Lawrence H. Gennari

Partner

Lawrence H. Gennari photo

Bio

Education

  • William & Mary Law School, J.D., Order of the Coif, Editor-in-Chief, William & Mary Law Review
  • North Adams State College, B.S., Accounting, summa cum laude

Lawyer Bio

Larry Gennari, a corporate and transactional lawyer for more than two decades, values his role in facilitating key relationships and strategic opportunities for his clients. Larry’s clients, whether they are public companies, venture-backed or angel-financed private companies, entrepreneurs, investors or board members, look to him as one of their most trusted business advisors.

With a well-established reputation for strategic advice on both mergers and acquisitions, as well as financing strategies for growth companies, Larry’s practice focuses on corporate and securities law for rapidly growing private and public companies and their supporting executives, directors, investors and advisors. His work includes countless mergers and acquisitions, private offerings, venture capital financings, joint ventures, and public offerings as well as SEC compliance for public companies and their directors and officers.

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Larry is an Adjunct Professor at Boston College Law School where he has taught courses on Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Finance and Advising Entrepreneurs, for more than fifteen years. Larry developed one of the Law School’s newest courses, Project Entrepreneur, a student-led business fundamentals bootcamp for entrepreneurs with criminal records, many of whom were previously incarcerated. He frequently comments and contributes on corporate finance, venture capital and entrepreneurial topics in publications and as a guest speaker at industry events and seminars.

Larry started his career at Ropes & Gray and prior to forming Gennari Aronson, LLP, Larry was a Partner at Choate Hall & Stewart in Boston. Larry carries a Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ rating and has been named a New England Super Lawyer for both mergers & acquisitions and securities and corporate finance since the inception of the publication. In a recent New England Super Lawyers edition, Larry was ranked in the New England Top 100 Lawyers category.

Larry earned a J.D. from the College of William and Mary, where he ranked third in his class and served as editor-in-chief of the William & Mary Law Review, as well as a B.S. (Accounting), summa cum laude, from North Adams State College, where he was the Massachusetts Society of CPA’s outstanding student.

Thought
Leadership

Innovation, business book festival returns for eighth year (October 22, 2024)

“Look at me! Telling your story in a noisy world” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (September 20, 2024)

“Authors & Innovators: What if you could do … anything?” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (July 5, 2024)

“No right to an honest living: Juneteenth in Boston then and now,”  Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (June 14, 2024)

“Nakedly unafraid and heading outside” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (May 20, 2024)

“Conversation with US Senator Tim Kaine” (April 8, 2024)

“Jeff Bezos Needs to Leave Me Alone” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (April 4, 2024)

“All the News we Get to Print: 2024 and Beyond” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (March 15, 2024)

Podcast with Ron Levin of Alumni Ventures

“Maine: A Humble Appreciation of Well-Crafted Things” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (February 7, 2024)

“Milton Freidman Has Left the Building” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal  (January 12, 2024)

“Gift Ideas for Thinkers: 2023 Notable Books” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (December 5, 2023)

“Avoid ‘Kitchen Nightmares’ Starting with Gordon Ramsey” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (October 18, 2023)

“AI, Ikigai and a the New World of Work” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (September 15, 2023)

Artificial Intelligence is Here.  So Now What?” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (August 18, 2023)

“On the Road and Paving the Way for Change” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (June 29, 2023)

“Is Your Business Strategy Shaping Up to Be Woke, Broke Or Bespoke?” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (May 25, 2023)

“Lessons in Talking and Not Talking,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (April 21, 2023)

“Truly, madly, and sometimes deeply, with Philomena Cunk“, Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (March 10, 2023)

“Maybe We Need More ‘Travels with Charley’,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (January 27, 2023)

“Top 10 Must-Reads for 2022,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (December 16, 2022)

“Patagonia, Prince and The Sound of Leadership,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (October 28, 2022)

“The Pleasing Appeal of Harry Styles, Entrepreneur, Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (September 22, 2022)

“Chocolate, Capitalism and a Renewed Sweet Approach,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (August 11, 2022)

“Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (July 7, 2022)

“Advice for Grads: Is it All About the Benjamins?,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (June 17, 2022)

“For the Sake of Argument,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (April 28, 2022)

“Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (March 18, 2022)

“M&A, Springsteen, and Your Own Final Tour,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (February 11, 2022)

“Why 2022 Makes Us All Feel Like Charlie Brown, ” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (January 10, 2022)

“Gifts for Thinkers – Top 10 Must Reads for 2021,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (December 17, 2021)

“You Can’t Fire Me, I Quit:  Perspectives on the Great Resignation,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (November 25, 2021)

“You’ve Got the Power. Now Use it!,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (October 21, 2021)

“Machiavelli, Women, and the Art of Talking Back,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (September 24, 2021)

“You’ve got mail . . . again,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (August 20, 2021)

“Monopoly: A New Take on An Old Game,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (July 1, 2021)

“Commencement and Beyond, With a Few Good Books,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (May 21, 2021)

“We meant Social Distance, not Emotional Distance,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (May 5, 2021)

“Family-Business Advice Fit for a Godfather,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (March 18, 2021)

“Truman’s Advice for 2021?  Leaders Must Be Readers,”  Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (February 10, 2021)

“No Holds Barred,” Feature Article on Project Entrepreneur, Boston College Law School Magazine (Winter 2021)

“2021? You Got This, and Here are Some Books to Help,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (January 8, 2021)

“10 Must-Read Business Books from 2020,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (December 17, 2020)

“Op-ed:  Welcome to the Rest of 2020,” Op-Ed,  Boston Business Journal (November 24, 2020)

“You Could be Rewriting Your Story Now,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (October 13, 2020)

“Authors, Innovators and Bill Murray,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (September 11, 2020)

“A Second Wave, Zombies, and the End of the World as You Know it,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (August 12, 2020)

“Black Lives Matter and the Promise of Entrepreneurship,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (July 16, 2020)

Service Leadership and Living a Life that Matters, Well Being Walks with Kip Hollister, Hollister Institute (July 15, 2020)

“Musings on Warren Buffet and What We Might Do Next,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (May 4, 2020)

“Thinking Fast Means Going Slow,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (April 3, 2020)

“Pitch Like A Pro – Start With These Books,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (February 25, 2020)

“MLK and the Unfinished Fight for Economic Justice,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (January 17, 2020)

Meet BC Law Professor and M&A Lawyer Larry Gennari, Boston Speaks Up Podcast (December 30, 2019)

“The Truth About Sharks,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (November 21, 2019)

“A Look at M&A and Must-Read Local Books,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (October 10, 2019)

“Imagining a Better Way – Reentry, Recidivism, and Returning Citizens,” Bloomberg Law (September 26, 2019)

“Bill Murray is Everywhere You Want to Be,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (August 30, 2019)

“You Can’t Look Forward Without Knowing the Past,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (July 17, 2019)

What Books Should Professionals Read at Different Points in Their Career?, Building Bridges (July 2019)

The Promise of Entrepreneurship for Returning Citizens, Radio Entrepreneurs (June 26, 2019)

Starting Out in Food Entrepreneurship, Babson College (2019)

Authors & Innovators Book Forum & Ideas Festival 2017-21, Chief Curator

Second Chance U.: Teaching entrepreneurship to those with a criminal past, Boston Business Journal (April 25, 2019)

“Cleveland Was Music to My Ears,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (April 25, 2019)

“Springtime Fishing Brings Questions, Answers,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (March 3, 2019)

“Reading Makes You Smarter,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (January 31, 2019)

“Time to Reflect on ‘Vocational Discernment’,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (December 26, 2018)

“Holiday, Food, Family, Friends and Common Ground,” Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (November 20, 2018)

“Business Advice? Head to Sweden, and Bring these Books,”  Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (October 26, 2018)

“In Search of a Good Business Book,”  Executive Commentary, Boston Business Journal (October 4, 2018)

The Language of Business, The Needham Channel (May 25, 2015)

“Stop, Listen and Get Creative to Gain Angel Financing,” Mass High Tech (February 3, 2011)

“Financial Reform Would Add Roadblocks to Mass. Job Creation,” Mass High Tech (May 12, 2010)

“Positioning for an Exit: Five Must-Do’s Before Year-End,” Mass High Tech (December 2, 2009)

“Innovative Finance Strategies for Startups,” Mass High Tech (July 17, 2009)

“Rx for the Mass. Tech Economy: An Ounce of Prevention,” Op-ed, Mass High Tech (October 3, 2008)

“Innovation Needed to Fund Our Technology Economy,” Op-ed, Boston Sunday Globe (May 27, 2007)

“Growth by Buying: 5 Rules for Purchasing a Competitor,” co-author, Mass High Tech (May 15, 2006)

“Executive Pay and Perks – Compensation Committees on the Hot Seat in 2006,” guest commentary, Mass High Tech(January 30, 2006)

“Breathing New Life Into Underwater Stock Options,” Mass High Tech (June 13, 2005)

“Using Intellectual Property Counsel to Advance Financing Strategy,” Mass High Tech (April 25, 2005)

“Rebuilding State’s Tech Economy,” Op-ed, The Boston Globe (April 19, 2005)

“Calling All Angels,” Mass High Tech (November 2004)

“Sarbanes-Oxley – Applying Regulation as Exit-Strategy,” Mass High Tech (August 2004)

“New at the Game? Financing Tips for First-time Entrepreneurs,” Boston Business Journal (April 2004)

“So you Want to be a Director? Prepare to Commit,” Mass High Tech (March 2004)

“Touched by an Angel: Tapping a Top Source of Capital,” Mass High Tech (January 2004)

“Earnouts May Help Bridge the Gap Between Buyers and Sellers,” Boston Business Journal (January 2004)

“Turning a Recovery into a Boost for Business,” Boston Business Journal (November 2003)

“Driving a Convertible: Setting a Course for Debt Financing in Challenging Times,” Mass High Tech (September 2003)

“Financing Options for Business in Uncertain Times,” Mass High Tech (June 2003)

“Let’s Take this Offline: Sarbanes-Oxley and ‘Going Private,'” Mass High Tech (March 2003)

“Startups Seeking Capital Must Go Back to Basics,” Mass High Tech (June 2003)

Compilations: Starting Up and Advising an Emerging Massachusetts Business, editor, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (2001)

Fundamentals of Corporate Finance and Capital Markets, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (June 1998)

Raising Capital: Advising Small Businesses, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (March 1998)

Representative
Engagements

Mergers & Acquisitions

Sale of leading life science/biotech project management company to private equity-backed strategic acquiror

Sale of leading New England home improvement company to private equity-backed strategic acquiror

Sale of regional environmental residential services company to private equity-backed strategic acquiror

Acquisitions of renewable energy service and support businesses in US for public company acquiror

Sale of nationally known, privately held specialty manufacturing company to billion dollar, private equity acquiror

Sale of privately held medical device company to billion dollar, publicly held, strategic acquiror

Sale of leading provider of research and market analysis for global enterprise technology companies to public tech company.

Sale of innovative contaminant remediation business, a subsidiary of a global services and consulting company, to a private equity backed environmental services firm.

Sale of registered investment advisor with more than $1B under management to Focus Financial Partners

$72 million acquisition of United States based software business by Canadian software company.

Acquisitions totaling more than $100 million in transaction value for publicly held retail chain, including public company merger and purchase of 50 store Canadian retail chain

$62 million sale of west coast operations of private equity backed rural telecommunications company to public company

$101 million sale of business segment of telecommunications company to publicly held buyer

Sale of environmental services company to Clean Harbors, Inc.

Sale of blockchain trademark company to GoDaddy

Sale of privately held online rental company to TripAdvisor

Sale of privately held security software company to The Boeing Corporation

Sale of digital media and online publishing company to RR Donnelly & Sons

Sale of high school sports media company to ESPN

Merger of well-established public accounting firm with larger international accounting firm

Acquisition of learning management software company for private equity backed SaaS company

Acquisition of talent management solutions company for private equity backed SaaS company

Financings

$7 million plus angel-strategic partner financing rounds for collectibles fan engagement company

$2 million plus angel-financing rounds for financial services SaaS platform company

$3.5 million angel-financing round for Vermont-based artisanal cheese manufacturer

$5 million in angel-financing rounds for life-safety sensor technology company

$35 million in initial and follow-on venture capital rounds for enterprise software company

$11 million PIPE financing and various SEC compliance matters for publicly held semiconductor equipment manufacturer

$40 million in total public offerings and warrant redemption for national multi-unit retail company

$50 million plus syndicated credit agreement for private-equity backed telecommunications company

Professional &
Community Involvement

Larry serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of American Student Assistance (Massachusetts Higher Education Assistance Corporation).  He also serves on the national Board of Directors of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). Previously, Larry served on the Vincent Memorial Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees at Massachusetts General Hospital, the Advisory Board of the University of Massachusetts (Boston) College of Management, and the Advisory Council for the Program in Education, Afterschool and Resiliency at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.

Larry is a frequent speaker on entrepreneurial finance, corporate governance and corporate compliance matters.