I’m a partner at Optimal Counsel LLP, a boutique corporate law firm serving elite startups across the United States and the world. We are a lean, distributed, tech-enabled team. Our partners and associates either trained at the top biglaw firms or have spent their whole careers with us.
After graduating from Yale University and the University of Texas School of Law, I spent five years as an associate at DLA Piper LLP (US) in Baltimore and Austin and joined Optimal’s predecessor firm in 2018. Although we as a firm make a point not to care too much about geography, my family and I are proud residents of Ellicott City, Maryland, after having bounced around Washington, D.C.; Baltimore and Austin for years. I’m licensed to practice in Maryland and the District of Columbia (currently inactive in Texas).
In my spare time, I enjoy playing piano; watching sports; and spending time with my wife, daughter, dogs and cat.
If you’re interested in learning more about Optimal and how we can help your startup, feel free to reach out via LinkedIn or jay@optimalcounsel.com.
Acknowledgments
I’m grateful for the stellar team at Optimal for the support in putting this project together, in particular Jose Ancer, Liz Gil, Jeremy Raphael and Brian Alford for their help in beta-testing the models and their clutch feedback.
Important Disclaimers
I am not your lawyer, and Optimal Counsel LLP is not your law firm, until you have signed an engagement letter with us. This blog and all examples and templates are provided as an educational resource only and are provided as-is with no warranty whatsoever, including with respect to accuracy of calculations and applicability to any particular situation. Surely you wouldn’t do this, but definitely don’t make any decisions or take any actions relating to the scenarios covered by this blog, the example spreadsheet or the open-source template cap table without consulting an experienced startup attorney. (Don’t have one, or looking to make a switch? Let us know.)