Foley Hoag LLP has expanded its widely recognized Emerging Company & Venture Capital (ECVC) practice group with a new team of attorneys including partners Rose Standifer and Allie Clark, counsel Marc Graboyes and associate Zack Mueller. Their arrival marks a significant advancement for Foley Hoag’s Denver office, less than a year after it was established.

The growth of the ECVC practice group and Denver office comes as a result of a commitment to serve clients and build on the firm’s existing brand and reputation in the western part of the country. Attorneys in the ECVC group support the most innovative entrepreneurs and investors in the clean energy, life sciences, technology and cannabis sectors. Each year, the ECVC team manages hundreds of venture capital and private equity financings from pre-seed to growth stages.

“We are very excited to have this team join us as we continue to grow not only our Denver office, but also our transactional capabilities for clients in key growth markets,” said Managing Partner Jim Bucking. “Their deep roots in Colorado's entrepreneurial and business community, and the wealth of experience they share across industries will be highly beneficial to our clients.”

Since its founding in February 2023, the growth of the Denver office has remained a key priority to expanding Foley Hoag’s national footprint in the country’s western region. The firm continues to build a Colorado presence and attract new talent amid high demand for its legal services backed by its global platform.

“Rose, Allie, Marc and Zack are excellent additions to our team of attorneys and business services professionals,” said Erica Rice, Co-chair of the Business Department at Foley Hoag. “Emerging companies require partners with deep understanding of their respective industries and the ever-evolving startup space. Their experience in providing forward-thinking guidance will be critical to the firm’s continued success in advising high-growth companies and investors.”

Foley Hoag is one of the top firms in the U.S. and globally for venture capital deals. Its ECVC practice group provides support for the full life cycle of companies from idea to exit, as well as the needs of the investors powering innovation.

“We are thrilled to be moving to a firm that offers our team, clients and the broader Colorado market expanded growth opportunities,” said Standifer. “Foley Hoag has been intentional about going deep on the industries that matter the most here in Denver, along the Front Range urban corridor and for our clients further west. We think the firm offers a compelling value proposition for companies and investors in advanced industries in the western region that we are not currently seeing in the market.”
 
Standifer, Clark, Graboyes and Mueller join Foley Hoag from Sage Law Group.
 
Standifer’s experience includes more than 20 years of providing counsel to technology companies and venture capital investors. Her extensive knowledge of the startup landscape reflects her experience advising emerging companies on company formation, venture capital investments, technology licenses, and exit considerations. Standifer received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University.

Clark previously served as outside general counsel for biomedical and pharmaceutical technology, software, climate and energy, and consumer products companies. Her experience also comprises representing investors seeking to grow their portfolios, ranging from angel funds to large private equity firms. Clark received her law degree from New England Law Boston and a bachelor’s degree from University of Colorado.
 
Graboyes focuses on the representation of emerging growth companies and the investors that support them with a particular focus on life sciences and technology companies. As a strategic business advisor, he draws upon his experience serving in prior roles as co-founder and CEO of one of the world's first cannabis biotech companies, and as senior vice president and general counsel of a Nasdaq-listed oncology company. Graboyes received his law degree from the University of Colorado School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship from the University of Colorado Boulder - Leeds School of Business.

Mueller serves large and small businesses at every stage of the business lifecycle, assisting companies with entity formation, commercial contracting, acquisitions, and regulatory compliance. He received his law degree from the University of Colorado Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Boston University.