Noam Cohen is a founding partner at CGL, a fully distributed law firm dedicated to delivering high-quality, cost-effective legal services with a modern, flexible approach. With extensive experience in corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and general counsel services, Noam provides practical, business-focused legal advice that helps clients navigate complex challenges and achieve their strategic goals.
Noam’s expertise includes:
Corporate Transactions: Advising startups and established businesses on entity formation, capitalization, and governance structures tailored to their growth objectives.
Venture Financings: Guiding clients through equity and debt financings, including early-stage and growth-stage investments, ensuring smooth negotiations and favorable terms.
Mergers and Acquisitions: Managing high-stakes M&A transactions, from initial negotiations to closing, with a focus on maximizing value while mitigating risk.
Strategic Partnerships: Structuring and negotiating partnerships that drive business growth, safeguard intellectual property, and align with clients’ long-term goals.
Before founding CGL, Noam was a Corporate Associate at Goodwin, a leading international law firm. At Goodwin, she represented technology companies and venture capital firms in equity financings, mergers and acquisitions and initial public offerings. Her understanding of the unique needs of technology companies—both early-stage and more mature companies—makes her a trusted partner to her clients.
Noam co-founded CGL to create a new kind of law firm—one that adapts to clients’ changing needs with agile staffing and streamlined processes. By focusing on efficiency and attorney well-being, CGL provides the senior-level expertise clients expect without the overhead of traditional firms.
With a J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law and a B.A. from Tel Aviv University, Noam combines rigorous legal training with a global perspective. Her deep understanding of the legal and business landscapes, combined with her commitment to client success, ensures that her clients receive strategic advice that is both innovative and actionable.
Hannah Genton is a founding partner at CGL, a fully distributed law firm specializing in corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and general counsel services. Under her leadership, CGL has successfully completed more than 50 M&A transactions, including the acquisition of a facial-recognition technology company by one of the world’s largest tech firms and securing favorable terms for clients during high-stakes acquisitions. The firm has also supported startups in raising over $200 million in venture financing, including Series B and C rounds for a 3D printing technology company and Series A funding for a Web3 company. Hannah’s focus is on fostering a collaborative and client-centric approach, ensuring her team delivers exceptional results.
Before co-founding CGL, Hannah was a corporate associate in the Palo Alto office of Cooley, where she gained significant experience advising technology and life sciences companies on a range of corporate transactions, including venture financings, M&A, and general corporate governance matters. This foundational experience shaped her ability to deliver pragmatic, business-oriented legal solutions.
Hannah co-founded CGL to challenge the traditional law firm model, creating a fully remote firm that delivers high-quality legal services with modern, flexible approaches. By leveraging technology and remote collaboration, CGL provides cost-effective solutions tailored to clients’ needs. This innovative vision has positioned the firm as a leader in the legal industry, blending efficiency with exceptional service.
Her expertise spans industries including technology, SaaS, and consumer goods. From advising startups on early-stage agreements to managing high-stakes acquisitions, Hannah ensures her clients can navigate complex legal landscapes with confidence.
Hannah’s thought leadership on legal innovation and corporate growth strategies has been featured in CNBC, Authority Magazine, and various other publications and podcasts. She is widely regarded for her expertise in modernizing legal services, her collaborative approach to client success, and her innovative work in building a fully distributed law firm. Her ability to simplify complex legal challenges and align them with business goals has made her a trusted advisor to fast growing companies and entrepreneurs across industries.
Beyond her legal practice, Hannah is passionate about mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs and fostering innovation in professional services. Known for her collaborative approach, she helps clients feel supported every step of the way. Her insights on business growth, M&A trends, and the future of work make her a sought-after speaker for podcasts, panels, and conferences.
Hannah earned her law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, where she built her foundation in corporate law and pragmatic advice. When not advising clients, she contributes to community initiatives and explores new ways to shape the future of work.
Jessica Clark specializes in advising technology-driven clients on privacy, data security, and intellectual property matters. She helps clients identify and manage privacy and security risk; comply with state, federal, and global data protection laws; and develop and implement internal privacy and security compliance programs (including programs tailored for the CCPA/CPRA, GDPR, and COPPA). She has extensive experience drafting and negotiating privacy and IP terms in commercial contracts; counseling clients on privacy and IP implications in M&A and financing transactions; and advising clients on business strategy, marketing, and vendor management including strategies to effectively secure and capitalize on valuable IP rights. Among other things, she works with clients to prepare and negotiate employment and consulting agreements, IP license agreements, product development agreements, and asset purchase agreements.
Prior to joining CGL, Jessica spent six years working at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, where she led numerous investigations and negotiated settlements relating to consumer privacy, data security, and credit reporting. She obtained her law degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.
As Corporate Counsel, Jessica advises clients on various corporate and capital markets transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financings and asset acquisitions. From the bid process and initial due diligence to drafting and negotiating transaction documents and navigating regulatory approval when needed, Jessica’s experience covers all stages of the transaction process. In addition to her transactional practice, Jessica also assists clients with general corporate, securities and business matters, including entity selection, formation, fiduciary obligations, federal (’34 Act) and state securities reporting and compliance, joint ventures, partnership agreements and financing arrangements.
Prior to joining CGL, Jessica practiced at Bracewell LLP as a corporate and capital markets associate and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. While at Bracewell and Wilson, Jessica counseled clients of all sizes, from startups to seasoned issuers, primarily in the banking, financial services, energy, healthcare and technology industries.
As part of the internal operations team, Christine supports the firm by overseeing a full range of business functions and working with the executive team to develop processes that can accommodate growth. Christine has worked in legal operations since 2016 and is an active member of the Association of Legal Administrators on the national and state levels. With a background in management and training, she is passionate about guiding teams to success through collaboration and strategic planning.
Heather Johnston is a Commercial Attorney with CGL. Heather works with a broad range of clients from early-stage startups to large public companies. She has worked with clients across a wide spectrum of industries, including technology, cybersecurity, advertising, and manufacturing. Heather advises on and negotiates all types of commercial transactions, including, by way of example, SaaS agreements, software licensing, distribution agreements, professional services and consulting agreements, marketing agreements, contract manufacturing agreements, and all matters related to procurement.
Further, Heather provides advice and guidance to product teams about legal issues related to new product and service developments. She has been working in the commercial transactions space for over 14 years. Heather is well- respected for pinpointing key issues and delivering holistic solutions that address the entire business context and balance the needs and perspectives of all relevant parties.
Prior to CGL, Heather worked in the capacity of general counsel for a large, publicly traded company covering an international business unit and North America. She started her legal career at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and O’Melveny & Myers.
Darren Kerstien concentrates on mergers and acquisitions, startup company advising, venture capital financings and general corporate and securities law. Over the course of his career, Darren has represented clients in a wide range of industries including technology, life sciences, professional services, hospitality, energy, consumer/retail, and sports.
His experience ranges from advising startup companies about formation, venture financings and M&A to representing public companies with strategic transactions, SEC compliance and corporate governance matters. Darren also has extensive experience representing buyers and sellers in negotiating and closing transactions for public and private companies, including domestic and cross-border mergers, stock and asset acquisitions, joint ventures and restructurings.
Prior to joining CGL, Darren was a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity practice groups at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP and most recently practiced at DLA Piper LLP (US) in the Emerging Growth/Venture Capital and Mergers & Acquisitions practice groups.
Darren and his wife relocated to the Seattle area during COVID to build a family compound of sorts with his in-laws, nephews, 20 chickens and 2 dogs. Outside of work, he loves exploring wild spaces, playing the drums and building his dog training skills.
Jo-Nell is a commercial counsel at CGL. She is a corporate and commercial generalist and focuses on drafting, reviewing and negotiating all manner of commercial agreements, including incoming and outgoing technology licensing, SaaS, DaaS and XaaS agreements, channel and partnership agreements, procurement agreements, employee-related agreements, and real and personal property leases for large and small information, data mining and technology companies.
Prior to joining CGL, Jo-Nell held various executive in-house legal positions in both large, well-known corporations and small startups, where she created contracting process improvements that substantially decreased contract execution time and increased customer satisfaction. She especially enjoys finding and implementing efficiencies in legal department processes and procedures. Jo-Nell currently resides in Palm Desert. She was born and raised on the shore of Connecticut, where she still returns every summer.
Mara focuses on venture capital and emerging growth companies. She advises technology, life science and consumer companies in connection with various corporate matters and venture capital financings. She also regularly handles formations, corporate governance issues and other general corporate and securities matters related to mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance.
Mara is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Italy and has represented numerous Italian companies and individuals investing and conducting business in the U.S.
Prior to joining CGL, Mara practiced at Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe LLP as a managing associate in the firm’s Technology Companies Group and McCarter & English LLP as an emerging companies and venture capital associate. While at Orrick and McCarter, Mara represented numerous startups and venture capital funds in equity and debt financings.
With over two decades of experience as a registered attorney with the United States
Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Sarah Walkington is a seasoned authority in
intellectual property law. Sarah’s journey through prominent Chicago-based law firms
and in-house counsel roles has equipped her with invaluable insights into her clients’
diverse needs. She serves a broad spectrum of clientele, from entrepreneurs and
business leaders to inventors, designers, content creators, influencers, and online
retailers.
Sarah aims to establish genuine connections with her clients. By understanding their
objectives and immediate needs, she tailors her strategies to achieve optimal
outcomes. Sarah is committed to demystifying IP laws and processes, offering
straightforward explanations and candid assessments of potential outcomes, costs,
and timelines. This empowers her clients to navigate their IP matters with confidence
and clarity.
Sarah’s expertise spans a wide array of IP services, including patent, trademark, and
copyright preparation, prosecution, transactions, and enforcement. Whether you need
assistance in identifying and securing your intellectual property assets or resolving
infringement concerns, Sarah’s comprehensive knowledge and reliable guidance
ensure that your valuable assets are protected and leveraged effectively.
Sharon Webb is a registered US patent attorney with life sciences, chemistry, and med-tech expertise, specializing in advising clients about patent and IP matters that are crucial to their businesses. With over twenty-five years of IP experience in private practice and in-house, she is keenly aware of the centrality of intellectual property for successful technology-driven enterprises. A business-focused mindset guides her work with companies in developing overall IP strategies, protecting trade secrets, capturing inventions, and navigating the third-party patent landscape. Similarly, this business orientation directs her work with investors in assessing the IP assets and IP challenges of their potential portfolio companies. Merging her legal experience with a strong and multifaceted scientific background allows her to appreciate and protect company-side IP assets, and to recognize and manage investor-side IP issues.
For almost twenty years, Sharon has been Vice President of Intellectual Property for Soane Labs and its affiliates, a family of invention-driven companies in the chemistry and material sciences industries. She has also maintained a private practice as a patent attorney at Elmore Patent Law Group, a life-sciences-oriented patent boutique in suburban Boston; before that, she was a co-founder of Convergent Law Group, an IP-focused law firm in Silicon Valley, and before that, she was a partner at Goodwin Procter LLP in Boston. Throughout, she has been a valued counselor for and collaborator with young companies and investors, offering science based IP and business advice.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Sharon was a practicing academic microvascular surgeon in Boston. She realized the importance of patents while working with a local investment firm to evaluate an emerging medical devices company. The challenge of patent interpretation and the intellectual stimulation of working with inventors inspired her to change careers from medicine to law and become a patent lawyer. Trained at the Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania, she is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.