Joel M. Jacobson is an associate in Goodwin's Business Law department and a member of the firm’s Technology group. His practice focuses on representing tech companies, strategic investors, and venture capital firms in corporate and transactional matters in a variety of industries, including AI, software/SaaS, hardware, healthcare, and financial technology. He joined Goodwin in 2021.
Joel’s representation of companies spans every stage of their corporate lifecycle, including incorporation, general corporate representation and counseling, venture capital financings, and mergers and acquisitions. His representation of investors includes seed through growth stage financings.
Joel maintains an active pro bono practice, through Goodwin’s Neighborhood Business Initiative, which brings business-related legal services to the front doors of entrepreneurs and small business owners, and Project Citizenship, which assists immigrants from all over the world in applying for US citizenship.
Joel spends his free time trying to keep up with his two young sons and being active outdoors.
Representative Matters
- a16z in numerous investments from their seed, growth, bio, and crypto funds
- AbCellera Biologics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ABCL) in several investments, including in the Series B financing of Abdera
- Anthos Capital in numerous investments, including in Gretel.ai, Parallel Systems, and Todyl
- Bitwarden in its $100 million growth financing led by PSG with participation from Battery Ventures
- Blockchain Capital in various investments, including the $115 million Series C financing of Worldcoin and $50 million Series A of EigenLabs
- Rafay Systems in its $25 million Series B financing led by ForgePoint Capital
- Haun Ventures in the $50 million Series C financing of Zora Labs
- Mayfield in numerous investments, including in Crunchbase, OwnID, Swimply, and DuploCloud
- Paradigm in numerous investments, including in the $300 million Series C financing of OpenSea
- Pinglend in its Series A financing led by Activant Capital
- Provus in its $12 million Series A financing led by Norwest Venture Partners
- Rapid Robotics in its $36.7 million Series B financing co-led by Kleiner Perkins and Tiger Global Management
- Relentless Labs (Mono) in its $15 million Series A financing led by Tiger Global Management
- TrueNorth in its $50 million Series B financing co-led by Sam Altman and Lachy Groom
- Various investments from venture capital firms including Alkeon Capital, Base10, B Capital, Goodwater, Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC), Headline, Lobby Capital, Lowercarbon Capital, Unusual Ventures, and Venrock
- FusionSite Services, a search fund client, in several of its acquisitions
- Infostar LLC in its $105 million sale to Tech Mahindra (Americas) Inc.
Professional Experience
Joel is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where he teaches Venture Law: Forming, Financing, and Selling a Startup.
Prior to joining Goodwin, Joel worked as an attorney at a boutique law firm in Denver, Colorado that specializes in advising growing, innovative companies on corporate and commercial legal matters, and as an associate within a national design and fabrication firm headquartered near Detroit, Michigan that developed trades show exhibits displayed by technology and automotive companies. These experiences solidified his interest in working with clients developing new technology and business models.
During law school, Joel served as a Note & Comment Editor for the Wisconsin International Law Journal, and as a Judicial Intern with the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Credentials
Education
JD
University of Wisconsin Law School
BA
University of Michigan
Admissions
Bars
- Colorado
- District of Columbia