Joel M. Jacobson is a partner 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 the $1 billion Series E financing of Kalshi, Good Job Games, Gretel.ai, Malbon, and Todyl
- Attuned Intelligence in its $13 million Series seed financing led by Radical Ventures and Threshold Ventures
- 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
- Confido in its $15 million Series A financing led by Footwork
- Felicis in numerous investments, including in the $150 million Series A financing of Arena AI, Radiant Industries, Tines, and Deep Infra
- Galileo in its $45 million Series B financing led by Scale Venture Partners
- Haun Ventures in the $50 million Series C financing of Zora Labs
- Mayfield in numerous investments, including in Crunchbase and DuploCloud, the $50 million Series B financing of AttoTude, the $75 million Series A financing of Exaforce, and the $450 million Series A financing of Rhoda AI
- Meritech Capital in the $150 million Series D financing of Huntress, $100 million Series C financing of WorkOS, and $80 million Series B financing of depthfirst
- 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
- Rafay Systems in its $25 million Series B financing led by ForgePoint Capital
- 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
- SafeBase in its $33 million Series B financing led by Touring Capital
- Sam Altman in the $425 million Series F financing of Helion
- Sully AI in its $15 million Series A financing led by Amity Ventures
- TrueNorth in its $50 million Series B financing co-led by Sam Altman and Lachy Groom
- Venrock in several investments, including in the $106.6 million Series C financing of Lycia Therapeutics and $370 million financing of Candid Therapeutics
- Various investments from venture capital firms including Alkeon Capital, Base10, B Capital, Goodwater, Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC), Headline, Icon Ventures, Lobby Capital, Lowercarbon Capital, and Unusual Ventures
- WisdomAI in its $23 million Series seed financing led by Coatue and its $50 million Series A financing led by Kleiner Perkins
- FusionSite Services, a search fund client, in several of its acquisitions
- Gray Stripe Partners LLC, a search fund client, in its acquisition
- Health Training Educational Services LLC, a search fund client, in its acquisition
- Infostar LLC in its $105 million sale to Tech Mahindra (Americas) Inc.
- Relentless Labs (Mono) in its sale to Flutterwave
- SafeBase in its sale to Drata Inc.
- Underdog Fantasy in its acquisition of Aristotle Exchange
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