SSM is a women-owned boutique law firm with attorneys in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle. We represent micro-venture capital funds, technology companies, and industry-adjacent service providers who are forming and scaling their companies, fundraising/deploying venture capital, selling to, merging with and/or acquiring other businesses. Additionally, we assist our clients in managing relationships with their former companies, employees, partners, investors, service providers, or customers. We are a completely virtual law firm and rely on innovative legal technology to provide a high-touch service.
Upcoming events
December 5, 2023 - 9:30pm PST "Flipp'DE - A Discussion of Delaware Flips, Valuations, and Scaling Within the United States"
In an ever-globalizing economy, companies are now more than ever looking beyond their domestic borders to grow - whether that includes scaling in another country or accessing capital markets and investment overseas. As businesses continue to engage across borders and tap international markets, companies will inevitably face a host of challenges when operating abroad. In this panel, please join us as we discuss the legal implications of creating a business presence in the United States. From creating your entity, to intellectual property valuations, to human resources compliance, and even your bank account, panelists from SSM, Aranca, and Vistra will take you through the fundamentals of positioning your company to scale within the United States.
December 14, 2023 - 12:00pm PST - "Venture Capital Financing: What Corporate Lawyers Should Know About Deal Terms Today" for The Santa Clara County Bar Association's Real Estate and Business Law Section
A discussion on how technology companies structure venture capital investments at the early stage through late stage, from note investments to term sheets/investment agreements in priced rounds. Panelists will also discuss how the terms may be affected by the current macroeconomic climate.
January 8, 2024 - 12 pm PST "Women and Wealth Building: How Women Lead, Invest, and Thrive in 2024" for the Stanford Alumni Association's Women's Impact Network
According to The State of Women in the Labor Market in 2023, 75% of women ages 25–54 are employed today, compared with slightly more than two-thirds a decade ago. Furthermore, 84 percent of employed, prime-age women work full time. Forbes estimates that women account for 70-80% of all consumer purchasing, through a combination of their buying power and influence. As more and more women thrive professionally, how will they invest and spend their money, whether as professional or angel investors, or consumers? Will they be more willing than their male counterparts to buy from and invest in companies founded by women and minorities? Join our speakers as they discuss how women can make smarter and more influential decisions regarding their money and financial wellness in 2024.
Moderator and Panelists include:
Lindsey S. Mignano, SSM [Moderator]
Jennifer Keiser Neundorfor, January Ventures
Caron Gugssa-Howard, ICA Fund
Alison Sizer, Growth Impact
Rux Muys, WIT Angels Club
Julie Castro-Abrams, How Women Lead & How Women Invest
January 25, 2024 - "You Don’t Have to Go It Alone: Harnessing the Collective Power of Solo/Small Firms" for BASF Solo-Small Firm Annual Conference This panel will discuss different ways that solo and small firm practitioners can work with attorneys outside our firms to grow our practices, better serve our clients, and take on bigger and more complex projects across a wide variety of practice areas. The discussion will address various arrangements including co-counseling, consulting, and of-counsel relationships. The conversation will include best practices, practical and ethical considerations, and technological tools for collaboration. Panelists include:
February 1, 2024 - 12:00PM PST - "2024 Venture Capital Outlook: Raising, Scaling, and Selling in Turbulent Times" for Pacific Western Bank
After a banner 2021, startup venture financing and exit activity declined steeply in 2023. Economic uncertainty, interest rates, and the aftermath of collapses in banking and crypto slowed the deployment of venture capital and decreased the overall size of rounds. Deals were fewer and farther in between, and founders were being asked to do more with less by the end of 2023. Later stage startups faced increasing burn scrutiny with less opportunities for successful exits at anticipated valuations. Where are we today and what can startups who seek to raise or sell in 2024 expect from the market? Join us for an informative panel by industry veterans as they discuss the future of startup financing and M&A activity in 2024.
February 6, 2024 - 4:00pm PST - 5:15pm PST - "Fearless Female Founders: How Women Lead and Market" for Barristers Solo & Small Firm Section for the Bar Association of San Francisco
Join us for a lively conversation led by female founders of law firms in the SF Bay Area as they discuss what it means to be a female law firm owner and leader, and how gender and race impact the way they lead, market, and manage their teams. Registration information coming soon. Panelists include:
Lindsey S. Mignano, SSM
Amanda Conley, Conley Law PC
Kate Lazarus, Kwun Bansali Lazarus LLP
Katie Burke, Burke Law
Moderator: Courtney Brown, Law Offices of Mary Catherine Wiederhold
May 8, 2024 - "Flipping for Venture Financing: What Cross-Border Tax Advisors of Early Stage Companies Need to Know" for WSCPA International Tax Conference
Why might a foreign private company need to flip into Delaware to procure early stage venture financing in the United States? When is it appropriate, given tax and cost considerations, and what kinds of tasks (i.e., share valuations, IP valuation, and transfer pricing analyses) will CPAs of early stage companies need to provide during the process? Furthermore, the early stage startup financing and market for acquisitions heavily impacted private early stage technology companies raising capital and/or seeking acquisition in the United States in 2023. How will the current economic market for financing and M&A in Q1 2024 affect the negotiating power of private early stage technology companies, and the ways in which corporate counsel and tax professionals may advise their clients? Join Lindsey S. Mignano for a presentation on these items and more. Registration information coming soon.