Jim Fulton

Jim Fulton focuses on representing both emerging and established technology, healthcare and biotechnology companies and the venture capital firms that invest in those companies. Concentrating in corporate and securities law, he counsels companies throughout their lifecycle on matters ranging from company formations, private financings, employee equity incentives and executive hiring, to complex spinouts, mergers and acquisitions, IPOs and SEC reporting and compliance. In the last 10 years alone, Jim has worked on more than 350 venture capital transactions, raising more than $4 billion.

In addition, Jim has closed venture capital funds raising in excess of $5 billion, public offerings of nearly $1 billion in equity and M&A transactions valued at more than $3 billion.

Jim's clients represent a wide range of industries including internet, digital and social media, mobile, software, retail, healthcare IT, medical device, telecommunications, semiconductor, clean technologies and life sciences. Representative clients include Web.com, AAA, Avant, Better Cloud, Blurb.com, eASIC, Modern Meadow, TodayTix and Xoma. Jim also represents many leading venture capital firms in their financings, including InterWest Partners, Mayfield Fund, NEA, Norwest Venture Partners, SeedInvest and Versant Venture Capital.

Jim was in The Best Lawyers in America in the category of corporate law, securities/capital markets law and venture capital law in 2007-2021 and Northern California Super Lawyer in the category of securities and corporate finance in 2007-2012 and a New York Super Lawyer in 2015 -2019 and 2021-2022. Jim received recognition as a leading lawyer in the 2015 US edition of Legal 500 in the category of M&A/Corporate and Commercial – Venture Capital and Emerging Companies. Prior to joining Cooley, Jim was a senior budget analyst with the US government's Office of Personnel Management for six years. 

Representative transactions include:

• Web.com's renegotiation of its $800 million in debt.
• Web.com's $115 million secondary public offering.
• Web.com's acquisitions of Network Solutions and Yodle.
• Xoma in a private placement of convertible notes and warrant.
• BetterCloud in a $5 million sale of preferred stock.
• Modern Meadow in its $40 million sale of preferred stock.

Jim received a JD from Georgetown University Law Center in 1995, graduating cum laude. He received a BS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in 1989, graduating cum laude.

Jim is admitted to practice law in New York, California and the District of Columbia.