Capital markets
Emerging companies
An unparalleled global platform to serve the world’s most innovative companies
Freshfields offers an unparalleled platform tailored to serve emerging technology and life sciences companies at all stages of growth, from early-stage startups to large global enterprises.
Our interdisciplinary team delivers practical, sophisticated advice to emerging technology and life sciences companies. We have advised on hundreds of growth investments across the globe totaling billions of dollars in recent years, and we have deep relationships with the full range of investors in these ecosystems, including venture capital, private equity, pension and sovereign wealth funds.
We leverage the expertise of our top-tier capital markets and M&A practices to position emerging companies for a successful future exit, whether through a public listing or a strategic transaction. Our corporate advisory and governance team advises founders, boards of directors and management teams on strategic and sensitive governance matters, including dual-class stock structures, stakeholder governance initiatives and best practices for boards of directors.
Our employee benefits and executive compensation lawyers advise public and private companies, management teams and boards of directors on the full range of employee compensation and benefit matters, including designing and implementing equity and cash incentive and severance plans and advising on structured employee liquidity programs. Our global presence allows us to provide coordinated advice on international employment issues and global equity plans.
Our IP, tech and data transactions team helps clients identify, protect and commercialize their technology and brands, and advises on the full range of corporate and commercial transactions, including joint ventures, strategic alliances and complex, multi-jurisdictional licensing arrangements and R&D collaborations.
Our ability to provide nimble, actionable advice on the global regulatory requirements that matter most to emerging companies is unmatched. Our data privacy and security practice manages complex, challenging mandates for some of the world’s most innovative companies. Our sanctions and trade team has been at the forefront of the most prominent sanctions matters in recent years. We also have deep expertise navigating CFIUS and other foreign direct investment laws.
Awards & Recognitions
“The team at Freshfields has exceptional interpersonal skills. Scott Blumenkranz and Sarah Solum are amongst the most personable, business-minded legal practitioners in the space.” – Chambers USA
‘Freshfields has a unique offering in that they can service fast-growing Silicon Valley startups while also providing the deep, global bench of a firm that is not native to Silicon Valley…” – Legal 500
"Sarah is a very talented, sophisticated corporate lawyer with an outstanding grasp of the business world and Silicon Valley in particular." – Chambers USA
