Joe Whitford focuses his corporate finance practice in the emerging-company sector, where he has served for more than 30 years as general counsel and advisor to high-growth software, Internet, health care, medical device, biotech, wireless and specialty retail business ventures. He has guided management, boards of directors and investors through founder formation matters, equity compensation planning, angel and venture capital investments, strategic partnerships, license arrangements, mergers and acquisitions, and public offerings.
Prior to private practice, Joe was an attorney with the Division of Corporation Finance at the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C. He is a frequent speaker at business and legal seminars.
Representative Experience
Sale of business for Cardiovascular Decision Technologies, Inc.
Represented medical device software developer in its sale to a national health care conglomerate. (2011)
Sale of business for Geospiza, Inc.
Represented Geospiza Inc., a bioinformatics company, in its merger with PerkinElmer. (2011)
Securities transaction for Julep Nail Parlor Company
Series C Preferred Stock angel financing for retail service company. (2011)
Securities transaction for Previser Corporation
Represented Previser in a follow on round of investment from Ignition Partners and other investors. (2011)
Industry joint venture for Cardiovascular Decisions
Represented a medical device company in a strategic product and technology development license of its cardiac medical device software to a major corporate partner. (2010)
Industry joint venture for Previser Corporation
Represented developer of an oral disease analysis software product to the dental sector in a strategic distribution agreement with a major retail health care conglomerate. (2010)
Securities transaction for CourtTrax Corporation
Negotiation of follow on venture funding investment from Texas Pacific Group, Benchmark Capital, Foundation Capital, and MHS Capital. (2010)
Securities transaction for Geospiza Inc.
Represented Geospiza in a Series B Preferred Stock angel financing, and corporate governance matters. (2010)
Securities transaction for Julep Nail Parlor Company
Represented Julep in an angel financing round of Series B Preferred Stock. (2010)
Corporate finance for Cardiovascular Decisions
Represented a medical device software and service company which develops software to facilitate the interpretation of echocardiograms in its initial organization as well as a round on angel financing. (2009)
Sale of business for Confirma
Represented Confirma in its $22 million merger with Merge Healthcare Inc. Confirma is the creator of Cadstream, a medical device software system that automates the processing of breast magnetic resonance imaging studies. (2009)
Real estate syndication counsel for Stratford Development Company
Provided tax and LLC structuring counsel to Stratford Development Company in connection with a variety of real estate transactions. (2008)
Sale of business for Cytopeia, Inc
Represented a biotech equipment manufacturer in its sale to Becton Dickinson and Co. (2008)
Sale of business for Sonotech, Inc.
Representation of Sonotech, Inc., a medical products manufacturer, in its acquisition by Illinois Tool Works Inc. (2008)
Securities transaction for BlueView Technologies
Series A senior preferred stock and Series B preferred stock angel financings for ultrasound device developer. (2008)
Corporate finance for Confirma, Inc.
Represented a medical device software developer in a Series C Preferred Stock financing by Telegraph Hill Partners; a venture loan from Silicon Valley Bank and Oxford Finance Corporation; convertible debt financing from Versant Ventures, Prism Ventures, Fluke Ventures, and Northwest Venture Partners; and a strategic alliance with GE Healthcare. (2007)
Sale of business for Healia
Represented medical device software developer in its sale to Meredith Corp. (2007)
Sale of business for InstruMed
Sale of medical device equipment manufacturer to Stryker Corp. (2007)
Securities transaction for Julep Nail Parlor Company
Series A preferred stock angel financing for retail service company. (2007)
Securities transaction for Previser
Represented medical device software company in a Series A preferred stock financing from Ignition Partners. (2007)
Securities transaction for Tamaris Properties, LLC, a real estate investment fund
Sale of the LLC interests of a real estate investment fund. (2007)
Securities transaction for Audio Publishing
Series A preferred stock angel financing for Web 2.0 services company. (2006)
Securities transaction for Verdiem Corporation
Series D preferred stock financing of energy efficiency software developer by Catamount Ventures. (2006)
Strategic license and merger for UST, Inc.
Represented UST, Inc., a medical device developer, in its strategic development and license agreement with Atricure, Inc., and merger into High Grade Technology, Ltd. (2006)
Acquisition of business for MDS PharmaServices
Represented MDS in its acquisition of Skeletech, a therapeutically focused contract research organization. (2005)
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Sale of business for Zetta Systems
Sale of software developer to Overland Storage. (2005)
Securities transaction for UBMatrix, Inc., an XBRL platform developer
Represented XBRL platform developer in Series A senior preferred stock financing from Draper Fisher Jurvetson. (2005)
Licensing agreements for Ultreo
Negotiated a technology license from the University of Washington for a consumer health care products company. (2004)
Sale of business for 4thPass, Inc.
Represented 4thPass, Inc., a wireless applications developer, in its acquisition by Motorola, Inc. (2002)
Securities transaction for Needham & Company
Underwriter's counsel in public offering of Cray, Inc. (2002)