In October 2010, Goodwin Procter's Technology Companies Group launched Founders Workbench, an online resource dedicated to helping entrepreneurs navigate through the challenges faced by start-ups and emerging companies. The site, which includes an innovative document generator, has garnered rave reviews and was named "Best Microsite" at the national Legal Marketing Association awards this year. Most recently, CIO magazine named Goodwin to its prestigious "CIO 100" list for 2011, based on the firm's introduction of Founders Workbench.
The site's usability and innovative approach is aptly described in a recent Business Insider article entitled "The Most Incredible Experience I've Ever Had Working With a Law Firm While Launching a Company." Written by serial Internet entrepreneur Brett O'Brien, the article details his experience using Founders Workbench and working with Silicon Valley partner Anthony McCusker to finance his social mobile video service, Viddy, which launched in the iTunes App Store on April 11.
Founders Workbench includes a state-of-the-art document generator that enables start-ups to create incorporation documents and other materials that define the rights and obligations of the company and its founders. It also features other legal and business resources, including Founders Toolbox, a blog devoted to collaboration and fostering growth in the emerging companies space.
The launch of Founders Workbench is another strong signal to the marketplace that Goodwin Procter is dedicated to the success of emerging companies through all phases of growth, from inception and financing to expansion and liquidity.
Overseen by John Egan and Anthony McCusker, the Founders Workbench project team included attorneys from multiple practice areas as well as IT and Marketing staff. Led by Dave Cappillo and Bob Bishop, and driven by Patty Johansen, the team included paralegal Fran Cutler; Andy Kawa, William Li and Sara Quinn from IT/KM; and Matt Fetter, Nate Leonard, Heather Merton, Julie Napoleon and Megan Propp from Marketing.