

The HLEP Podcast
Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project
HLEP provides pro bono legal assistance to founders in the Harvard/MIT community. In support of our mission, this podcast aims to share timely insights from the world of emerging companies and venture capital. The HLEP Podcast is a production of the Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project, an officially recognized student organization of Harvard Law School. The views expressed on the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard University or Harvard Law School. Created by Ben Ho.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 6, 2022 • 59min
After the IPO: Adjusting to Life as a Public Company – Milson Yu, Cooley LLP
On episode 9, we speak to Milson Yu, a partner at Cooley’s Palo Alto office, about the Public Companies practice area and the types of issues that companies need to adjust to after going public. Milson also shares about what it takes to make partner and discusses why diversity & representation among the partner class matters for associates considering whether to pursue the partner track.
Follow and connect with us at our LinkedIn and Instagram
More on HLEP at clinics.law.harvard.edu/hlep

Aug 11, 2022 • 1h 2min
Public Exits: Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) – Jordan Roberts & Ran Ben-Tzur, Fenwick & West
On episode 8, we speak to Jordan Roberts & Ran Ben-Tzur, partners at Fenwick & West. We learn about public exits, what an Initial Public Offering timeline looks like, and the types of considerations that companies need to make in preparation to go public. Jordan & Ran also share about the capital markets practice area.
Follow and connect with us at our LinkedIn and Instagram
More on HLEP at clinics.law.harvard.edu/hlep

Aug 3, 2022 • 49min
Private Exits: Mergers & Acquisitions - Kevin Cooper, Cooley LLP
On episode 7, we speak to Kevin Cooper, a partner at Cooley’s New York City Office, about the mergers & acquisitions practice area, what an acquisition & sale process looks like, and the types of issues that buyers and sellers need to consider in M&A deals.
Follow and connect with us at our LinkedIn and Instagram
More on HLEP at clinics.law.harvard.edu/hlep

Jul 28, 2022 • 53min
Growing Pains: The In-House Perspective - Josh Beser, Wilson Sonsini LLP
On episode 6, we speak to Josh Beser, a partner at Wilson Sonsini’s New York office about the General Counsel’s role. We learn about the types of legal issues that general counsels help founders navigate and how the role compares with practicing at a law firm. Listen to hear Josh share perspectives from his time at fast-growing companies like Away, inc.
Follow and connect with us at our LinkedIn and Instagram
More on HLEP at clinics.law.harvard.edu/hlep

Jul 20, 2022 • 47min
Growing Pains: Sepideh Mousakhani, Cooley LLP
On episode 5, we speak to Sepideh Mousakhani, a partner at Cooley’s Palo Alto office about the types of growing pains and challenges that founders tend to face as they build their startups from early into middle and late-stage companies. We also learn about how lawyers help their clients navigate this middle period and anticipate legal issues to come
Follow and connect with us at our LinkedIn and Instagram
More on HLEP at clinics.law.harvard.edu/hlep

Jul 13, 2022 • 1h 4min
Representing Venture Capital - Robin Painter, Proskauer Rose LLP & Sarah Reed, RA Capital Management
On episode 4, we speak to Robin Painter, a partner of Proskauer Rose & Sarah Reed, general counsel of RA Capital Management, about what representing venture capital funds and their General Partners (GP) & Limited Partners (LP) is like. We also learn about the lawyers’ role in helping general and limited partners recognize and manage the risks involved with VC investments.
One very cool fact we discovered during the recording is that Sarah was the originator of the NVCA forms, the same set of financing documents that every ECVC lawyer uses!
Follow and connect with us at our LinkedIn and Instagram
More on HLEP at clinics.law.harvard.edu/hlep

Jul 7, 2022 • 47min
Financing the Vision: Raising Capital - Becki Degraw, Wilson Sonsini LLP
On episode 3, we speak to Becki Degraw, a partner at Wilson Sonsini’s SOMA office, about raising capital at a startup’s pre-financing rounds, its later preferred equity financing rounds, devices for raising capital like SAFEs (Simple Agreements for Future Equity), and factors for considering who to raise capital investments from.
Follow and connect with us at our LinkedIn and Instagram
More on HLEP at clinics.law.harvard.edu/hlep

Jun 29, 2022 • 47min
Protecting the Idea: Intellectual Property - Christopher Higgins, Orrick LLP
On episode 2, we speak to Christopher Higgins, a partner at Orrick’s Washington D.C. office, about patents, Intellectual Property (IP), copyright, trade secrets, what types of IP considerations founders need to make as they set out to protect their ideas, and how IP lawyers help their clients navigate these issues.
Follow and connect with us at our LinkedIn and Instagram
More on HLEP at clinics.law.harvard.edu/hlep

Jun 22, 2022 • 46min
Birth of an Idea: Company Formation - Jeff Laretto, Cooley LLP
On episode 1, we speak to Jeff Laretto, a partner at Cooley’s New York City office, about the Emerging Companies & Venture Capital (ECVC) practice area, how it differs from other corporate practice areas like Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) and Capital Markets, and what makes successful ECVC lawyers.
Jeff also discusses what startup founders should consider at the founding stage, and how ECVC lawyers help founders avoid the biggest mistakes that tend to be made.
Follow and connect with us at our LinkedIn and Instagram
More on HLEP at clinics.law.harvard.edu/hlep

Jun 16, 2022 • 2min
Introducing The HLEP Podcast
A series on lawyering throughout the corporate life cycle and legal trends in emerging industries.
Follow and connect with us at our LinkedIn and Instagram
More on HLEP at clinics.law.harvard.edu/hlep