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Randy Socol

Randy L. Socol

Partner
Randy is an excellent adviser - we value his ability to bring his experience working with a wide range of startup companies to ensure we take the best course of action.
Chambers USA 2022
About
Randy Socol represents established and emerging growth companies in the technology, biotechnology, healthcare, and sports and gaming sectors, counseling founders, management and boards, and handling matters ranging from corporate formation and governance, equity and debt financings, mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions. In addition, he also represents venture capital and private equity firms, corporate and strategic investors and acquirors that finance and acquire these emerging growth companies.

In addition to providing strategic and corporate counseling, his practice encompasses venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, debt financings, public offerings, equity and compensation matters and corporate governance.

Randy is a member of the firm's US Emerging Growth and Venture Capital executive committee and a founding member of the firm's Corporate Venture Leadership Group.
Bar admissionsCalifornia

EXPERIENCE

Randy has represented emerging growth companies and venture capital and strategic investors in more than 2000 equity and debt financing transactions. Randy's representation of emerging growth companies, including in connection with financing transactions led by some of the world's leading venture capital and corporate investors, has included the following companies:

  • AbVitro, Inc.
  • Aspen Neuroscience, Inc.
  • aTyr Pharma, Inc.
  • Aumni, Inc.
  • Ceregene, Inc.
  • Cloudbeds
  • Concert Health, Inc.
  • Cordial Experience, Inc.
  • Ecwid, Inc.
  • EdgeCast Networks, Inc.
  • Epic Sciences, Inc.
  • Flock Freight, Inc.
  • Gr4vy, Inc.
  • inVia Robotics, Inc.
  • Iterion Therapeutics, Inc.
  • Kyriba, Inc.
  • LLamasoft, Inc.
  • Locanabio, Inc.
  • mPulse Mobile, Inc.
  • OpenPath Security, Inc.
  • Pairwise Plants, Inc.
  • Pindrop Security, Inc.
  • Qwick, Inc.
  • RetailNext, Inc.
  • Revenue.io, Inc.
  • Science 37, Inc.
  • Seraphina Therapeutics, Inc.
  • Shape Therapeutics, Inc.
  • Sidecar Health, Inc.
  • Snap! Mobile, Inc.
  • Stylitics, Inc.
  • TakeLessons.com, Inc.
  • Truvian Sciences, Inc.
  • Wildfire Systems, Inc.
  • Zeakal, Inc.

Randy has also represented venture capital firms and strategic investors in debt and equity financing transactions with emerging growth companies, including:

  • Counterpart Ventures
  • Eldridge Industries
  • Elysian Park Ventures
  • Emergence Capital Partners
  • Endeavour Vision
  • Ericsson Ventures
  • Finistere Ventures
  • H.I.G. Capital
  • Lux Ventures
  • Magnetar Capital
  • M12 (the venture arm of Microsoft)
  • Novartis AG
  • Qualcomm Ventures
  • Redmile Group
  • Sante Ventures
  • SoftBank Vision Fund I and II
  • Sorenson Ventures
  • Thomson Reuters
  • Upfront Ventures

Randy also regularly represents both acquirors and selling companies in merger and acquisition transactions, including acquirors such as:

  • QUALCOMM Incorporated
  • NIKE, Inc.
  • Breg, Inc.
  • Cloudbeds
  • Life Technologies Corporation
  • RetailNext, Inc.

Randy has also represented numerous companies in sell-side transactions constituting successful liquidation events, including the following:

  • AbVitro, Inc. in its acquisition by Juno Therapeutics
  • Ceregene, Inc. in its acquisition by Sangamo BioSciences
  • Ecwid, Inc. in its acquisition by Lightspeed POS
  • EdgeCast Networks in its acquisition by Verizon
  • mPulse Mobile, Inc. in its acquisition by Providence Strategic Growth
  • Llamasoft in its acquisition by TPG, Eventful, Inc. in its acquisition by CBS
  • OpenPath Security in its acquisition by Motorola
  • Stelios Therapeutics in its acquisition by Lexeo Therapeutics
  • TakeLessons, Inc. in its acquisition by Microsoft Corporation
Education
  • J.D., University of Michigan 1999
  • B.A., Northwestern University 1996

    History

Awards

Chambers USA

  • Band 3, Nationwide Startups & Emerging Companies (2023-2024)
  • Band 3, California Venture Capital (2023-2024)
  • Band 4, California Corporate/M&A: Venture Capital (2022)
  • Band 4, Nationwide Startups & Emerging Companies (2020-2022)
  • Band 2, California: San Diego Corporate/M&A (2021-2024)
  • Band 4, California Venture Capital (2017-2022)
  • Recognized Practitioner, Nationwide Startups & Emerging Companies (2019)
  • Up and Coming, California Corporate/M&A: Venture Capital (2015-2016)

The Legal 500 United States

  • Recommended, Technology: Transactions (2023)
  • Recommended, Venture Capital & Emerging Companies (2016-2024)
Additional Awards
  • Recognized by San Diego Super Lawyers Magazine as a "Super Lawyer" in the area of Mergers and Acquisitions (2017, 2018)
  • Recognized by The San Diego Business Journal in its annual SD500 list of influential people for several years

Pro Bono

  • UCSD Entrepreneur Challenge, Pro Bono Counsel
  • Pro Bono Counsel for Ad Astra Ventures, an accelerator focused on female led start-ups

Media Mentions

  • "Coronavirus-Disrupted Drug Firm's $12M Ch. 11 Loan Gets OK," Law360, March 12, 2020

Memberships And Affiliations

  • California and San Diego County Bar Associations
  • CONNECT w/San Diego Venture Group, Board of Directors

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