Steve Barsotti Bio

Steve is the managing director of the firm and chairs the Emerging Business practice, serving as outside general counsel to clients throughout all stages, from startup and seed stage, through sustained and strategic growth and, ultimately, exit. For these clients, Steve advises their leadership teams on growth and financing strategy, IP strategy, buy- and sell-side M+A, and emerging technologies, leveraging the skills and experience of the broader Kegler Brown team to handle day-to-day legal needs and leading clients through complex transactions that are transformative to their businesses. As a key business leader for Kegler, Steve leverages his work with entrepreneurial enterprises to drive the firm’s strategy + growth. In turn, he is able to provide a more comprehensive perspective to his work with clients, approaching every engagement as a business and strategic advisor, and in most instances working directly with founders and executive teams to provide practical advice, bring clarity to complex dynamics, and focus on actionable decision points for business leaders. Leading the Emerging Business team, Steve works with start-ups to develop and execute their capital strategy, including structuring and negotiating angel and venture capital led rounds, IP strategy, including all aspects of IP, and people strategy, including structuring of incentives. Steve has deep experience with capital raising of all variations, including debt and equity financing, and provides strategic advice to business owners, CEOs, and CFOs exploring how to finance their company’s growth. Working on both the buy- and sell-side, Steve has built extensive experience in M+A and has guided clients across numerous industries through the exit process. And as part of the firm’s Global Business team, Steve also regularly advises clients on cross-border transactions and expansion into new markets.