Geoff Willard
Attorney
Location / Reston, VA
Phone / (703) 350-4550
Email /
Admissions /
Bar of District of Columbia, State Bar of Virgina
Geoff Willard is a Partner of VLP and is based in Reston, Virginia, where he represents emerging growth companies, their investors, and managers in a wide-range of corporate and commercial transactional matters. Geoff's practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt financings (including venture capital, strategic, seed, and angel financings), joint ventures and strategic alliances, and other corporate matters. He also advises clients on the formation and structuring of new business entities, licensing and commercial contracting matters, general
employment and equity compensation matters, and corporate governance issues. His clients include both established and early-stage companies in the telecommunications, software, Internet, new media, retail, government services, healthcare, life sciences, cleantech/alternative energy, and manufacturing fields, among others. Geoff also represents venture capital, corporate, and strategic investors, as well as founders, managers and boards of start-ups, and principals of venture capital funds. Many of his clients are active in international markets and Geoff has advised on a variety of transactions involving parties or assets based or operating in China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan), Japan, India, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada, the UK, Spain, Germany, France, and the Czech Republic, among other countries.
Prior to joining VLP, Geoff was a partner with DLA Piper, a major global law firm, and an associate with Cooley Godward, one of the country's premier technology and venture capital law firms, where he engaged in a similar practice. Geoff began his legal career with the international law firm Jones Day, where his practice focused on domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, public company financings, and joint ventures and strategic alliances. During law school, Geoff spent a summer as a law clerk in the Hong Kong office of Heller Ehrman.
In July 2008, Geoff was named a Mergers and Acquisitions Rising Star by Virginia Super Lawyers. He has been active in a variety of organizations serving the technology community, including the Mid-Atlantic Venture Association and the Northern Virginia Technology Council, and has published articles on a variety of topics.
Geoff received his J.D., summa cum laude, from American University, where he was a member of the Law Review, and his B.A., cum laude, from New York University, majoring in East Asian Studies and International Politics. Geoff is a member of the Virginia and District of Columbia Bars.