Mitchell S. Zuklie

"I have been working with Mitch for several years. I actually met him across the table while he was representing the entrepreneurs in one of our investments. I was so impressed that I asked Mitch if he would represent KPCB in several other ventures. Having been a lawyer, I am perhaps more critical than most. What I appreciate about working with Mitch is that he thinks like a business partner. His judgment is priceless: about risk, about people and about negotiating. He is a terrific sounding board when I am trying to come to a decision. He tempers me when I am inclined to overreach and protects me when I just want to move on. His knowledge of venture, securities, and corporate law is deep and current. His broad experience in such matters gives him the confidence to be flexible and creative in serving the businesses goals. He is tireless, and when the work requires, he is available 7/24. Nothing falls through the cracks. I never feel that something more important has come up for Mitch; my work is front and center for him and I can just imagine the juggling he is doing behind the scenes to make each of his clients feel equally important. You never feel as if you are intruding or asking too much of him - he is always ready, willing, and able. I am pleased to have found counsel I respect, trust ,and enjoy as much as I do Mitch. "

"Mitch is the best lawyer in Silicon Valley. It's that simple. Having had Larry Sonsini as counsel on a previous company and the top guys from other law firms on other occasions, I don't hesitate to say that Mitch is the one you want to have as your outside counsel and/or corporate secretary (if you have any chance of getting him after this recommendation is published...). Mitch is more than a lawyer; he knows how to get business done."

"I've worked directly with Mitch for about five years. Generally speaking, Mitch is one of the smartest business and legal minds that I've met. His smart, quick mind goes a long way, but it's only part of the equation. There are few other characteristics that Mitch holds that put him above the rest. First, Mitch is extremely experienced when it comes to standard bundle of legal issues facing venture-backed, high-tech startups. Specifically, he's an excellent person to have on your side of the table when negotiating a venture round or similar financing activity. Second, although Mitch is our general counsel, he also has deep experience across a relatively broad range of legal issues (e.g., intellectual property, contracts, employment, M&A). What's great about that is that Mitch offers a great first line of inquiry and, most of the time, can offer all the legal advice we need in a "one stop shop" interaction. Yet, he's mindful of situations where a specialist would make sense. He's also well connected within his firm (and without) to bring the right talent to the problem when required. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Mitch is one of the few lawyers that I've met who truly balances legal concerns with business concerns. Many lawyers offer only CYA advice designed to protect them from being wrong. Mitch consistently offers pragmatic advice that cuts to the issue - "here are the risks balanced with the business opportunity, based on that balance, here's what I think is prudent"... it's that kind of balanced advice that is all too rare in the legal profession. "

"Mitch Zuklie has been company counsel or investor counsel in an equity financing for several of my investments over the last five years. Most of these companies are pre-public and many are pre-revenue. It is in these early phases of a venture where the critical issues of incorporation, licensing, intellectual property, partnering, governance, employee and board recruiting and compensation, and business model are cast for a company. Mitch has trained under some of the best corporate and startup lawyers in the industry and wields a depth of wisdom few will ever amass. His unassuming, affable nature underlies a very gifted communicator and sharp strategic thinker. The combination of smarts, both book and street, combined with a depth of the issues, both legal and governance, make him a great counsel to entrepreneurs and CEOs. Mitch is experienced across several industries including, IT, Internet, and Cleantech. I have seen Mitch work with first time entrepreneurs, technical founders, seasoned executives, and a myriad of investors, each time with appropriate focus, execution, and quality of counsel. You will be well served to have Mitch on your team. "

"As both an ex-corporate attorney myself, and a founder/management team member of four start-ups, I can say that Mitch is simply the best start-up attorney I have worked with. Working with new and growing technology companies is an art, not a science. The basic law is quite simple - stock option agreements, basic partnership contracts, etc. etc. It's actually as simple as corporate law gets. The subtle part is the consigliere side. How do you help new companies work with the board? With internal challenges? With founder issues? With funding? With the strategic side of partnerships? Also, how do you heard the cats, and get all the constituencies in a start-up to work together, and believe it's a win-win, positive sum game? What do you do when things get rough? There, Mitch is truly a strategic asset. He'll get you through it and make all parties feel good about it. You need him on your team, and do what you can to convince him to take you as a client. Bottom line is the ROI will be very high ... "

"Mitch Zuklie has served us extremely well in every area in which we have sought his services. First of all, he is uncommonly bright; he is incredibly quick to see through to the heart of a situation. He looks squarely at the facts and rapidly peels back the layers until he reaches the core. He is ALWAYS available - amazingly so, and I can't imagine any of our own employees being more committed to our company and its success. He is literally willing to do whatever is necessary, at any time of the day or night, to manage issues of any size. He has unusual interpersonal skills, and our staff thoroughly appreciates working with him. He is a first-class lawyer with abundant energy - and a pleasing personality to boot. I couldn't recommend him more highly. "

"Mitch is the ideal advisor for venture-backed companies and their investors. He possesses the depth and breadth to handle all transactions in the life cycle of a venture-backed company, and has a keen appreciation of the relevant issues that drive decisions of the various constituencies involved as these companies grow: founders, management, angels, early stage institutional investors and growth capital investors. This provides a platform for offering clients a solution-oriented and efficient approach to negotiations and very practical guidance to clients, on both the company and investor side. Mitch is extremely responsive and creative, and is an expert at managing client relationships; he always takes the time to understand the business goals, drive deals and tailor his advice to fit his client's goals. With little exception, Mitch is the first among my advisors to raise bleeding-edge legal issues that might impact our business and to offer ideas as to adapt our business to the changing legal environment in the venture capital industry. Also, he's extremely hard working and is always personally available, regardless of advance notice, whenever a critical issue arises in his matters."