CounselMorse, Barnes-Brown & Pendleton
Venture capital, M&A, and corporate counsel from first financing to exit.
Advising founders, growth-stage companies, and investors across the full company lifecycle — practical, efficient, and calibrated to business realities.
- Seed → ExitFull company lifecycle
- VC · M&AFinancings & strategic deals
- MA · NY · ARBar admissions
- BC Law, cum laudeBoston College Law School, J.D.
About
A practical, business-focused approach to complex transactions.
Dan advises startup founders, growth-stage companies, and investors on the full range of corporate and transactional matters, from entity formation through venture financings, strategic transactions, and exits. He represents clients in VC financings at every stage, M&A deals, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships.
Drawing on experience at international law firms and as in-house counsel, Dan understands the pressures founders and executives face when raising capital, negotiating terms, and scaling operations. He helps clients navigate those moments efficiently while protecting long-term value.
Dan has particular experience with technology, life sciences, AgTech, and FoodTech companies, including SaaS and technology-enabled businesses. He also counsels boards and management teams on governance, cap table structuring, and transaction readiness.
Practice areas
Six areas of concentrated experience.
01
Venture Capital
Seed through late-stage financings, preferred stock, convertible notes, SAFEs, term sheet negotiation, and investor side letters.
02
Mergers & Acquisitions
Stock and asset purchases, cross-border acquisitions, founder-led company sales, acquihires, and sell-side and buy-side representation.
03
Corporate Governance
Board matters, cap table structuring, transaction readiness, and counsel to boards and management teams on governance best practices.
04
Startups & Emerging Companies
Entity formation, founder equity, early-stage structuring, and ongoing corporate counsel from inception through growth.
05
Joint Ventures & Partnerships
Operating agreements, cross-border joint ventures, and strategic partnerships involving institutional and strategic investors.
06
Licensing & Commercial Contracts
Commercial agreements, licensing arrangements, and contract negotiation supporting operations and strategic transactions.
Representative Matters
A record across financings, exits, and cross-border transactions.
Mergers & Acquisitions
- $1.1BSale of a private biotechnology company to a private buyer, including two contingent value rights agreements.
- $295MSale of a software company and its foreign subsidiary.
- $155MRollover transaction for a private mileage reimbursement company.
- $55MForeign public buyer's acquisition of a private software company with subsidiaries in multiple jurisdictions.
- $37MSale of a private information services company to a strategic public buyer.
- $15MSale of a private contract research organization to a strategic buyer.
- —Foreign strategic buyer's acquisition of a recreational vehicle manufacturer and its Canadian subsidiary.
Venture Capital & Growth Financings
- $400MInvestor in a Series C financing for a cell-cultivated meat company.
- $150MInvestor in a Series D financing for a logistics company.
- $117MIssuer in an initial public offering.
- $85MInvestor in multiple financing rounds in a biotechnology company.
- $80MBiotechnology company across multiple financing rounds.
- $61.5MPublic manufacturer of robotic surgical systems in PIPE transactions.
- $60MIssuer in an initial public offering.
- $45.5MDiagnostics company in a Series D financing.
- $40MFintech company in a Series C financing.
- noteInvestor in a convertible note financing for a carbon credit platform.
Joint Ventures & Strategic Investments
- $300MStrategic investor acquiring an interest in an operating company in Argentina.
- $210MCross-border joint venture with a European company to construct a U.S. manufacturing facility.
- $100MStrategic investor acquiring a minority interest in a CPG company in Saudi Arabia.
- $30MJoint venture with an on-demand storage provider, including equity financing.
- $20MJoint venture with a commodity producer in Tanzania.
- —Public enterprise management company in a cross-border JV with a private consumer storage company.
Prior experience
Dan has practiced at leading international law firms and served as in-house counsel at both a Fortune 100 food company and a growth-stage technology company through its exit. This breadth across BigLaw, corporate legal departments, and high-growth startups informs a practice style that is practical, efficient, and calibrated to business realities.
Education
Boston College Law School
J.D., cum laude
Boston College
B.A.
Bar admissions
Massachusetts
New York
Arkansas
Recognition
Massachusetts Rising Stars, 2025 & 2026
Super Lawyers
Writing
Practical perspectives on venture capital and M&A.
On the legal and business issues that matter most to founders, investors, and growth-stage companies. Recent pieces are published through Morse.
- ArticleChoosing Your Business Entity: Structure, State, and What Founders Get WrongRead →
- Client AlertCalifornia's Venture Capital Diversity Reporting Law: Imminent Deadlines and What to Do NowRead →
- ArticleSide Letters in Venture Capital Financings: What Founders Need to KnowRead →
- ArticleBasics of an AcquihireRead →
- ArticleFive Steps to Preparing for Your Venture Capital FinancingRead →
Contact
Let's talk about your transaction.
- dwilcox@morse.law
- Phone
- 781-697-2275
- daniel-wilcox