- 408.286.9800 (main)
- 70 South First Street
- San Jose, CA 95113
- cgawne@hopkinscarley.com
Cathy Gawne’s practice emphasizes securities and corporate law for emerging growth companies across a broad range of industries, including wireless and portable information technologies, alternative energy, telecommunications, biotechnology, and software, as well as brick-and-mortar industries such as automotive, organic personal care products, mining, and retail. She advises companies on initial and follow-on public offerings, mergers, acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures, and commercial transactions. She counsels public and private companies on corporate governance and disclosure issues and counsels clients who are starting or franchising new businesses with respect to general corporate matters and protection of their intellectual property. Cathy also represents several nonprofit corporations and counsels them on corporate structure and governance.
Ms. Gawne earned her J.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law and her B.A. from Stanford University. She is admitted to the bar in California.
Representative Clients
- Bobby Jones Golf Company, LLC
- Enable IPC Corporation
- Human BioSystems
- Matrixx Resource Holdings, Inc.
- Media G3
- Semotus Solutions, Inc.
Representative Engagements
- Represented a public company in a series of acquisitions of privately held security companies
- Represented a public company in a series of acquisitions of Chinese companies, followed by an initial public offering
- Represented an LLC in a seed stage financing and rollout of a hallmark leisure product line
- Represented a public company in a series of offshore placements pursuant to Regulation S
Selected Speaking and Teaching Engagements
- Instructor in Capital Compliance and Technology Licensing, CEO Space seminars, Los Angeles, CA, 2006-present
- Panelist, Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Silicon Valley Breakfast Briefing programs, San Jose, CA:
- “Bobby Jones Golf Company: From World-Class Name to World-Class Company,” April 2007
- “Executive Compensation Update,” March 2006
- “Fairness Opinions,” March 2005
- Moderator and Panelist, series of Women in Technology International (WITI) Regional Conferences in Santa Clara, CA, Boston, MA, Atlanta, GA, and Austin/Dallas, TX, June 1996-present.
Publications
- Author, “Compliance 2007” series of marketing pieces for public companies
- Author, “Lawtalk” columns, Westside Woman, 1992
- Editor, Los Angeles Lawyer, 1990
- Coauthor, “Problems in Representing High Technology Companies,” Los Angeles Lawyer, May 1986
Professional Associations
- Member, Executive Team, San Jose Professional Women’s Leads Club
- Member, Santa Clara County Bar Association
- Member, Executive Committee, Business Law Section, Santa Clara County Bar
- 2002-present, Member, Board of Directors, ACG Silicon Valley (ACG)
- 2004-2005, President, Silicon Valley Chapter, Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)
Special Recognition
- Northern California Super Lawyers, San Francisco magazine and Law & Politics Media
- YWCA Tribute to Women (TWIN) Award
- Finalist for Silicon Valley Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Award
- Co-Member of the Year, San Jose Professional Women’s Leads Club
- Women in Business Award, San Jose magazine
Community
- Member, Advisory Board, Semotus Solutions (publicly traded company that enables wireless solutions for enterprise customers)
- Member, Dean of Science’s Advisory Board, Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont, CA
- Member, Board of Directors, The WITI (Women in Technology International) Foundation
- Member, Board of Directors, The Center for Healthy Development
- Member, 12th Man Club, Stanford University
- 2004-05, Co-Chair, Parent Association, Woodside Priory, Portola Valley, CA
- Business Transactions and Agreements
- Closely-Held Businesses
- Corporate Formation, Operations and Governance
- Equity and Debt Financing and Private Placements
- Limited Liability and Partnership Entities (LLCs, LLPs, LPs, GPs)
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Private Securities
- Public Securities
- Start-Ups
- Stock and Other Equity-Based Incentive Programs