Background
Michael is the founder of Fund Law Group, now known as BlackHill Partners, a firm dedicated to helping emerging fund managers raise capital in a compliant manner through various fund structures. He has extensive experience working with private fund sponsors, particularly venture capital, real estate, and private equity funds. In addition, Michael has assisted numerous companies in raising capital through Regulation D and Regulation Crowdfunding and represents startups and small businesses. His clients range from sponsors of small special purpose vehicles to registered investment advisers with hundreds of millions in assets under management. He also has many small business clients for whom he provides legal assistance, primarily focusing on formation, structuring, and operations. Michael is adept at providing both legal and tax advice on formation and structuring issues, as well as business transactions in general.
While Michael does regular work for corporations, most of his business customers are partnerships or limited liability companies. He often deals with legal and tax issues related to the establishment of investment funds, joint ventures and other partnerships, including real estate issues, employee compensation matters, profits interests, property with built-in gains or losses, distributions of property other than cash and various other matters. He frequently drafts operating agreements and partnership agreements for with complex tax allocation and distribution provisions. Michael has represented hundreds of business entities and is involved in forming, operating, and liquidating businesses.
Michael is deeply involved in creating and developing legal technology for the firm and its clients and has spent years working on legal document and process automation systems. Michael's background in law, taxation, technology, and project management makes him uniquely qualified to solve his clients' business, legal, and technology problems.
Practice Areas
Michael's practice areas include securities, tax, small business, and corporate law, and he has worked on hundreds of corporate and business transactions from formation to exit. His clients include sponsors of pooled investment vehicles, small business owners, investors, and startups.
Education & Credentials
Michael holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah's S.J. Quinney College of Law, a Master of Taxation from Weber State University, an MBA from Western Governors University, and is a Project Management Professional (PMP) certified by the Project Management Institute (PMI).