Rick chairs the firm's Venture, Technology and Entrepreneurial Services practices and is a member of its Corporate, Finance and Capital Markets Department. He represents public and private companies and non-profit entities in all phases of organization, financing and operations. He handles mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and corporate governance issues and negotiates complex commercial and licensing agreements for companies in the IT/software, Internet, pharmaceutical, medical device, health care, telecommunications, energy, real estate, manufacturing and a variety of other industries.
Rick is an experienced intellectual property attorney and has assisted clients in planning and implementing commercial development, licensing and deployment of new technologies. He has negotiated some of the largest dollar value strategic alliances in the biotechnology field, and has assisted in the development of a unique worldwide licensing scheme for a new computer technology used in television broadcasting.
As part of his practice, Rick manages multi-million dollar financial transactions, including private placements, public offerings, bond issues and bank financings. He represents both U.S. and foreign-based private equity and venture capital funds, banks and investment banks and angel investors in connection with investment related transactions. He is also recognized as a mentor and facilitator of entrepreneurship, whether for new companies or for new projects within larger organizations, and helps coordinate legal, business and financial services necessary for growth.
He is AV® Preeminent™ rated by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating for legal ability and general ethics.
Rick is also a FINRA-licensed investment banker. He serves as a Senior Managing Director of the firm's affiliate, Griffin Financial Group, LLC, where he focuses on fundraising, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic advisory for companies in Life Sciences, Technology, Energy, Telecommunications and other industries.
Making use of resources from both the law firm and the investment bank, Rick also founded and manages Griffin Technology Partners, a virtual innovation fund focused on funding and developing new technologies.
Education:
University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1978
Yale University, B.A., cum laude, 1975
Bar Admissions:
New Jersey
Court Admissions:
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
U.S. Tax Court
Selected Publications:
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- "Recent Developments in Trademark and Copyright Law," Understanding Trademark and Copyright Developments for Online Content. Richard J. Pinto, Elliot J. Stein and Christine Beyer Savoca. Aspatore Books, 2010.
- " Is Your Company Ready for Venture Capital?"
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"Business Plan Basics"
- "Assembling and Using an Advisory Board"
- "Protect Your Intellectual Property"
- "Employee Incentive Plans for Emerging Companies"
Selected Speaking Engagements:
- "Building Smart through Mergers and Acquisitions, New Jersey Technology Council, January 2012
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"How to Attract Angel and Venture Capital Investment," NJTC Venture Conference Exhibitor Workshop Leader, 2007-2012
- "Annual Survey of IT/Software Law and Finance," New Jersey Technology Council, 2007-2011
- "New Trends in Angel Investing," ACG Angel Forum, September 2010
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"What CEOs of VC-Funded Companies Need to Know About Term Sheets & Valuations for 2011," ExecSense webinar, March 2011
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"Capital Formation for Emerging Technology Companies," NJSBA Business Law Section and Inn of Transactional Counsel, October 2009 and March 2010
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“Avoiding 7 Deadly Sins for Growing and Selling Your Business,” New Jersey Technology Council, January 2008, NJEDA forum, April 2009
- "Current Trends for Finance and Joint Ventures in the Life Science Industry," NJIT EMBA Conference, March 2010
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“Cross Border Issues for Investment,” Licensing Executives Society of NY/ Canadian Consulate forum, January 2008
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“Capital Efficiency – Doing More with Less,” New Jersey Technology Council, January 2009
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“Raising Money via Corporate Partnerships versus Venture Capital,” MIT Enterprise Forum / Canadian Consulate forum, January 2008
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“The Top 10 Legal Mistakes Made by Entrepreneurs,” New Jersey Entrepreneurs Forum, January 2009, NJIT, January 2009 and 2010, SCORE, February 2010
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“Financing Your IT Business,” New Jersey Technology Council, February 2009
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“Growing a Successful Green Business – Success Stories of Natural Capitalism,” New Jersey Entrepreneurs Network, April 2009
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"Planning for Your IPO," New Jersey Entrepreneurial Network, 2001
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"How to Work with a Financial Advisor," New Jersey Business Forum, 2001
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"How to Negotiate a Venture Capital Term Sheet," New Jersey Entrepreneurs Forum, 2002-2007
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"How to Succeed in Winning Government Contracts," New Jersey Technology Council, 2002
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"What Venture Capitalists Want – Today," New Jersey Business Forum, 2002
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"How to Avoid Seven Deadly Deal Mistakes Made by Emerging Life Science Companies in Dealing with Large Partners," MedVestors 2003-2004; NJAngels.Net, 2005; BioStrategies Partners, 2006
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"Finders and Brokers Agreements," New Jersey State Bar Association, 2003
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"New Developments in Technology Transfer," New Jersey Technology Council, 2003
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"IT/Software Business Models That Work," New Jersey Technology Council, 2003
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"Service Level Agreements," New Jersey Technology Council, 2004
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"Building a Team of Strategic Advisors," New Jersey Entrepreneurs Forum, 2005
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"Going Public by Reverse Merger – Pros and Cons," New Jersey Technology Council, 2005
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"Making Your Company Bankable," New Jersey Technology Council, 2005
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"What's Next in IT," New Jersey Technology Council, 2005 -2006
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"Investment Trends for Emerging Growth Technology Sector," New Jersey Technology Council, 2006
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"Strategic Alliances – How to Make the Pharm Team," New Jersey Technology Council, 2006
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"How to Avoid Seven Deadly Sins in Seeking Venture Capital," BioStrategies Partners, 2006
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"What Life Science Companies Want from IT Companies," New Jersey Technology Council, 2006
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"Consumer Payment Choices – Payment, Security and Compliance," New Jersey Technology Council, 2006
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"How to Get Venture Capitalists to 'Show You the Money,'" New Jersey Technology Council, 2007
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"Exit Strategies: What IT Buyers Want," New Jersey Technology Council, 2007
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"What's Next in IT: Pharma, Finance, Automation, Logistics," New Jersey Technology Council, 2007
- "How to Avoid Seven Deadly Sins in Building a Software Business," New Jersey Technology Council, 2007
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"Successes and Obstacles in BioEnergy," The Green Economy, BioEnergy Forum, 2007
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"Using Boards and Advisory Boards," The BioScience Collaborative, 2007
Professional Associations/Civic Affiliations:
Griffin Financial Group, Senior Managing Director
Griffin Technology Partners, Senior Managing Director
Einstein's Alley Corporation, Board Secretary
Canada's Top Technology Companies Program, Consulate General of Canada Advisor
New Jersey Entrepreneurs Forum, Board Member
JumpStart New Jersey Angel Network, Board Member
Association for Corporate Growth, Charter member of NJ Chapter
TIE, Charter Member of New Jersey/Philadelphia Chapter
American Bar Association, Business and Intellectual Property Law sections
New Jersey Entrepreneurial Network, Advisor
Biotechnology Council of New Jersey (BioNJ)
New Jersey State Bar Association, Board Member (Emeritus), Corporate and Business Law Section Committee; former co-editor Corporate and Business Law newsletter
New Jersey Technology Council, Former Board Member
NJTC IT/Software Advisory Board, Former Member
Institutional Review Board of the Medical Center at Princeton, Former Member
Princeton Tennis Program, Former Chairman of the Board
Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, Former Board Member
Advisory Board Member for several private companies |
