Lori S. Hoberman

Partner

Practice Description

Lori S. Hoberman is the chair of the Emerging Companies / Venture Capital practice. Her practice emphasizes venture capital, private equity, and general corporate counseling for emerging as well as later stage and publicly traded companies. She focuses on a range of industries, including telecommunications, software, biotechnology and life sciences, real estate, consumer products, Internet search and advertising, gaming and other media.

Ms. Hoberman has significant experience in the structuring of, and tax planning for, domestic and offshore private equity funds.

Representative Matters

Start-up, Private Equity Funding and Buy-out Deals

• SenDEC Corp. (consumer electronics manufacturer): Sale to API Technologies Corp. (OTC BB:ATNY.OB)
• F. Hoffman La-Roche and Genentech Inc:. Advice in the combination of licensing, joint venture portfolios as a result of the completed acquisition by Roche of Genentech.
• Perceptive Pixel (large-screen, multi-touch technology): Series A funding round and related corporate and technology matters.
• Mo'Jiva Inc. (mobile advertising platform and facilitator): Series A and Series B funding rounds and related corporate and technology matters.
• Right Media Inc. (auction-based exchange for the sale of internet advertising): All financing and other legal and business advice from start-up to recent sale to Yahoo! Inc. for a total transaction value of $850 million.
• Major League Gaming Inc. (organizes domestic and international console gaming competitions): Series A and Series B funding rounds ($35 million in the aggregate) and related corporate, technology and employment matters.
• Cellufun Inc. (downloadable games for play on cell phones): Series A funding and all related corporate, technology and employment matters.
• EchoTarget Inc. (cookie-based targeted marketing company): Sale to Acxiom Inc.
• Ouidad Inc. (upscale hair salon and product retail business): Restructuring and sale to JH Partners.
• Built NY Inc. (designer/manufacturer of neoprene totes for wine bottles, electronic devices and baby products): General funding and related corporate matters.

Fund Formation

• Hedge Funds. Multiple hedge funds with various onshore and offshore structures.
• Venture Funds. Offshore feeder fund for a U.S. venture fund’s investments in China; International biotechnology venture fund and related offshore investment vehicles.
• Real Estate Funds. Real estate debt fund targeting German institutional investors (taken public on the Irish Stock Exchange).

Activities and Affiliations

• Member, Board of Directors of the MIT Enterprise Forum, New York Chapter
• Member, New York State Bar Association
• Member, Board of Directors of the MDS Life Science and Technology Fund, USA
• Member, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers Foundation (SMPTE)
• Member, Board of Advisors of ceslie.com

Publications

Speeches and Events

Selected Media Interviews

• "Venture Master," Bisnow, July 7, 2011
• "Pataki is aMENAble," Bisnow, June 30, 2011
• "Groupon Valuation 'Amazing' Given Losses," Daily Deal Video, June 30, 2011
• "Linkedin Underwriters 'Were Conservative,'" Daily Deal Video, June 24, 2011
• "Hoberman Says Linkedin IPO Could Make Underwriters Less Conservative," Bloomberg Law, May 25, 2011
• "The Linked IPO," Fox Business Bulls and Bears, May 19, 2011
• "Hoberman Sees Smarter Startups Stretching Dollars Further," Bloomberg Law, April 14, 2011 
• Lori Hoberman at the Dream It! Launch It! Live It! Conference, New York, November 8, 2010
• Lori Hoberman on Breaking into Venture Law, eFinancial Careers, September 1, 2010
• Lori Hoberman on Working with Emerging Companies, eFinancial Careers, September 1, 2010
• Ms. Hoberman was featured in "The Wall Street Journal Complete Small Business Handbook," by Colleen DeBaise (Three Rivers Press, 2009). In a chapter titled, "Seeking Venture Capital," Ms. Hoberman discussed the strategies entrepreneurs should execute to raise venture capital. 
• In "Green Wave: Venture Capital," Ms. Hoberman is interviewed by Smart Money magazine on how venture capitalists and private equity firms are heavily investing in green companies because of their money making potential. 
• In "Green Wave: Raising Cash," Ms. Hoberman is interviewed by Smart Money magazine and offers advice on how eco-friendly start-up companies can find funding from venture capital companies.

Other Speeches and Events