ISTVAN BENKO
Mr. Benko is of counsel to the firm. His practice focuses on providing corporate and securities counsel to emerging growth and middle-market companies, ranging from start-up to publicly held companies. He represents clients in all stages of development, including their organization, public and private equity financings (both initial public offerings and follow-on public and private offerings), and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Benko’s clients encompass all major technological industries, including software, life sciences, manufacturing and environmental.
Mr. Benko’s expertise includes counseling both U.S. and foreign businesses on California and federal securities, regulatory and governance matters, and assisting companies in developing and executing growth, acquisition and licensing strategies.
Mr. Benko is rated AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5 by Martindale-Hubbell .
Languages
German, Hungarian- Initial public offering of Nasdaq-NMS multinational optoelectronic products manufacturer
- Sale of private entertainment software company to a NYSE company
- Represented U.S. venture capital fund in numerous U.S. and foreign early-stage investments
- Represented private software company in three rounds of venture capital and private equity financings
- Acquisition of a European pharmaceutical research and development company by our public U.S. biopharmaceutical client
- Represented public company in its dealing with activist investor funds
- Represented public company in U.S. and international licensing transactions
- Leveraged acquisition of one of the nation’s largest security agencies
- Co-author, Chapter 11, “Indemnification and Exculpation,” Chapter 7, “Liability Under Federal and State Securities Laws,” and Chapter 5, “Committees of Board of Directors” in Advising and Defending Corporate Directors and Officers, California Continuing Education of the Bar (1998, updated 2007).
- Author, “Business Law Developments in Hungary,” State Bar of California International Law Newsletter.
- Author, “Disclosure Regarding the Integrity of Management,” lecture series and course materials.
- Author, “Securities Aspects of Tax Shelters,” lecture series and course materials.
- April 2007 Advising and Defending Corporate Officers and Directors