Employee Contract Lawyers for Rochester, New York

Triple Qualified New York Attorney, Australian Lawyer & Enrolled NZ Barrister & Solicitor

I am a business attorney and former in-house corporate attorney with more than a decade of experience helping companies navigate contracts, commercial relationships, day-to-day operations, and disputes. My practice includes drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial agreements, licenses, leases, vendor and service agreements, and other business arrangements. Licensed in Nevada, California, New York, and Texas, I also hold an Executive MBA. My goal is to serve as practical, long-term outside counsel to small businesses and entrepreneurs that value responsiveness, sound judgment, and advice grounded in commercial realities - not merely technical legal answers. I handle disputes when necessary, but much of the value I bring lies in identifying issues early, preserving business relationships, and preventing avoidable conflicts. I do not bill separately for routine phone calls. I want clients to feel comfortable calling before a small concern becomes an expensive problem, and I am always happy to have an initial conversation to see if the fit is right for you. www.linkedin.com/in/maxkelner

A seasoned senior executive with experience leading the legal and compliance functions of healthcare entities through high-growth periods. I have experience managing voluminous litigation caseloads, while also handling all pre-litigation investigations for employment, healthcare regulatory, and compliance matters. Similarly, I have led multiple M&A teams through purchase and sale processes, including diligence and contract negotiations. Finally, I have extensive contract review experience in all matters, including debt and equity financing, healthcare payor contracting, vendor and employment agreements, as well as service and procurement agreements.

Corporate, M&A & Securities Lawyer | Managing Attorney, DP Counsel PLLC Practice Areas: Business Formation | Commercial Contracts | Contract Drafting & Review | Mergers & Acquisitions | Venture Capital | Securities Offerings | Franchise Law | Employment & Equity Compensation | Intellectual Property | Cross-Border Transactions About/Bio: I represent companies, investors, and fund sponsors in corporate transactions, commercial contracting, and private securities matters, from entity formation and early-stage financings to acquisitions, exits, and ongoing strategic counsel. As Managing Attorney of DP Counsel PLLC, I help clients structure transactions clearly, allocate risk thoughtfully, and move deals forward with documentation that is practical, enforceable, and aligned with business objectives. My practice includes both day-to-day commercial matters and more complex transactional work, including venture financings, private offerings, M&A deals, fund-related documents, and cross-border structuring. What I Do: Corporate & Commercial • Entity formation and structuring for corporations, LLCs, and limited partnerships • Operating agreements, shareholder agreements, and governance documents • Commercial contract drafting, review, and negotiation • Vendor, distribution, manufacturing, SaaS, and licensing agreements • Employment, consulting, confidentiality, and equity compensation agreements • Outside general counsel support for growing companies Securities & Private Capital • Private offerings under Regulation D and Regulation S • Private placement memoranda, subscription agreements, and investor documents • SAFE, convertible note, and priced equity financings • Venture capital and private fund formation matters • Fund governing documents and offering document packages • Securities law analysis for private capital raising transactions Mergers & Acquisitions • Letters of intent and term sheets • Stock purchase, asset purchase, and merger agreements • Due diligence coordination and transaction support • Disclosure schedules, closing documents, and post-closing matters • Earnouts, rollover equity, indemnity structures, and related deal terms • HSR, CFIUS, and related regulatory issue spotting for qualifying transactions Digital Assets & Emerging Technologies • Federal-law digital asset and token securities analysis • Entity structuring for blockchain and Web3 ventures • Digital asset fund and operating structures • AML/KYC documentation support and regulatory issue spotting Franchising • Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) • Franchise agreements • Master franchise and area development agreements • Franchise structuring and registration coordination Real Estate Transactions • Commercial real estate acquisitions and dispositions • Real estate joint ventures and syndications • Commercial lease drafting and negotiation • Real estate investment structures and related offering documents Cross-Border & International • U.S. market entry and entity structuring for international clients • Delaware and multi-entity holding structures • Cross-border transaction planning and documentation • Coordination with foreign counsel and tax advisors on cross-border matters Why Clients Hire Me: • Big-law-level drafting with boutique responsiveness • Practical, business-focused advice grounded in execution reality • Clear scoping and transparent fee arrangements • Experience across financings, acquisitions, fund formations, and cross-border transactions Typical Projects: • Contract drafting and negotiation • Entity formation and governance packages • Private offering document suites • Venture financing documentation • M&A transactions from LOI through closing • Fractional or outside general counsel support Industries Technology | SaaS | FinTech | Digital Assets | E-commerce | Healthcare | Real Estate | Food & Beverage | Professional Services

I have over 25 years' experience representing individual and company clients, large and small, in transactions such as mergers and acquisitions, private offerings of securities, commercial loans and commercial endeavors (supply contracts, manufacturing agreements, joint ventures, intellectual property licenses, etc.). My particular specialty is in complex and novel drafting.

Isabelle E. Melody is the founder of Wrinkles, LLC, a fractional General Counsel practice providing pragmatic, business-aligned legal support to companies across the U.S., U.K., and beyond. With over 20 years of global in-house experience—including senior legal leadership roles in the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific—Isabelle brings deep expertise in commercial contracts, corporate governance, compliance, M&A, and risk management. A New York-licensed attorney and certified mediator, she is known for her hands-on, solution-oriented approach that aligns legal strategy with business momentum. Isabelle has served industries ranging from tech and defense to manufacturing and SaaS, and was recognized as a Corporate Counsel Honoree by the Rochester Business Journal.

I’m a New York-based attorney with over 20 years of experience, working at the intersection of litigation and transactional law. I help individuals and businesses create solid legal documents — prenups, contracts, leases, and more — with an eye toward clarity, fairness, and long-term protection. As a litigator, I’ve seen firsthand how vague or one-sided agreements can lead to unnecessary disputes, court battles, and financial stress. That perspective shapes the way I draft and review documents: I build them to stand up, not just get signed. Whether you’re preparing for marriage, launching a business, or resolving a dispute, I bring a practical, client-first approach rooted in legal insight and lived experience. Clients appreciate that I explain the law in plain language, respect their time, and tailor every solution to fit their goals — not just the paperwork. Let’s make sure you’re protected — not just on paper, but in real life.

I am a New York Attorney for over 25 years with extensive experience in contract law of all types, including real estate, and was a bank closer for residential housing and refinancing. Extensive landlord-tenant work, including leases, commercial property, and telecom. I have done pre-trial civil litigation, motion practice, and forensic accountings for all types of disputes, from lawsuits to mediations and arbitrations, and created lasting agreements in conflicts. In addition, I have created and advised on business formation as well as dissolutions, recently doing a business acquisition for a scientist who worked for a major company but desired to create their own product and testing line. I maintain a NYC office but reside out of NY.

Since starting as a Wall Street lawyer in 2004, I have led and closed 100's of transactions ranging from small business acquisitions to multi-billion-dollar domestic and international deals as well as private capital raises large and small. With over 20 years of experience in corporate, M&A, and securities law, I provide strategic legal counsel tailored to high-stakes business initiatives as well as critical advice to startups and companies raising capital. 🔴CORE PRACTICE AREAS: Capital Raising: Structuring and preparing Private Placement Memorandums (PPMs), SAFE Notes, Convertible Notes, Promissory Notes, Bridge Notes, Warrants, Reg A, Reg CF, Reg D, and Reg S offerings. Business Transactions: Representing buyers and sellers in domestic and cross-border M&A. Startups and Growth-Stage Businesses: Formation, structuring, scaling, and preparing businesses for investment or acquisition. Exit Planning: Legal strategy and execution for business sales and investor exits. Strategic Advisory: Advising boards of directors, C-suite executives and founders on overall business strategy and business acquisition/disposition matters. 🔴LEGAL EXPERTISE: Structuring and negotiating complex M&A and capital markets transactions. Drafting core transactional documents: purchase agreements, subscription agreements, operating/shareholder agreements, and corporate governance materials. Advising on securities compliance, including Reg A, Reg D, and Reg S offerings, Blue Sky compliance, and SEC filings. Fund formation and structured finance: extensive experience with CDOs, CMBS/RMBS, and Investment Company Act issues. Partnering with senior management and boards to align legal strategies with business objectives. Collaborating with international counsel and multidisciplinary teams on multijurisdictional deals. 🔴TRACK RECORD: Former Senior Associate Attorney at international Corporate M&A powerhouse Clifford Chance and top Corporate & Structured Finance law firm Thacher Proffitt & Wood both in Manhattan (New York City), where I represented investment banks, public and private companies, private equity sponsors, startups and hedge funds on strategic transactions. Closed and supported multi-billion-dollar deals across industries and jurisdictions. Delivered practical legal solutions to drive successful outcomes for clients ranging from startups to global financial institutions. I am licensed to practice law in New York and Texas. Corporate & Securities Attorney | Strategic Deal Advisor | M&A and Capital Raising Specialist

I am a solo practitioner that runs my own legal practice. I am currently licensed in 16 states and I'm working to expand that reach.