Internet and Technology

Overview

Friedman Kaplan regularly works with Internet and technology companies to provide key legal and strategic advice at all stages in a company’s life cycle. From major industry players to startups, we take the time to understand the unique business of each of our clients, enabling us to structure and execute deals and litigation strategies truly tailored to meet those needs. Whether a company is facing or considering litigation, needs to negotiate terms among its founders, or put in place post-seed round financing, Friedman Kaplan’s skilled lawyers have the know-how to provide effective and insightful counsel, and the commitment to find creative ways to help our clients achieve their objectives.

In addition to representing companies in this space, we have the experience and perspective to effectively guide investors through their investments in pre-IPO companies as they raise growth equity, and to defend their interests should issues with those investments arise. Our typical client is a sophisticated investor who looks to us as their trusted counsel that is intimately familiar with the market standards (and potential pitfalls) in making early-stage investments. We provide simple answers that help our client in understanding the complex legal structures used by startup companies, so they can be confident in the terms on which they are making their investment.

Selected Experience

• We represented a software company that provides services to state vital records bureaus in connection with its response to a data security incident.

• We represented AcceloWeb (IL) Ltd. and its venture capital investor and other shareholders in its sale to Limelight Networks, Inc., a U.S. publicly-traded provider of online content delivery services.

• We represented an Israeli-based technology company in a venture debt financing transaction with an Israeli private equity fund.

• We represented a major hedge fund in its $70 million Series I investment in an information processing platform company.
• We represented an e-book retailer in its $10 million Series C financing round as well as in other debt financings.
• We represented the founder of an electronic foreign exchange trading platform in the formation of the business and in the company’s $7 million Series A financing.
• We represented a major hedge fund in its $20 million Series D investment in a startup ridesharing mobile app company.
• We represented a major private equity fund in the restructuring of its $15 million Series D investment in a digital media and publishing company.
• We represented a sports and entertainment benefit program provider and online ticket marketplace in the sale of its business to a leading travel and entertainment company.
• We represented a provider of IT and communications services in connection with the negotiation of a $75 million credit facility with Cisco.
• We represented a technology company and its shareholders in connection with the sale of substantially all of its assets to a U.S. publicly-traded company and related employment arrangements.
• We represented a major e-commerce company in defense of litigation attempting to hold it liable for a member of its Associates Program’s alleged defamation of the plaintiff. We were successful on our client’s behalf on summary judgment, establishing an early precedent that the company held no liability for the actions of members of its Associates Program, which merely host a link to our client’s site and are paid commissions for click-throughs.
• We represented early investors in an online currency exchange in litigation against other investors and the company itself after a number of down rounds of financing diluted our clients' shares. Following our defeat of the motion to dismiss the claims in a two-hour oral argument in California state court, we procured a favorable settlement for our clients. 
• We represented a major online news outlet in connection with training on fair use, copyright, and intellectual property law for its employees. In addition to conducting the training, we also completed a fair use manual addressing how the company’s employees could legally transform existing copyrighted material for use in parodies.