Thompson Hine LLP is pleased to announce that the lawyers from Harper Legal, a boutique Chicago law firm representing emerging companies, have joined its Corporate Transactions & Securities practice group in Chicago. Heather Harper and Aisling O’Laoire will add significant depth to Thompson Hine’s growing New Ventures team.
Harper and O’Laoire focus on representing startups and growth-stage companies in business transactional matters, such as entity formation, financing (seed, angel, Series A through SAFEs, convertible notes and priced equity rounds), fractional general counsel services, purchases, sales, reorganizations and mergers. They assist emerging companies with drafting and negotiating founders’ agreements, vesting agreements, licenses, service agreements, referral agreements, NDAs, revenue sharing and joint development agreements, loan agreements and collaboration agreements.
Harper enjoys being deeply embedded with her clients’ businesses and also serves as general counsel of Simple Mills, whose mission is to enrich lives and bodies through simple, delicious, purposeful foods. She was impressed by Thompson Hine’s culture of innovation and commitment to transforming the client experience with a clear focus on efficiency in legal service delivery. “Thompson Hine offers an ideal platform – a major attraction was the firm’s focus on innovation and its client-centered legal service delivery platform, SmartPaTH™, which provides the predictability and transparency that are so important to emerging and growth-stage companies. Additionally, the firm’s QuickLaunch® and Contract Solutions™ offerings will be excellent resources for our customary clients,” said Harper.
At Thompson Hine, Harper and O’Laoire will continue to help clients navigate the confusing waters of growth, investment and expansion, and call upon their new colleagues when needed to assist clients with the myriad issues that arise in new enterprises. “It is important for growth-stage companies, as they start and expand their businesses, to have top-tier guidance from many different legal areas,” said Harper of her move to the firm.
Harper added that the high level of early-stage company and venture capital work already being handled by Thompson Hine and the extensive experience of the lawyers on its New Ventures team will be strengths she can leverage in Chicago and nationwide.
Before founding Harper Legal, Harper was a professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law, where she designed, launched and directed the C-K Group’s Entrepreneurial Law Clinic, which was generally referred to as the Startup Legal Shop.
“Heather is deeply embedded in the Chicago startup community, having helped businesses grow for over 10 years, and having literally launched the startup practice clinic at Chicago-Kent,” said Frank Chaiken, who leads the Chicago office and the Corporate Transactions & Securities practice group. “We are delighted to welcome her to Thompson Hine.”
“The addition of Harper and O’Laoire is a significant move for the firm, providing our New Ventures Group – now 13 lawyers strong – with additional depth and breadth. Our New Ventures Group offers experienced lawyers who advise company-side clients from formation, through funding, to exit. They have extensive experience in complex, venture-style corporate finance matters. We are enthused about the continued growth of this group,” notes Deborah Read, the Firmwide Managing Partner.
Harper earned her J.D. from Boston College Law School, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A., summa cum laude, from Northwestern University. She is licensed to practice law in Illinois and New York. Harper is an active mentor throughout Chicago’s vibrant startup ecosystem, including at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and mHUB.
O’Laoire received her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law, where she also earned a Certificate in Business Law. She has a B.A., cum laude, from DePaul University.
Thompson Hine’s New Ventures team represents high-growth companies of all sizes and stages in technology, health care, life sciences, consumer products, nanomaterials, transportation, communications, media and more. The seasoned, diverse lawyers of the New Ventures team provide customized yet cost-efficient counsel on significant transactions as well as day-to-day legal matters, from formation to funding through exit.