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September 26, 2015 by Karen Callahan

The law firm of Gennari Aronson, LLP is proud to announce that each of its partners have again been selected as Super Lawyers in the New England region for 2015. Larry Gennari was named a Super Lawyer in the Mergers & Acquisitions category. Neil Aronson was named a Securities & Corporate Finance Super Lawyer and Laura Glynn was named a Super Lawyer in the Mergers & Acquisitions category.

As Super Lawyers, Gennari, Aronson and Glynn are part of an elite group of top attorneys in Massachusetts. No more than 5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by Super Lawyers. Lawrence Gennari and Neil Aronson have consistently been awarded this recognition each year since its inception in 2004. Laura Glynn has been awarded Super Lawyer status for the last five years.

August 27, 2015 by Karen Callahan

2015 has been a banner year for M&A, with momentum across market segments and a spike in the size and value of deals. Strategic buyers have driven most of this and more is expected next year, especially in technology, digital media and of course, the IoT, where the overall market for connected things is expected to expand by double digits yet again. As strategic planning for year-end and for 2016 continues, decision makers planning for an exit or major transaction next year should keep a few things in mind.

1. Sellers and Buyers have a similar goal: maximizing value. Sellers want the highest price; buyers want the best price. Both sides to an alliance or acquisition should understand that a potential deal must have the potential to create “joint value” that exceeds what either could achieve on their own. That means stepping back to think about why before considering how. I recommend Professor Ben Gomes-Casseres book: Remix Strategy: The Three Laws of Business Combinations for starters. An easy read and a plain, practical guide to how to think about M&A, the book sets out dozens of examples and illustrations of successful deals and how to approach acquisition strategy.  The unexamined deal often is not worth doing!  (You can hear Ben share his wisdom directly at our upcoming event.)
2. Buyers don’t want Seller problems to become their problems. Every major deal starts with due diligence, and that means corporate books and records and significant contracts should be in good order. Now is the time to complete stock option or restricted stock grants, estate-planning transfers or issuances long promised but not papered. In connection with new grants or stock awards, the company may want to consider securing or updating a so-called 409A valuation of the business, to establish a baseline before a significant transaction. Also, consider necessary changes to important contracts, leases or customer agreements. Better to negotiate those now, instead of during the compressed time of a contemplated sale.
3. A Competitive Process is the best answer to the question: What’s Market? Sellers often make the mistake of talking to only one potential partner or reacting to an unsolicited term sheet from one interested party. After all, in many industries, the players know each other and the conventional wisdom is that only one or two potential acquirers are likely to express interest or actually consummate a transaction. Here, as in many cases, conventional wisdom could be wrong. Due diligence commences, negotiations quickly follow and the team finds itself confronting the often difficult choice of status quo versus sale to a particular buyer as the only alternative. Remember: terms, conditions and valuations improve only in the context of a competitive process, with multiple suitors bidding against one another. The executive team should consider how to create such a process or meet with experienced investment bankers who know how to make that happen.
4. A Deal is not a Strategy. Transactions should further a growth or exit strategy; a deal is not necessarily an end in itself. (See Remix Strategy above!) Projections for year end and for years beyond should include a go-it-alone strategy, with realistic plans for cash flow, including any necessary equity or debt infusions. Hope for a game-changing transaction is not a substitute for a real-time financing strategy. Chances are, finding and negotiating the right transaction will take months, especially if a competitive process is in play. Any team would want the leverage of continuing the business in the ordinary course while the auction/sale process is ongoing.
5. Go back to basics for capital. If the company needs a capital infusion, identify the dollar amount and the investor “target audience.” Be creative and think broadly. Sources of capital have changed dramatically over the last few years. Typically, a round of less than $2 million means friends and neighbors and an angel or two. For a financing round of up to $7 million, the company could pursue a combination of angels, a receptive venture capital investor, and possibly a private equity firm interested in the market sector. Terms for those transactions vary widely, and the company will need to pay careful attention to investor expectations, especially as to the timing for return on investment. Your legal and accounting advisors should take an active role in shaping the financing strategy.
6. Start thinking about taxes: paying or saving! The company should be engaging its accountants and lawyers about tax and structure planning now. Thoughtful structural changes now could yield significant efficiencies next year, especially for employee retention and compensation packages that need to be in place to keep the team aligned. Also, if the team is not familiar with earnout structures, which provide for contingent purchase price payments over time, they should consult their legal and tax advisors and get up to speed.

All signs point to 2016 as another banner year for M&A. A proactive strategy about how to think about and plan for M&A will best position your company for what lies ahead.

Lawrence Gennari is a partner at Gennari Aronson LLP and an adjunct professor at Boston College Law School, where he has taught courses on mergers and acquisitions and corporate and entrepreneurial finance. He can be reached at lgennari@galawpartners.com.

June 19, 2015 by Karen Callahan

What happens when your attorney speaks over your head?

In The Language of Business: Digging Deeper, Larry Gennari talks about how your attorney can demystify legal and business terms and make you better understand what’s happening with your business or your deal.

May 20, 2015 by Karen Callahan

The Language of Business: Decoding the Alphabet of Finance

Now it’s time for the fine print. Do you trust yourself to sign on the bottom line? Should you? Why a lawyer may be as important to you as a banker when it comes to financing your business, in this segment of the Language of Business.

You don’t expect your lawyer to be a financial expert.  But if he or she is advising you on building a new business, does it really matter who offers the best advice?  Larry Gennari is all about using attorneys, and other advisors, to get deal financings completed.

May 20, 2015 by Karen Callahan

Partner Neil Aronson will chair the upcoming MCLE seminar, Representations, Warranties, Indemnification & Termination Clauses, on Thursday, June 18th.

This fast-paced, highly-focused program illustrates the differing ways that representations, warranties, indemnification, and termination clauses are used in numerous business arrangements.  Representations and warranties provide the foundation for parties agreeing to enter into a business transaction – whether it is an investment, a sale of a business, or another complex business arrangement, such as a product or service purchase agreement or a licensing arrangement. As representations and warranties typically provide an avenue for legal recourse, counsel must negotiate both the scope of the representations and warranties and the allocation of risk if a representation or warranty is breached.

Earn CLE credits.  Join the dialogue. Learn more about this event.

March 9, 2015 by Karen Callahan

This spring, Gennari Aronson, LLP is delighted to host its Scholar in Residence Professor Alfred C. Yen of Boston College Law School. Professor Yen is a nationally recognized scholar, known for his scholarship in Intellectual Property, Trademark, Copyright, and Sports Law.  He’s also the Director of the Emerging Enterprises and Business Law Program at Boston College Law School. Professor Yen will be hosting a number of open forums with our clients on a broad range of topics over the next few months. We sat down with him to ask a few questions:

GA: What is “intellectual property” anyway?

Professor Yen: Intellectual property (IP) is a set of limited rights in various creations of the mind. The creations can be inventions, works of art, or symbols and packaging used to identify goods. It’s important to remember that these rights vary considerably from one another and last for varying amounts of time. They include patents, copyrights, and trademarks.

GA: How does a company use IP for strategic competitive advantage?

Professor Yen: This depends on the particular type of IP in question and the strength of the rights that can be obtained. For a few inventions or works of art, a company can sit back and enjoy the profits that come with a legally sanctioned monopoly. For most though, IP is something that helps with product differentiation or delaying the appearance of effective competition. This advantage can be quite substantial, but it is important to understand that a company owning valuable IP must still work hard to out-compete its rivals.

GA: If a company can’t develop a patent for its product or service, what’s left?

Professor Yen: A great deal is left. First, the quality that a company puts in its products matters a great deal, with or without patents. Most bicycles are not made out of patentable technology, yet consumers seek ones that are better made. Indeed, they will pay a premium for performance, even if price matters. Second, once quality is established, branding is important. Customers come to associate a brand with quality, and that enables stronger sales at premium prices. Many brand name goods (bandages, mouthwash, and pain relievers) face competition from generic versions, yet they retain consumer followings and fetch premium prices.

GA: What are the basic steps to protecting a brand?

Professor Yen: The most important thing is to offer a quality product that is strongly associated to your company. Once that association is made, making sure one perfects rights in trademarks or other intellectual property will make it harder for others to encroach on the brand’s value. Good intellectual property counsel can help with understanding these issues and is often essential to a favorable outcome.

GA:   What’s the most important piece of advice you would give to a company/team about branding?

Professor Yen: Quality, both as to product and reputation, matters a great deal. And do not assume that intellectual property, or any other kind of legal protection for a brand, relieves a company from having to compete, every day, to maintain quality and reputation.

January 14, 2015 by Karen Callahan

International sales allow your growing company to speed up the pace of growth and profitability. International sales allow your company not only to grow sales but to diversify its customer base, enter high growth markets, enter potentially less competitive markets and allow your company (particularly consumer based companies) to diversify product lines and test new products.

Growing your business by expanding overseas is not easy. Management has to be willing to commit the significant and ongoing time and resources necessary to successfully expand. And success is determined not only by effort. Companies have to be sensitive and aware of cultural differences in doing business in different countries. What works in the United States might be accepted in certain regions and wholly unsuccessful in other regions of the world. A product which might be well received in Malaysia and Vietnam might fall flat in China.

Growing your business internationally requires coordinating your long term strategy for your company generally with determining how international trade will help your company meet its long term goals. Also, there may also be challenges between international expansion and near term goals. Often, the costs of expanding internationally will require a significant financial commitment and will require that you consider a cost-benefit analysis to the decision when and how to grow your business internationally.

Before jumping into international expansion, it is important to develop an action plan with realistic timelines and to ask yourself a number of important questions. Perhaps most importantly, you need to be able to explain why your products will succeed in international markets. If you have a number of products, you need to consider which products will be most welcomed by overseas markets and why. You also need to understand the competitive advantages of your products or business over the existing products sold in these foreign markets.

In exploring specific markets, you will need to have trustworthy information about conducting business in specific countries. Trade associations and other entrepreneurs are an invaluable resource. In considering which countries to best expand your business, you need to consider a number of factors, including demographics, environmental, political stability, competition (if the local ruling family owns a competitive business….), and economics, including trade policies, currency exchange rates and related matters. Your market access may also be effected trade restrictions, import regulations, patent and trademark laws, preferential trade treaties, taxations, repatriation, employment and legal system issues.

Once you have determined you want to proceed in a specific foreign market, you then need to look how each part of your organization will be involved. It may be that you wish to manufacture products here in the United States or there may be important cost benefits (cost of labor, shipping, tax benefits) in manufacturing in the foreign market. There may also be concerns with manufacturing overseas, particularly in countries where trade secret laws are spotty at best or where the culture does not recognize the value of intellectual property rights. In other instances, your technology may never leave the United States (e.g., software and cloud based services).

The next step is to develop a pricing strategy which may differ significantly from country to country. You will also need to consider the terms and conditions of sale to make certain that certain terms (e.g., warranty terms and technical support) are also acceptable in the foreign country.

Who will sell and service your products is perhaps one of the most critical issues. A direct sales organization is expensive to build, takes time to get up to speed, and is also very time intensive for senior management. Utilizing a sales agent or distributor may allow you to offload up-front costs and management to a better organized and respected sales force.

Selecting a sales agent or distributor requires massive due diligence. The best product may fall flat with a poor agent or distributor. Negotiations with agents and distributors regarding the terms of their services is also critical. For example, the proposed price to the distributor and the end user customer price need to be carefully negotiated. Other terms and conditions of sale can also have a significant impact. These include matters such as responsibility for shipping and insurance, local taxes, repair services, sales and marketing obligations, conversion of marketing materials to the local language, and warranty obligations. You will also want to consider provisions prohibiting your agent or distributor from selling competitive products and the protection of your trade secret information.

Another difficult issue in foreign expansion is your company’s right to terminate a sales agent or distributor. You need to clearly delineate the terms under which you can terminate the arrangement, the rights and remedies of both parties upon termination. You may also want to consider how this arrangement would be impacted by a sale of your company. A distributor who has spent several years building your business in a foreign country will understandably be reluctant to hand over the business to some large international conglomerate which has acquired your business.

Finally, reaching agreement on where and to which customers your agent or distributor may sell your products is critical. You want to make certain that one sales agent does not sell outside of his territory. Dealing with sales to large international conglomerates is another challenge. If you sell to BP in the United States and your sales agent sells to BP in Europe, you want to coordinate so that you are not competing with your sales agent.

Another which is receiving increasing governmental attention, particularly with regard to high technology products, is compliance with U.S. export control laws. You need to make certain that your agent or distributor understands any limitations. Recently, a large Massachusetts based public company was shocked to learn that a sales agent in China was exporting certain products to Iran which could be used to make weapons grade nuclear materials. If you do elect to manufacture and sell directly overseas, you will also want to make sure that your business operations will comply with all local laws and regulations regarding both the employment and termination of employees.

Finally, you need to develop a contractual arrangement for how disputes will be dissolved between your company and its sales agent or distributor. What laws apply? Where will the dispute be heard? Will the dispute be resolved by a court or by arbitration? What are the parties’ limitations of liability in the event of a breach? What are your company’s responsibilities for claims against customers by a third party claiming infringement of its patents or trademarks?

For a company wishing to expand internationally, the efforts required to have your business succeed internationally will require up front planning and ongoing management and supervision, as well as well-drafted legal documents and accounting and tax strategies. If you are willing to commit the time, effort and up-front funding, the rewards can be enormous.

To learn even more, join us for Global Growth: Strategies for Profitability & Partnering on February 10th. Event details.

December 11, 2014 by Karen Callahan

The law firm of Gennari Aronson, LLP is excited to announce its upcoming Scholar in Residence program featuring Professor Alfred C. Yen of Boston College Law School. Professor Yen is a nationally recognized scholar, known for his scholarship in Intellectual Property, Trademark, Copyright, and Sports Law.

Alfred C. Yen is Professor of Law, Law School Fund Scholar, and Director of the Emerging Enterprises and Business Law Program at Boston College Law School. Professor Yen also served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Boston College Law School from 2000-2002, and as Visiting Scholar at the University of Arizona from 2012-2015. For 2007-08, he was Inaugural Distinguished Visiting Scholar of Intellectual Property at Drexel University School of Law. Professor Yen’s works include articles about third party copyright liability in the Georgetown, Case Western, and Minnesota law reviews, as well as the casebook Copyright: Essential Cases and Materials, Second Edition (2011, West Publishing), co-authored with Joseph Liu. His most recent publication, The Constructive Role of Confusion in Trademark, is forthcoming in the North Carolina Law Review. Professor Yen has interests in sports law, torts, and the training of business lawyers.

As part of the Scholar in Residence initiative, Professor Yen will be hosting several discussion groups and seminars throughout the spring at the offices of Gennari Aronson. He will also be available for individual consultation to clients of the law firm.

Partner Larry Gennari said, “We are delighted to have Fred join us to share his practical expertise and insights with us. We are planning some great events so our clients can meet him and benefit from his knowledge, too.”

About Gennari Aronson, LLP

Gennari Aronson, LLP serves innovative companies, entrepreneurs and the investors and venture capital firms that finance them. Founded by veterans of Boston’s largest law firms, Gennari Aronson exemplifies the same entrepreneurial spirit that guides many of its clients. The firm has established a strong network and commitment to technology, consumer, innovation, and emerging growth sectors.
The firm has offices on Route 128 at 300 First Avenue, Needham, Massachusetts. The website is www.galawpartners.com.
********
CONTACT:
Leah Russell
Chief Marketing Officer
Gennari Aronson, LLP
Phone: 781.719.9900
Fax: 781.719.9853
lrussell@galawpartners.com
www.galawpartners.com

December 4, 2014 by Karen Callahan

An excellent keynote from Chris Rezendes, Founder & President, INEX Advisors:
“Reflections on The Internet of Things and its impact on financing and exit strategies”
This video will have you thinking about the IoT in ways you never did before!

Great insights and varied perspectives from our panelists:
* David Icke, Founding CEO – MC-10
* Jeff Kaplan, Managing Director, ThinkStrategies
* Brendan McSheffrey, CEO – en-Gauge, Inc.
* Chris Rezendes, President & Founder – INEX Advisors

October 15, 2014 by Karen Callahan

The law firm of Gennari Aronson, LLP is proud to announce that all of its partners have been named New England Super Lawyers for 2014.  As Super Lawyers, Lawrence Gennari, Neil Aronson and Laura Glynn join an elite group of top attorneys in Massachusetts.

• Lawrence Gennari was named a Super Lawyer in the Mergers & Acquisitions category
• Neil H. Aronson was named a Securities & Corporate Finance Super Lawyer
• Laura Glynn was named a Super Lawyer in the Mergers & Acquisitions category

No more than 5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by Super Lawyers.  Lawrence Gennari and Neil Aronson have consistently been awarded this recognition each year since its inception in 2004.  Laura Glynn has been awarded Super Lawyer for the last four years.

Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only five percent of lawyers in the state are chosen. The annual selections are made using a rigorous multi-phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent research evaluation of candidates, peer reviews by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check.

The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers magazines and in leading city and regional magazines across the country. Super Lawyers magazines also feature editorial profiles of attorneys who embody excellence in the practice of law. For more information about Super Lawyers, go to superlawyers.com.

Gennari Aronson, LLP serves innovative companies, entrepreneurs and the investors and venture capital firms that finance them.  Founded by veterans of Boston’s largest law firms, Gennari Aronson exemplifies the same entrepreneurial spirit that guides many of its clients.  The firm has established a strong network and commitment to the technology, consumer, innovation, and emerging growth sectors.

The firm has offices at First Needham Place, 300 First Avenue, Needham, Massachusetts. The website is www.galawpartners.com.

********

CONTACT: Leah Russell

Chief Marketing Officer

Gennari Aronson, LLP

Phone: 781.719.9900

Fax:     781.719.9853 lrussell@galawpartners.com

www.galawpartners.com

October 9, 2014 by Karen Callahan

Since the emergence of the Internet in the late 1990’s, the number of people online has grown from about 16 million in 1996 to an estimated 3 billion by the end of 2014, with approximately 40% of the world’s population now online.  For devices – PC’s, smartphones, DVD players, tablets, and appliances – the number now connected online is equally staggering, with an estimated 26 billion devices coming online by 2020, according to Gartner.

The Internet of Things (IoT), the general description of how machines can connect us and our “things” by gathering, storing and processing information online and in real time, is an amazing phenomenon. We live in an increasingly connected world, with no turning back.

Making sense of the challenges and opportunities presented by the IOT is critical for any business that expects to seek financing in 2014 and beyond. To this end, decision makers should keep five basic things in mind.

1. The IoT already is here for your business.  Any business that delivers a product or service also obtains information from customers.  Indeed, many businesses seeking funding routinely focus not just on their core deliverable, but on the “user data” that can be gathered in the sales process.  Using that data to deliver the right weight, size, or color for the next sale or even to develop the next generation product or service is a commonsense, and required, business strategy.  With the IoT, innovators now are thinking not just about gathering basic information, but also about how to extract more and better information to deliver immediate, focused solutions at higher margins.  Consider the example of urban billboards that can peer at passersby, assessing how they fit desired customer profiles so that messages can be adjusted within seconds.  Knowledge is power and immediate knowledge can mean real competitive leverage.
2. Established companies have, or are developing, IoT strategies.  Google’s recent acquisition of Nest Labs for its thermostat technology has sparked considerable interest and underscored the need for even the most established companies to develop an IoT strategy.  Substantial companies like Cisco, Verizon, and Intel, whose core competency is connecting data to decisions, have formidable IoT strategies under development already and they are on the lookout for new businesses or technologies in which to invest or acquire.  More locally, PTC’s announced acquisition of Axeda, a Foxboro-based developer of technology for connecting machines and sensors to the cloud, reflects this trend.  Even in mature industries, the pressure to find new product and service opportunities abounds.  Automakers are advancing plans for “smart,” driverless, connected cars and related accessories, with some expecting a rollout of this line of automobiles within five years.  Emerging businesses that can develop IoT technologies and products soon will have more and broader exit strategies among both leading, innovative companies and also with larger, more established companies which decide to “buy” rather than “build” new product offerings.
3. Investors can understand the IoT.  Many of the best technologies seem the most obvious in hindsight, and products and platforms being developed for the IoT seem like logical next steps in product evolution.  Consider the example of en-Gauge, a Rockland based developer of remote monitors of fire extinguishers, which now, with IoT technology, can connect “old world” devices and legacy systems to provide immediate, critical, and centralized alerts on the availability and status of extinguishers throughout a tall building.  Smart meters, devices and control systems like these are easy to explain, especially given that most investors are consumers and have experienced many examples of web-enabled innovation first-hand.  Investors, whether angels or institutions, are far more likely to invest when they can assess the size of the market and embrace the logic and soundness of the revenue model.  Investors also will note the accelerating pace of IoT merger & acquisition activity.  Nothing inspires investment like the possibility of a near-term exit and a competitive bidding process.
4. Less can be More.  Given the ubiquity of wi-fi, the availability of web tools, and the declining price of laptops and other startup essential equipment, the cost of developing the next Nest Labs is a lot less than it used to be.  Smaller overall budgets and, in turn, smaller financing rounds can make a lot of sense at the earliest stages of a business.  Indeed, many innovators are giving as much hard thought to their financing strategy as they are to their technology strategy.  Raising smaller rounds, targeted to development milestones that can in themselves justify a higher subsequent valuation, will result in more careful and targeted spending and far less dilution to founders.  Human capital and good connections also are critical and no longer need to be the exclusive province of a small number of “marquee” institutional investors offering large dilutive rounds of capital.  Many founders now understand the importance for overall, long term valuation of “value added” directors and outside advisors who can offer introductions to potential team members and connections to “smart money.”
5. Team matters more than ever.  Many investors think about potential investments as “numbers” deals, which are attractive as a result of historical financial results, or “story” deals, which are compelling because they offer a clear vision of a bright future, whether in the form of a disruptive technology, or a cure for a debilitating disease.  The IoT allows founders of emerging businesses to fashion their companies as a little of both.   These days, many investors will want to meet and be comfortable with all team members, including and especially, the CEO, CFO and CMO (or at least the persons with those responsibilities)   Finding team members who can both understand IoT technology applications and also communicate “the story” in clear and simple language will be critical for success.

The last twenty years or so have seen a sea change in technology development.  No longer do web-enabled tools seem the stuff of science fiction.  Instead, and in fact, most of us now expect technology solutions for everyday business and personal challenges.  With the IOT continuing to emerge, those businesses connected to it are most assuredly the ones that will attract financing and build something bigger and faster.

Learn more at our upcoming event on November 13th.  Click here for details.

Lawrence H. Gennari  is a founding partner of Gennari Aronson, LLP and also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Boston College Law School, where he has taught “Mergers & Acquisitions,” “Corporate Finance,“ and “Advising Business Planners.”

October 6, 2014 by Karen Callahan

We were pleased to support, and participate in, the recent Connected Cloud Summit.  The full-day event focused on how the Cloud is enabling enterprises to pursue the exciting new business opportunities created by the Internet of Things (IoT).  This executive forum, hosted by THINKstrategies and Cloud Computing Showplace, showcased new strategies, solutions and best practices being generated by the leading IoT providers and innovative enterprises.  Larry Gennari moderated an executive roundtable, Building a Successful IoT Business.  Watch the roundtable video or see highlights of the summit.

June 5, 2014 by Karen Callahan

Partner Neil Aronson will chair the upcoming seminar Representations, Warranties, Indemnification & Termination Clauses for Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) on June 19th.

This seminar illustrates—and demystifies—the differing ways that representations, warranties, indemnification, and termination clauses are used in numerous business arrangements.  Representations and warranties provide the foundation for parties agreeing to enter into a business transaction, whether it is an investment, sale of a business, or other complex business arrangement, such as a product or service purchase agreement or a licensing arrangement. As representations and warranties typically provide an avenue for legal recourse, counsel must negotiate both the scope of the representations and warranties and the allocation of risk if a representation or warranty is breached.

April 17, 2014 by Karen Callahan

The next big step for interconnectivity will involve things and not people.  Many devices are already communicating with each other and are changing the way we manage and monitor the world around us.  This trend will escalate.  By 2020, there will be an estimated 26 BILLION devices transmitting data on the Internet of Things.  Making sense of that connectedness is critical for business decision making.   We are anticipating a highly informative discussion of this topic at our next event.  Come join us on the morning of May 8th at the Wellesley College Club.  Learn more and RSVP.

March 20, 2014 by Karen Callahan

…we’re also sports writers.  Or at least one of us is.  Check out this great article about UConn and the March Madness tournament penned by our very own Joe Ramadei.  The article was published on Boston.com and featured on the front page!  Read article

March 7, 2014 by Karen Callahan

We have a great event coming up on March 27th at the Wellesley College Club.  As the economy improves, merger & acquisition activity has gained momentum.  We expect this trend will continue.  Right now, acquirors are looking for target companies that offer a strategic fit and sustainable value.  Understanding what buyers really want is the key to finding and closing a successful deal. We have an experienced panel of speakers to share their insights on overall M&A trends, the differing perspectives of strategic and financial buyers, and key steps sellers can take to stand out in a crowd.

We plan to discuss how to identify the key value drivers of any business, assess current and future exit alternatives, and avoid common mistakes in negotiating and closing deals.  Our panel will include Frank Panaccio, Managing Director at Boston Meridian, Jim Rich, Managing Director at Gemini Investors, Dara Mitchell, Director of Corporate Development at Kadant, Inc., and Frank Pinto, Managing General Partner at Eastern Growth Capital.

To attend, please RSVP here.  Special thanks go to our co-sponsor, GW Wade. 

February 27, 2014 by Karen Callahan

We are pleased to sponsor the second annual The Grommet Product Pitch Contest.

Local e-commerce platform The Grommet is a highly curated spin on an Etsy-like marketplace.  The contest is designed to empower products worth supporting!  After reviewing numerous submissions for everyday hacks – – a hack is a creative solution or a better way to do something- – the team of Grommet coaches has narrowed the field to 30 contestants.  Only 6 will make it to the final round…3 Ready-for-Crowdfunding entries and 3 Ready-for-Market.  Vote for your favorite new product

December 19, 2013 by Karen Callahan

We are pleased to celebrate our 4^th anniversary and another year of continued growth.  The firm now serves over 100 innovative companies at all stages of growth, from venture-backed and early stage companies to publicly held global enterprises.  Since its inception, Gennari Aronson has grown each year and its team of seven lawyers serves clients as advocates, counselors, and strategists.

Partner Larry Gennari said:  “We set out to create a corporate law firm that is truly focused on addressing the individual needs of each client and providing practical solutions.  Our lawyers are passionate about their work and I am pleased that our business continues to grow.”

Partner Neil Aronson added:  “Our focus is to provide value to clients through experienced business and legal advice and thoughtful and valuable business introductions.”

Click here for full press release

October 17, 2013 by Karen Callahan

The law firm of Gennari Aronson, LLP is proud to announce that all of its partners have been named New England Super Lawyers for 2013.  As Super Lawyers, Lawrence Gennari, Neil Aronson and Laura Glynn join an elite group of top attorneys in Massachusetts.

• Lawrence Gennari was named a Super Lawyer in the Mergers & Acquisitions category
• Neil H. Aronson was named a Securities & Corporate Finance Super Lawyer
• Laura Glynn was named a Super Lawyer in the Mergers & Acquisitions category

No more than 5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by Super Lawyers.  Lawrence Gennari and Neil Aronson have consistently been awarded this recognition each year since its inception in 2004.  Laura Glynn has been awarded Super Lawyer for the last three years.

Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only five percent of lawyers in the state are chosen. The annual selections are made using a rigorous multi-phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent research evaluation of candidates, peer reviews by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check.

The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers magazines and in leading city and regional magazines across the country. Super Lawyers magazines also feature editorial profiles of attorneys who embody excellence in the practice of law. For more information about Super Lawyers, go to superlawyers.com.

Gennari Aronson, LLP serves innovative companies, entrepreneurs and the investors and venture capital firms that finance them.  Founded by veterans of Boston’s largest law firms, Gennari Aronson exemplifies the same entrepreneurial spirit that guides many of its clients.  The firm has established a strong network and commitment to the technology, consumer, innovation, and emerging growth sectors.

September 18, 2013 by Karen Callahan

Laura Glynn, Partner at Gennari-Aronson, has received the Martindale-Hubbell AV Pre-eminent Rating, joining a select group of lawyers recognized for their legal ability and professional ethical standards.

The law office of Gennari-Aronson is pleased to acknowledge that all of our Partners – Larry Gennari, Neil Aronson, and Laura Glynn – now carry the Martindale-Hubbell AV Pre-eminent Rating.

Martindale-Hubbell^® ratings are an exclusive and highly regarded recognition within the legal community.   Members benefit from the candid and objective peer-to-peer feedback of other lawyers.   Ratings are determined only after an extensive and confidential peer review by members of the Bar and Judiciary.

September 5, 2013 by Karen Callahan

Gennari Aronson, LLP is very pleased to announce that Joseph Ramadei has joined the firm as an Associate.  Joseph has 10 years experience in venture capital and private equity, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate and commercial matters.  He regularly represents a wide array of clients, including investors, established companies and emerging growth companies, with a focus on technology related entities.  Mr. Ramadei has also represented a number of non-profit organizations on a pro bono basis.  Prior to joining Gennari Aronson, Mr. Ramadei was an associate at Chadbourne & Parke in New York City. Joseph earned his J.D. from Cornell Law School (cum laude) and his B.A. in American Studies from Cornell University.

Gennari Aronson Partner, Larry Gennari, said: “Joe’s tremendous experience and keen business sense fit perfectly into our mission of helping our clients succeed by providing experienced, value-added legal services. We are delighted to have him join our team.”

Mr. Ramadei is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and New York.

June 21, 2013 by Karen Callahan

We had a great turnout for our most recent event, The Power of the Brand.  Over 100 people joined us to hear our panelists share insightful stories about their branding experiences. Joanne Domeniconi from The Grommet, Sue Burton of Saltmoney.org, Howard Present from F-Squared Investments, and Mark Ranalli of RR Donnelley’s Digital Solutions Group were part of an engaging session of exploring branding advice, wisdom, strategies and tactics across a variety of industries and businesses.

Our event was co-sponsored with Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network (DEN) of Boston and we enjoyed the opportunity to meet many members of this group.  Hope to see you at our next event in September!

June 12, 2013 by Karen Callahan

Many entrepreneurs face difficulty when they confront legal issues, including structuring a company to financing businesses. Larry Gennari, parter at Gennari Aronson, LLP, held a “lunch and learn” session for the Summer Venture Program Summarizing five simple rules startups should know.

Read more… 

June 6, 2013 by Karen Callahan

Gennari-Aronson was honored to host the debut information session of reacHIRE at our offices on June 4^th.  Over 40 people attended the event in our main conference room.  The audience was enthusiastic, engaged, and excited about the kickoff of this new company!

ReacHIRE is an innovative company dedicated to creating a new path for exceptional women to transition back to work after a career break.  The company offers a practical, no risk on-ramp for forward-thinking companies and professional women looking to re-enter the workforce.  Its unique, 3-tiered system of technical, management and executive skills re-training, career coaching, and paid project assignments assures that women have the latest tools at their fingertips, have focused career objectives, and are confidently able to re-enter the workforce armed and motivated to create tremendous value.

For more information about reacHIRE, visit www.reachire.com or contact info@reachire.com

June 2, 2013 by Karen Callahan

For companies, large and small, across a variety of industries from software and semiconductor to food, beverage and financial services, brand is paramount. Join us as we discuss the latest social media, crowdfunding and other strategies for building and maintaining a brand:

• Social media must-haves for established and emerging businesses
• Kickstarting new product or service launches
• Social media and brand as financing strategy

Panel:
Joanne Domeniconi, The Grommet
Sue Burton, Saltmoney.org
Howard Present, F-Squared Investments
Mark Ranalli, President, Digital Solutions Group, R.R. Donnelly

Wednesday ● June 19th ● The Wellesley College Club
727 Washington Street ● Wellesley
7:30-8am Continental Breakfast/Networking ● 8-9:30 am Presentation and Q&A

Admission is Free ● Space is Limited
RSVP: ceden@galawpartners.com

January 3, 2013 by Karen Callahan

Gennari Aronson, LLP is pleased to have just celebrated its third anniversary. The firm continues to grow and remains focused on working with innovative companies, entrepreneurs, and the investors and venture capital firms that finance them. When Boston Magazine’s Super Lawyers Edition was released this month, we were thrilled to have all three of our partners named as New England Super Lawyers.

• Partners Neil Aronson, Larry Gennari, and Laura Glynn were each recognized among their peers.
• Neil was named as a Super Lawyer in Securities and Corporate Finance.
• Larry was named a Super Lawyer in Mergers and Acquisitions.
• Laura was named a Super Lawyer in Mergers and Acquisitions.

At Gennari Aronson, we are committed to serving our clients at all stages of growth, from angel-funded and venture-backed early stage companies to multimillion-dollar global enterprises. We have deep and substantial experience in mergers and acquisitions, public and private offerings of equity and debt securities, joint ventures and strategic alliances, and technology licensing, and other business transactions. Our clients include established companies in the consumer, software, technology, retail, life sciences, venture capital, and finance sectors.

We thank you for your support and we look forward to continuing to work hard to deliver value to our clients.
All of us wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Gennari Aronson, LLP
250 First Avenue, Suite 100
Needham, MA 02494
www.galawpartners.com

P.S. We’d love to have you join us at our upcoming event. On December 11th, Gennari Aronson is hosting author and venture capitalist, Anthony Tjan who will speak on his new book, Hearts, Smarts, Guts and Luck: What it Takes to Be an Entrepreneur and Build a Great Business at The Wellesley College Club. Please rsvp to ceden@galawpartners.com