Press Release
Press Release
06.27.13
Palo Alto — Pillsbury today welcomed Riaz Karamali, who has joined the firm’s Silicon Valley and San Francisco offices as a partner in the Corporate & Securities – Technology practice. With a broad background in venture financings, private equity and strategic mergers and acquisitions, and technology transactions, Karamali focuses on assisting start-up and emerging companies. He has helped guide numerous companies from pre-founding stages through venture capital financing rounds, commercial contracts and strategic alliances to their ultimate exit transactions.
“Riaz brings a wide-ranging corporate and technology practice that augments Pillsbury’s existing strengths in this space in Silicon Valley,” said Pillsbury's Chair James Rishwain. “His significant cross-border and cross-practice transaction work will be a key asset as Pillsbury continues to grow its base of technology clients, both regionally and globally.”
Stanley Pierson, firmwide leader of Pillsbury’s Corporate & Securities – Technology practice, said Karamali’s wealth of experience with start-ups and in the videogame space is a strong fit with Pillsbury’s capabilities in the San Francisco Bay Area. “Many partners here know Riaz, and he is held in high regard by those in the start-up and emerging company community.”
“Having worked with Pillsbury lawyers on a number of transactions over the years, I am excited to join a firm with such a rich history of advising tech startups,” Karamali said. “With a large national and global footprint, Pillsbury is the ideal place to work across diverse practice areas to help clients develop and grow. I am particularly attracted to the opportunities presented by the Pillsbury’s Houston office as I have strong contacts in those geographies with both investors and technology companies who would like to develop closer ties to Silicon Valley.”
Karamali has acted as outside general counsel to many privately-held companies across a range of industries including the video game, cloud computing, mobile, biotechnology, semiconductor and medical device sectors. He frequently represents clients in Europe, Asia and the Middle East on cross-border transactions.
Karamali received his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law in 1988, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and he has a B.A. from Rice University. He is a Chambers-ranked lawyer and has been named to the Legal 500 since 2010. He joins Pillsbury from Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, where he was a partner.
About Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Pillsbury is a full-service law firm with an industry focus on energy & natural resources, financial services including financial institutions, real estate & construction, and technology. Based in the world's major financial, technology and energy centers, Pillsbury counsels clients on global business, regulatory and litigation matters. We work in multidisciplinary teams that allow us to understand our clients’ objectives, anticipate trends and bring a 360-degree perspective to complex business and legal issues—helping clients to take greater advantage of new opportunities, meet and exceed their objectives and better mitigate risk. This collaborative work style helps produce the results our clients seek.
Pillsbury’s Corporate & Securities – Technology practice guides clients through every stage of a company’s development, from incubating the idea to securing funding to IPO or exit and beyond. Entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, emerging growth companies and industry-leading multinationals rely on Pillsbury for advice on issues ranging from financing and corporate governance to cross-border acquisitions.