Donna L. Brooks

Partner

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Donna Brooks counsels clients in diverse industries, including healthcare, bioscience, agri-business, technology, services and manufacturing. Her clients include emerging growth companies and middle market companies, including cooperatives and public companies. Donna assists her clients “in the business of doing business.” She provides practical advice with respect to business organization, business operations and contracting, corporate governance, asset management, finance, capital raising, private and public securities offerings, equity compensation, joint ventures, and mergers and acquisitions. Donna also assists development stage companies with research and development agreements, including sponsored research and consulting agreements with universities and their faculty and technology transfer offices. Donna also assists companies with both federal and state securities laws compliance and with the preparation and filing of SEC periodic reports, registration statements, Section 16 stock ownership reports and proxy materials.

In addition to being a business counselor, Donna represents institutional investors, venture capital funds, mezzanine funds and other private investment funds, as well as governmental and quasi-governmental lenders. Donna has assisted private investment funds in making numerous portfolio investments in diverse industries, including retail and consumer goods, manufacturing and health services.  She has also assisted with the structure and administration of the funding of stem cell initiatives in Connecticut.  She also represents institutional investors in making alternative investments with varying investment objectives, which have included channel finance, credit default obligations, low-income housing and historic rehabilitation tax credits and real estate, both in the United States and internationally.  She has also assisted various endowments in vetting and engaging investment managers. 

Distinctions

  • BV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
  • Listed as a Connecticut Super Lawyer®: Securities & Corporate Finance; 2006, 2008-2010
  • Appointed Member, Securities Advisory Council and Hedge Fund Subcommittee, Connecticut Department of Banking
  • Past Appointed Member, Business Advisory Committee, Connecticut Secretary of the State

Professional Affiliations

  • Connecticut Venture Group, Hartford Chapter
  • Crossroads Venture Fair: Mentor, Start-up Companies
  • Alliance for Connecticut Technology - Technology Summit
  • Connecticut United for Research Excellence, Inc. (CURE): Member
  • American Bar Association
  • Connecticut Bar Association
  • Hartford County Bar Association

Publications

January 25, 2012  Crowdfunding and Other Recent Capital-Raising Initiatives for Startup Companies
January 20, 2012  Connecticut Hedge Funds Targeted In Insider Trading Probes
February 25, 2011  SEC Adopts New Part 2 of Form ADV: Disclosure Requirements for SEC and Connecticut Registered Investment Advisers
August 5, 2010  SEC Adopts Prohibitions Against Investment Adviser Pay-To-Play Practices
July 19, 2010  Health Care Reform Impact On The Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Industries
February 9, 2010  Amendments to the Custody Rule: New Controls on Custody of Client Assets
August 17, 2009  SEC Proposes Prohibitions Against Investment Adviser Pay-to-Play Practices
June 12, 2009  Connecticut Hedge Fund Regulation Dies at the End of the 2009 Session
October 17, 2008  Is "Green" The New Gold Standard?
June 27, 2008  Energy, Evaluation, Efficiency, Economy
First Quarter 2007  Hedge Fund Regulation Redux
Fourth Quarter 2006  Congress Acts On Bank Brokerage Services
Third Quarter 2006  SEC Regulation of Hedge Fund Advisers Struck Down
Second Quarter 2006  SEC Rejects Small Company Exemption from Section 404 Internal Control Requirements
March 31, 2006  Soaring Energy Costs: Opportunities for Consumers and Entrepreneurs
October 2005  Connecticut Climate Ripe for Energy Technology Investment
Third Quarter 2005  Mezzanine Finance - How's the View from the Middle?
Third Quarter 2004  The Elevator Pitch: Reeling in Venture Capital Financing
Fourth Quarter 2003  Finders: Friend or Foe of Issuers?

Practice Areas

Industries & Featured Services

Education

  • University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1985
  • College of William and Mary, B.A., 1982, Phi Beta Kappa

Bar Admissions

  • Connecticut
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