Erik Edwards

Erik practices general securities and corporate law, with a focus on emerging growth companies, private financings, initial public offerings, and mergers & acquisitions. Erik represents companies and investors in areas such as software, hardware, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, edtech, cleantech, life sciences, social impact, fashion, retail, unmanned vehicles, media and other technology fields. He works with numerous incubators in the US and internationally, and he speaks regularly on various corporate governance and financing topics. Erik is the co-head of Cooley’s Palo Alto Corporate Group. He is also a member of Cooley’s firmwide partnership nominating committee and pro bono committee.

Erik also has extensive experience representing and advising small and large family offices on issues including office legal structures and corporate governance, family wealth and business planning, investment strategies, succession and family control, social impact investing, and philanthropic planning.
While at Santa Clara University School of Law, Erik served as the business editor of the Santa Clara Law Review. He was the recipient of the Witkin Award for Academic Excellence in Securities Regulation and the CALI Excellence for the Future Award. He also served as an extern for Judge James Ware (now retired) of the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

Erik was named a Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2015.

Erik serves on the boards of directors of Swords to Plowshares, a nonprofit assisting veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area. He’s also on the advisory board for ONE WORLD, an organization focused on innovative approaches to increase social impact.