Richard Graf
Attorney at Law
District of Columbia
NY, DC
About
In my 20+ years in big law I worked on a variety of large scale M&A and corporate finance transactions, public and private securities offerings and general corporate and real estate transactions for a number of public and private companies and private equity and VC firms.
I am also co-founder and general counsel of a startup incubator and its subsidiary companies as well as… read more a food and beverage focused investment and advisory firm.
experience
Practice Areas
Client Reviews
"Rick has helped me with our current company (corp contracts), past companies and with personal docs (helped me navigate personal issues relating to an earnout & employment agreement with acquirer as they related to the SPA). He’s brilliant with startup strategy—he understands the entrepreneurial world and all its nuances."
"Rick, honestly, is one of the best attorneys that I have ever worked with, and I have probably worked with 75-100 over the course of my career. Super intelligent. Rick is to the point, and highly responsive. He always provides smart counsel, and provides alternative solutions to a problem, when applicable. He has great, and easy going, interpersonal skills."
Work History
Graf Business Law
Owner
Nov 2007 - Present
Sole practitioner representing primarily technology and other startups in a wide variety of industries in corporate formation, VC and angel funding and other corporate finance matters, M&A transactions and general corporate matters.
Katten Muchin
Partner
Aug 2002 - Mar 2007
Corporate Partner in the Washington, DC office of this Chicago-based law firm. Led numerous public and private domestic and international M&A transactions, public and private debt and equity offerings, including IPOs, and venture capital financings for both issuers and venture funds. Counseled clients on ’34 Act filings, corporate governance and Sarb-Ox compliance and general corporate matters
Mintz Levin
Partner
Nov 1997 - Aug 2002
Partner and head of Business and Finance practice of the DC office of this Boston-based law firm. Led numerous public and private domestic and international M&A and outsourcing transactions for internet, biotech and other high-tech companies, public and private debt and equity offerings, and venture capital financings for both issuers and venture funds.
SSE Capital, LLC
Co-Founder and General Counsel
Apr 1996 - Nov 1997
COO, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of hedge fund manager that was contemplated to operate several small-scale quant funds. Experience in operations, fundraising, fund formation and hedge fund regulation.
Arnold & Porter
Partner
Sep 1986 - Apr 1996
Partner in Corporate and Real Estate groups of this DC-based law firm. Corporate experience included domestic and international M&A transactions, private equity transactions, securities offerings, bankruptcy related transactions and general corporate matters. Real estate experience in resort development, building and ground acquisitions, loans and loan workouts and restructurings.
Breed, Abbott & Morgan
Associate
Sep 1984 - Sep 1986
Associate in Corporate group of this NYC based firm.