Jeremy Raphael is a corporate Partner representing emerging technology and consumer packaged goods companies and entrepreneurs.  He focuses on working closely with startups at all stages of a company’s lifecycle, from formation and early growth advising to angel and venture capital financings to Board and governance counseling to mergers and acquisitions.  He also represents family offices in connection with emerging company matters and acquisitions.

Jeremy is known for taking a strategic, pragmatic and data-based approach to driving high stakes financings from the planning stage to a successful closing, whether it is a client’s very first check or a late-stage growth equity investment.  He has led deal teams for hundreds of venture capital financings, representing early, mid and late-stage companies in successfully obtaining backing by Draper, Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia, Susa, Y Combinator, Johnson & Johnson, Kapor Capital and other top-tier funds and investors.

Prior to co-founding Optimal, Jeremy was a Partner at Egan Nelson LLP, representing technology and CPG companies, CPG investors and family offices.  He served as Managing Associate in the Technology Companies Group at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP and represented emerging technology companies as an Associate at Andrews Kurth LLP.  While at Orrick and Andrews Kurth, Jeremy advised venture capital and private equity firms in connection with investments in technology companies.

Jeremy is one of Optimal Counsel’s co-Managing Partners.  He has guest lectured to founders, entrepreneurs and students at the University of Michigan Law School’s Entrepreneurship Clinic, the Cornell Tech Law, Technology and Entrepreneurship Program, and Seattle’s K-Startup Center Korean technology company hub.  He has also served as a member of the Brooklyn Law School GOLD Director’s Council.

Jeremy represents emerging technology companies in dozens of transactions annually, including seed and angel investments, venture capital financings and mergers and acquisitions.