Terms Sheet Lawyers for Santa Maria, California

www.linkedin/in/michaelbmiller I am an experienced contracts professional having practiced nearly 3 decades in the areas of corporate, mergers and acquisitions, technology, start-up, intellectual property, real estate, employment law as well as informal dispute resolution. I enjoy providing a cost effective, high quality, timely solution with patience and empathy regarding client needs. I graduated from NYU Law School and attended Rutgers College and the London School of Economics as an undergraduate. I have worked at top Wall Street firms, top regional firms and have long term experience in my own practice. I would welcome the opportunity to be of service to you as a trusted fiduciary. In 2022 and 2023, I was the top ranked attorney on the Contract Counsel site based upon number of clients, quality of work and number of 5 Star reviews.

I am a startup veteran with a demonstrated history of execution with companies from formation through growth stage and acquisition. A collaborative and data-driven manager, I love to build and lead successful teams, and enjoy working full-stack across all aspects of the business.

G'day, my name is Michele! I work with startups, entrepreneurs and small/medium-sized businesses across the country in a wide array of industries. I help them with all of their ongoing, daily legal needs. This includes entity formation, M&A, contract drafting and review, employment, asset sale & acquisition, and business sales or shareholder exits. I'm half-Australian, half-Italian, and I've lived the last 20+ years of my life in America. I've lived all over the USA, completing high school in the deep south, graduating cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis, and then cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center. After law school I worked for the Los Angeles office of Latham & Watkins, LLP. After four intense and rewarding years there, I left to become General Counsel and VP of an incredible, industry-changing start-up called Urban Mining Company (UMC) that manufactures rare earth permanent magnets. I now work for Phocus Law where I help run our practice focused on entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs. I love what I do, and I'd love to be of help! My focus is on providing stress-free, enjoyable, and high-quality legal service to all of my clients. Being a good lawyer isn't enough: the client experience should also be great. But work isn't everything, and I love my free time. I've been an avid traveler since my parents put me on a plane to Italy at 9-months old. I'm also a music nut, and am still looking for that perfect client that will engage me to explain why Dark Side Of The Moon is the greatest album of all time. Having grown up in a remote, and gorgeous corner of Australia, I feel a strong connection to nature, and love being in the elements.

Member CA State Bar since 1978. Martindale-Hubbell rated A-v Preeminent. Avvo 5-stars

Kresimir Peharda is a corporate and M&A attorney. His clients benefit from his experience representing public companies and hands-on operational experience in three start-ups, two in healthcare and one in real estate. Kresimir has assisted his public clients in IPOs, spin-offs, going private transactions, SEC compliance, corporate governance, corporate reorganizations and complex financing transactions. He advises early stage and middle market companies on contracts, equity compensation, debt and equity financing, mergers and acquisitions, and shareholder matters.

AI and crypto-savvy Attorney with 20+ years’ experience advising companies in I.T., software, telecommunications, FinTech and Artificial Intelligence (AI) with 9+ yrs spent in GC roles. Barred in 3 states (Calif. New York & Wash. D.C.) plus the U.S. Supreme Court. Registered Patent Attorney (USPTO). Extremely versatile, with subject matter expertise in a variety of legal topics highly useful for tech and startup companies, including IP, privacy, financial / banking laws (Regulation E, UDAAP, ID Theft Red Flags Rule, etc.), AML, KYC, export controls, litigation/ADR, cryptocurrency regulations and the rules governing the use of A.I. Deep understanding of computer technology via Master’s in Comp. Info. Systems (MSCIS). Also pre-law business experience. Certifications: Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS); Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP-US); Certified HIPAA Professional. Education: Law degree (JD): UCLA, 2003. MSCIS: Boston Univ., 2011.

For more than three decades, Kevin M. Gross has served as a trusted legal advisor to senior management and executive teams providing guidance on global compliance issues (anti-corruption, trade regulation, AML/KYC, privacy, and conflicts of interest), strategic concerns, due diligence, and risk mitigation strategies. In 2020, he founded C&R Consulting Group LLC to provide practical, cost-effective compliance and risk services to small and medium sized businesses. Prior to starting his own consulting firm, Kevin worked at Penumbra, Inc., a global healthcare company that manufactures and sells medical devices to healthcare providers, hospitals and clinics in more than 100 countries. At Penumbra, Kevin was the primary legal advisor to the company’s international sales and marketing executives. In addition, as Penumbra’s principal compliance lawyer, he conducted risk assessments and provided guidance and solutions to Penumbra’s internal compliance team. He oversaw due diligence on Penumbra’s international distributors, regulatory and sales agents, and other commercial partners. Prior to joining Penumbra, Kevin spent 15 years inside Chevron’s legal, compliance and upstream law departments, where he advised senior management on the company’s compliance and risk programs. Kevin overhauled Chevron’s hotline and investigations programs, strengthened internal controls and compliance procedures, and developed best practices and training for compliance personnel and investigators. Kevin also managed and conducted dozens of sensitive, high-profile investigations across six continents (internal and external), including FCPA, cybersecurity threats, and high-value theft and procurement frauds. Kevin directed outside counsel responses to SEC and DOJ inquiries, which were terminated without further action. He developed and conducted FCPA and compliance training for leadership teams and others across the enterprise. Prior to his tenure at Chevron, Kevin spent a decade as a senior enforcement attorney at the US Securities and Exchange Commission Division of Enforcement. At the SEC, he investigated and prosecuted cases involving securities fraud, insider trading, accounting fraud, options backdating, Ponzi schemes, and FCPA violations. Kevin filed and litigated SEC administrative and federal court actions against companies and individuals accused of violating federal securities laws. Early in his career, Kevin was a commercial litigator at Faegre Drinker LLP, an AmLaw 100 firm where he oversaw the investigation and resolution of insurance coverage disputes and other commercial litigation matters. In this role, Kevin took and defended hundreds of depositions, argued dozens of motions, and brought several cases to jury trials in US district courts. Kevin has received numerous accolades from clients and industry leaders, and is a frequent speaker at ACC, ACI, BECA, Consero and other conferences.

Neil Rust is a transactional attorney with almost four decades of experience ranging across a broad range of fields, including M&A, finance, structured finance, VC and general corporate. Before moving to Oregon, Mr. Rust was a partner at the Los Angeles office of an international law for 26 years and the Century City office of a national law firm for 5 years. During his big firm tenure, Neil Rust gathered experience across multiple industries and enjoys counselling clients as much as drafting and negotiating.

My name is Nick Gleason, and I’m an attorney licensed in California and a veteran of the United States Navy. While in law school, during my clerkship with Mob Entertainment, I worked under the General Counsel, drafting cease and desist letters, demand letters, and assignment and licensing agreements. I also worked with outside counsel on copyright infringement matters, helping to protect the interests of the company. Now in my professional practice, I continue to help clients like you protect your interests by offering affordable legal representation for all your contract and copyright needs. I can draft contracts, review proposed agreements for vulnerabilities, and negotiate terms on your behalf, as well as prepare effective cease and desist letters and demand letters tailored to your situation, including in copyright and DMCA-related matters. I will always be fair and transparent with my fees. I’d love to hear from you.

Caroline K. Nam, Esq. is a solo attorney who provides legal counsel with a management-first mindset, combining legal expertise with proactive policy development. Prior to starting her own practice, Caroline gained extensive legal experience as a litigator defending and advising employers of all sizes, ranging from a single business owner, to a small family-owned winery, and major, nationwide corporations. Caroline also has experience on the plaintiffs' side representing survivors of sexual abuse against school districts and churches. With her unique litigation background and expertise representing both plaintiffs and defendants, Caroline understands that legal compliance is only a piece of the puzzle for business success. She is committed to leading with compassion to provide a personalized, approachable service for each client. Having safeguarded companies against a variety of business and employment disputes, Caroline is focused on preventative risk management, helping owners reduce potential employment litigation that she has defended firsthand in court. Caroline is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs spend less time worried about liability and more time focusing on business growth. Based in Pasadena, she provides accessible, actionable legal solutions throughout Southern California. During her free time, Caroline enjoys yoga and serving her Los Angeles community. In 2025, she partnered with NLSLA to provide pro bono legal services to individuals impacted by the Eaton Fire. Currently, she serves on the board of directors of a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles.