Pillsbury Pillsbury Pillsbury
Pillsbury
Silicon Valley
2475 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1114
Tel. +1.650.233.4652
Fax. +1.650.233.4545
Multidisciplinary Teams
Admissions
State of California
Education
J.D., University of Minnesota Law School, 1985
magna cum laude
B.B.A., Accounting, University of Iowa, 1982
summa cum laude

Professionals

Tom C. Thomas
Tom C. Thomas
Partner

Mr. Thomas practices primarily in the areas of corporate finance, venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, technology transactions, corporate governance and executive compensation. He represents companies at all stages of development, from start-up and emerging companies, to pre-IPO companies, to large public and private companies.

His client representation focuses on corporate, securities and acquisition matters of all kinds, including public and private offerings of debt and equity; public and private acquisitions and dispositions; venture capital financings and investments; joint ventures and strategic alliances; and SEC compliance and reporting.  He also has extensive experience in licensing, distribution and other technology transactions; lending transactions; going private transactions; PIPE offerings; commercial contracts; board governance and support; disclosure obligations; equity compensation matters; corporate secretary duties; and day-to-day general corporate matters.

His work with clients includes counseling management on fiduciary, disclosure and other obligations, preparation and negotiation of transaction documentation, and compliance with corporate, securities and takeover laws. He has served as outside general counsel to numerous companies that did not have their own internal legal counsel.  He has a pragmatic approach when representing clients that focuses not only on legal advice but business and strategic counseling as well. 

Mr. Thomas is recognized as a leading practitioner in the field of Venture Capital and Emerging Companies by 2010 Legal 500 US.  He is the head of the firm's Venture Capital practice group and a member of the firm's Corporate and Securities and Mergers and Acquisitions practice groups and the firm's Information Technology, Clean Technology, Nanotechnology and Life Science industry teams.  He has an accounting and finance background and has passed the CPA examination.

Speaking Topics
  • Going Public – Basic Considerations
  • SEC Rules for M&A Transactions
  • Fundraising for Start-Ups
  • Use of Shelf Registrations in Stock-for-Stock Acquisitions
  • Impact of Sarbanes-Oxley
  • Structuring the Strategic Alliance
  • Private Placement Financing
  • Directors' Fiduciary Duties in Merger and Acquisition Transactions
  • Proxy Reform and Executive Compensation Disclosure
  • Mergers and Acquisitions – Strategies, Techniques and Developments
  • Value of Intellectual Property: Commercialization and Acquisition
  • Legal Issues for Entrepreneurs

 

Publications

  • "Organizing a Technology Start-Up Company"
  • "The Convergence of Biotechnology and Nanotechnology:  Why       
     Here, Why Now?"
  • "Raising Capital:  Securities Law and Other Considerations – An 
     Entrepreneur's Guide"
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