Paula G. Atkinson

Paula Atkinson is a resourceful and creative problem-solver who brings a vast wealth of experience to the firm in leading corporate and business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity/venture capital financings and investments, finance (loans, workouts and restructurings), real estate transactions (acquisitions, dispositions, development, financing) and real estate leasing (commercial – retail, warehouse, industrial, and residential – homes, apartments and short-term rentals).  She’s a skilled and intuitive negotiator in deals and contracts, from simple to highly complex (up to $1B).

Paula also offers sophisticated experience in all things related to technology law (hardware licensing and software licensing), cloud (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS), open-source software, app development, ecommerce, privacy and data security and related intellectual property issues. Paula has over 20 years of experience representing major software developers, a Fortune 100 cloud and software provider, a microchip manufacturer and numerous ecommerce-based companies.  She has held a CIPP/US certification in privacy.

Before joining CM Law, Paula advised clients (in the US and internationally) at AmLaw 100 and 200 law firms and also gained valuable insight in areas such as corporate governance, Board relations and regulatory compliance from past senior in-house counsel roles, including as General Counsel for a technology start-up navigating pre-IPO fundraising rounds (now a major publicly-traded company).  She has hands-on experience making decisions in the real world and under the time and resources pressures clients face.  She likes to distill issues down into understandable options for business leaders.

Prior to attending law school, Paula worked as a Big4 Certified Public Accountant (KPMG) in both audit and tax, focusing on the financial institutions industry (banks and savings & loans), mutual funds, the energy industry and on manufacturing clients.  She’s never been afraid of a spreadsheet and never met an internal control she didn’t like.

In her free time, Paula enjoys a good hike (though she stops to take pictures and identify native trees and plants), swings an occasional golf club, enjoys live music, has frequented wineries and breweries not only in every wine-producing region in California but also across New Mexico, Texas, Virginia and New York, is known as a prolifically unpublished creative writer who loves to travel and explore the world.

PRACTICE AREAS:

Paula’s legal experience has focused on several key areas, including representing clients in the following matters:

• Corporate and Business Services
  • Complex Commercial Transactions
  • Vendor Negotiations, Disputes and Management
  • Corporate Governance, Ethics and Board Advisory
  • Entrepreneurial & Startups (Venture Capital Rounds)
  • Private Equity Acquisitions, Divestitures, Financings

• Mergers and Acquisitions (US and International)

• Banking & Financial Services
  • Lending / Secured Transactions
  • Financial Restructuring, Reorganization and Workouts
  • Equipment Leasing and Finance
• Real Estate
  • Acquisitions and Dispositions
  • Asset Management and Operations
  • Commercial Financing and Lending
  • Commercial Leasing
  • Land and Mixed-Use Development (Commercial and Residential)
• Technology
  • Cloud Computing Services (SaaS, PaaS, laaS)
  • Internet & eCommerce, Domain Name Management
  • Software and App Development / APIs, Licensing
  • AdTech
  • Microchip Manufacturing
  • Managed Service Providers
• Privacy, Data, and Cybersecurity (including CCPA, GDPR Compliance and Due Diligence
• IP
  • Advertising and Marketing (compliance reviews, brand protection)
  • IP Transactions and Licensing
  • Media and Entertainment (including sports, music)

• Outsourced General Counsel

• Government, Regulatory, and Compliance
  • Compliance and Investigations (including State Attorney General, BBB, and internal investigations)
  • Government Contracting, RFPs/RFQs, and Grant Management
• Tax
  • Nonprofit Formation and Compliance (including Board Governance, Grant Management)
  • State and Local Tax Compliance and Dispute Resolution (Property Taxes (real and personal), Sales Tax, Franchise Taxes, etc.

• International – Deals and Operations (EMEA, LATAM, APAC)