Joel’s practice focuses on business and commercial transactions, with an emphasis in business formation, debt and equity financing, mergers and acquisitions, and federal and state securities compliance. Joel provides advice and legal representation to clients, both large and small, in connection with the structuring, negotiating, documenting and closing of a wide variety of business combinations and reorganizations (including mergers, stock sales, share exchanges, and asset sales), financings, and other commercial agreements.
Representative Matters
Worked with Fortune 500 manufacturing company to structure, negotiate and document a multimillion dollar integrated software solution for operation of its manufacturing facilities. Key documents included master commercial agreement, software licenses, support and development agreement, statements of work, confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement, and software escrow agreement.
Represented Horizon Airlines in connection with its initial public offering, a subsequent preferred stock offering, and additional securities transactions. Represented the principal shareholder of Horizon Airlines in connection with the acquisition of Horizon by Alaska Airlines.
Acted as securities and general corporate counsel to privately-held start-up telecommunications company in connection with the successful raising of over $10 million in equity and debt investment capital through a series of private placement offerings.
Represented the developers of a 20-megawatt hydroelectric facility in western Washington in connection with the construction and term financing for the project and in connection with the subsequent restructuring of the ownership of the project and $45 million refinancing.
Represented National Development Council and related nonprofit corporations with respect to the structuring, development and financing of various housing and economic development projects, including student housing, medical laboratory facilities, government offices, and a multilevel parking garage which was sold to the City of Seattle as part of the Pacific Place Project in downtown Seattle.
Professional and Civic Involvement
Washington State Bar Association
Business Law Section, Chair, 1999-2000
Executive Committee, 1994-2001, 2003-present
Ad Hoc Committee on Third-Party Legal Opinions in Commercial Transactions, 1991-Present.
Intiman Theatre, Seattle, Washington
Board of Trustees, 1993-2005, 2011-Present
Co-chair of Artistic Director Search Committee, 1999
Vice Chair of Managing Director Search Committee, 2008
Honors / Awards / Prior Experience
Recognized as a "Super Lawyer" by Washington Law & Politics and Thomson Reuters' Washington Super Lawyers, most recently in 2012.
Law Clerk to The Honorable Dolores K. Sloviter, U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals, 1981-1983
Education
J.D., University of Chicago Law School, cum laude, 1981
Order of the Coif
Associate Editor, University of Chicago Law Review
A.B., Harvard College, magna cum laude, 1976
Bar/Court Admissions
Washington State Courts
Personal
Parenting, English history, hiking, theatre, and travel.
