Overview

Paul Ellis represents companies at all stages of their life cycles, as well as funds and angel investors. Clients choose Paul to negotiate complex business matters and provide sophisticated, strategic legal advice for establishing, financing, operating and exiting highly successful, and often rapidly-growing, companies. His experience spans multiple industries including software, digital media, e-commerce, healthcare, fintech, manufacturing and retail and consumer products. Paul routinely handles cross-border matters, often in collaboration with the firm’s network of foreign counsel worldwide.

His practice includes:

• Entity structuring and formation
• VC, angel and seed financing transactions
• Equity plans
• General operational matters
• Joint ventures and strategic partnerships
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Securities offerings and securities laws compliance

An innovator and entrepreneur by nature, Paul is a co-founder of the New York Technology Council, which merged with NY Tech Meetup to become the 60,000 member NY Tech Alliance, an organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the technology industry. A member of the board for the NY Tech Alliance, Paul leads a bi-monthly panel covering an array of legal issues that technology companies face. Well-known for his strong communication, strategic thinking and pragmatic approach to getting things done, Paul is a former appointed member of the Board of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, the public benefit corporation charged with financing and building governmental and other public purpose facilities in the state.

Paul’s dedication to client service is the foundation of his practice. He recognizes, respects and appreciates the trust his clients place in him. He takes pride in delivering a high-level of sophisticated, personalized and valuable service. Described as the consummate “businessman’s lawyer,” Paul appreciates the challenges his clients face in their businesses, legal risks being just one of those concerns. Accordingly, he helps his clients identify and assess their legal concerns, addressing those issues using creative, practical solutions.

Representative Experience

Startup Financing Transactions (VC/Seed/Angel/Crowdfunding)

• Representation of a gaming company in a $56 million Series B investment.
• Representation of a company developing industry-leading algorithmic trading solutions in a $10 million Series AA investment.
• Representation of the family office of a major European automotive family in numerous angel investments in European and US early-stage companies.
• Representation of a gaming company in an equity crowdfunding transaction that was hailed by the New York Times as one of the 10 most successful crowdfunding campaigns.

VC Fund Representation

• Representation of a VC fund participating in a $200 million financing round into a blockchain startup.
• Representation of a VC fund in co-leading a $64 million financing round in a biotech company addressing novel treatments of fibrotic diseases and cancer.
• Representation of a European VC fund in co-leading a $20+ investment into an NFT infrastructure startup.
• Representation and formation of a VC fund dedicated to investing in early-stage companies focused on research into disease-specific treatment alternatives.

Mergers and Acquisitions

• Representation of a money transmitter company in an acquisition by a private equity company in a transaction valued at approximately $90 million.
• Representation of a leading education company in negotiations toward its acquisition by a strategic buyer in a transaction valued at approximately $20 million.
• Representation of the developer of a marketing software solution in its sale to a strategic buyer in a transaction valued at approximately $4 million.
• Representation of the developer and provider of a best-in-class attendee registration system in a acquisition by a leading live engagement marketing platform.

Speaking Engagements

Paul has extensive public speaking experience. Invited to cover a range of legal issues at conferences and on panels, some of the organizations he presents before include:

• Columbia University (Center for Advanced Information Management)
• MIT Enterprise Forum
• National Science Foundation
• National Money Transmitter Association
• New York Academy of Sciences
• New York City Bar Association
• New York Software Industry Association (NYSIA)
• New York Tech Alliance
• New York Technology Council

Some of the topics Paul speaks on include:

• Strategies for Connecting with and Pitching to VC and Angel Investors
• Structuring and Negotiating VC/Angel Investment Rounds
• Considerations in Startup Entity Formation
• Long-Term Planning for Successful M&A Exits
• Negotiating M&A Transactions

Community & Professional Involvement

• American Bar Association, member
• Board of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), former member. DASNY is the public benefit corporation charged with financing and building governmental and other public purpose facilities in the state
• Bronx Community Board 8: member, former Vice Chairman of the Board, former Chairman of the Board’s Housing Committee.
• New York City Bar Association, member
• New York Tech Alliance: presenter, board member
• New York Technology Council: co-founder, former board member

Prior Work Experience

• Winston & Strawn LLP
• Donovan, Leisure, Newton & Irvine
• United States Office of Special Counsel, Public Affairs Director
• United States Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, Staff
• Massachusetts House of Representatives, Legislative Committee Staff