Practice Groups

VLR limits its practice to the following areas of law to serve the needs of rapidly growing public and private companies:

	Corporate Law
	Corporate Finance; Private and Public Equity and Debt
	Mergers and Acquisitions; Going Private Transactions
	Securities Law and Regulation
	Commercial Lending; Financial Institutions
	Emerging Companies; Entrepreneurial Services
	Tax Law; Business Succession
	Employment Law Counseling

Corporate Finance and Securities Law

Our Corporate Finance and Securities Law Practice Group has served a variety of regional and national public and private companies, institutional and “angel” investors and broker-dealers across numerous industry sectors. Some of the services provided by this group include: capital formation; mergers and acquisitions; corporate and securities law compliance for issuers and their management; corporate governance; advising issuers, underwriters, venture capitalists and investors on public and private financing transactions; recapitalizations and “going private” transactions; defensive measures for public issuers; joint ventures; and general counsel services for private and public Boards of Directors. We are very familiar with Sarbanes-Oxley and its major impact on companies and their Boards of Directors. Our Founder has served companies such as RTW, Denny Sanford/1st Premier Bank, Michael Foods, Inc., Taser International, Inc, Central Bank, Mr. John Morrison, Redstone American Grill, Robertson Stephens & Co, The Northland Company/ Mr. Ted Hamm, PJ Acquisition Corp.(Carl Pohlad/Irwin Jacobs), Health Fitness Corp., Summit Investment (now Dougherty & Co.), William Blair & Co., Sahara Investment (Pohlad Family Office), John G. Kinnard, R J Steichen & Co.(now Feltl & Co.) and Western Horizon Resorts, Inc., among others.

Our attorneys also have national experience in assisting issuers and underwriters on initial and secondary public offerings, officer and director issues, SEC and NASDAQ compliance issues, traditional and non-traditional private placement and equity and debt financings and structuring joint ventures and other strategic arrangements with our clients’ business partners. In addition, we have experience in representing issuers, management and the Boards of Directors of public companies involved in LBO’s and MBO’s, acquisitions, mergers, as well as defending securities law, shareholder, derivative and other corporate claims. Our Founding Partner has long been a recognized leader in speaking on and advising Boards of Directors on sound governance practices and has been an active member in the National Association of Corporate Directors and The Society of Corporate Secretaries. In addition, Mr. Puff has been active over his career in bringing top officials from the Securities and Exchange Commission in Chicago and Washington to Minneapolis to speak to CEO’s, CFO’s and the legal community on timely enforcement and regulatory initiatives. In 1996, our Founder was appointed by then Governor Arne Carlson to a select Blue Ribbon Commission of Minnesota securities lawyers charged with updating and revising Minnesota’s securities laws and proposing legislation to effect such changes.

Emerging Companies and Entrepreneurial Services

Our Emerging Companies and Entrepreneurial Services Group serves entrepreneurs and rapidly growing companies, with a focus on the software, consumer, business services, life sciences, medical device and financial service sectors. Our lawyers have a long tradition of, and are well respected for, representing entrepreneurs and rapidly growing private and public companies across the Upper Midwest and the United States. Our lawyers have formed hundreds of new companies in the software, information technology, consumer and healthcare arenas and have participated in hundreds of financings and corporate transactions.

Unlike the vast majority of Minnesota and other law firms, we actively assist seed and later stage growth companies by coaching management and company founders, assist in recruiting management and Board talent and assist with venture capital, “angel,” broker-dealer, mezzanine and public and private financings. Our attorneys are so pro-active that our clients often ask us if we are venture capitalists and investment bankers, and we like that. Our sole mission is to help fuel the growth of great companies. Our commitment is to outstanding service, sound advice and strong execution.

In addition to assisting growth companies with financings, we advise on: business formation issues; intellectual property matters; licenses; distribution; technology transfer; M&A; securities law compliance; buy-sell agreements; employee equity incentives and benefits; consulting agreements; tax issues; and OEM and VAR agreements. We also often attend these client Board meetings at no charge, or at substantially reduced rates, to ensure that we completely, and cost-effectively, understand their business. Our rapid growth demonstrates the strategic guidance that rapidly growing companies deserve from their outside corporate counsel, and that we deliver.

Although we have a sophisticated corporate law practice, we are committed to remaining a focused firm that is large enough to handle sophisticated national matters, but small and nimble enough to be extremely responsive to your needs. As a rapidly growing firm, we too are entrepreneurs and understand the challenges of managing growth and the need to think smart and move rapidly. We understand that we must be available, responsive and add value. Knowledge and experience mean nothing to you if it is not available to you when you need it. We offer flexible fee agreements based on your size and needs, including, but not limited to, reduced hourly fees, fixed and success-based fee arrangements, equity incentives and blended fee arrangements.