
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Real Estate & Land Use
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Government & Public Sector
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Regulatory & Compliance
Nicole Norris
Counsel
Nicole is a business-minded legal executive with nearly 25 years of experience helping technology and consumer businesses manage growth, revenue, risk, and change. As a fractional general counsel, Nicole spent the last five years advising executives and cross-functional teams on SaaS contracts, AI product governance, intellectual property, privacy, disputes, employment, compliance, corporate governance, and M&A. She also leads legal operations initiatives that improve contract workflows, decision-making, and audit readiness. Her work includes leading an enterprise CLM implementation, developing contract frameworks for agentic AI products, resolving domestic and cross-border disputes, modernizing SaaS agreements, and managing global IP portfolios. Her privacy experience includes DPAs, ROPA, SCCs, cross-border transfers, DPIAs, incident response, GDPR, and CCPA.
Nicole also served eight years as General Counsel for a consumer-products company and eleven years before that handling patent, trade-secret, antitrust, and complex commercial litigation at leading law firms.
Location
San Luis Obispo, CA
Bar Admission
California
Practice Areas
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Commercial Contracts
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Privacy & Technology
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Outside General Counsel
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Intellectual Property
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Litigation
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Employment
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Katy Reamon
Partner
Katy's commercial transactions practice is built on experience in leadership positions at large and small firms, as well as serving as in-house counsel for companies in the manufacturing and software industries. She supports clients with commercial contracts, deal management and operational contracts management. Her clients represent a wide range of industries and business sizes and types, and they all rely on Katy to frame and structure sales, vendor, licensing, software, manufacturing, supply chain and services deals.
Katy believes that each deal is like assembling a puzzle that requires organizing different parts, putting like-shapes together and creating a workable framework. Katy has been solving these legal puzzles for three decades, and she still loves it. She has a knack for spotting patterns and organizing disparate terms to create strong business strategies, enabling her clients to successfully structure their deals for business success.
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Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons and two dogs.
Location
Denver, CO
Bar Admission
Colorado
Practice Areas
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Commercial Contracts
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Privacy & Technology
Channah Rose
Partner
Channah is a corporate and securities attorney with nearly 20 years of experience helping clients navigate the full range of business transactions. Her practice spans company formations to complex corporate restructurings, from pre-Seed SAFE rounds to Series D financings, and from distressed asset sales to business combinations valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
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While she regularly collaborates with seasoned founders, investors, and executives, she maintains a special appreciation for guiding first-time entrepreneurs and emerging investors as they find their footing. Channah represents clients across a broad range of technology-driven industries, including clean tech, construction tech, and ecommerce. She is especially drawn to women-led and impact-driven companies and values the opportunity to support businesses that are trying to build something meaningful.
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Channah brings a thoughtful, grounded approach to her work. She listens carefully, takes the time to understand each client's business and goals from the inside, and delivers practical, strategic guidance focused entirely on what matters most, while avoiding abstract legal detours.
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Before becoming an attorney, Channah operated on the ground at a couple early-stage startups (long before the term was part of her vocabulary), spent time as a travel writer in India, and studied theology in graduate school. She now lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and three children. Outside of work, she sings and plays bass in an all-female indie rock and post-punk band.
Location
Portland, OR
Bar Admission
Oregon
Practice Areas
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Capital Raising & EC/VC
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Mergers & Acquisitions
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Corporate & Securities
Thomas Soave
Counsel
Thomas is a commercial and technology transactions attorney. His practice focuses on SaaS agreements, technology outsourcing, and strategic multi-year partnerships, along with commercial due diligence on M&A deals across emerging technology, agribusiness, retail, and multinational sectors.
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Prior to Sequoia, Thomas practiced at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner and at several boutique firms specializing in technology transactions. He earned his JD from the University of Colorado School of Law and an undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan. Outside of work, you will find him on the golf course or wading in a stream fly-fishing.
Location
Denver, CO
Bar Admission
Colorado
Practice Areas
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Commercial Contracts
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Privacy & Technology