Skip to main content
Professional background
Biography image

Jonathon H.Vinocur

PartnerPartner in Charge, ChicagoChair, New Ventures

Jonathon H.Vinocur

Partner
Partner in Charge, ChicagoChair, New Ventures

I’m a partner and chair of the firm’s New Ventures practice group and spend all of my time working with high-growth, venture capital-backed technology companies and their investors (including VC funds, angel investors, and public and private companies that make venture-style investments).

I advise company founders during their pre-startup stages, through formation and funding, to exit, paying special attention to preserving value. Along the way, I’ve worked on hundreds of venture capital investment transactions, including those led by a single Midwestern angel investor, by coastal VCs and everything in between.

When I’m not working on our clients’ investment transactions, I spend a lot of time counseling them on implementing stock option and other equity incentive plans to be sure they’re achieving the company’s compensation-related objectives in a way that doesn’t result in adverse tax consequences for their employees.

As an adviser to these nascent companies, my goal is to ensure that management’s approach to all things legal is consistent not only with their internal processes, but also with the expectations of potential investors or acquirers conducting due diligence to be sure that everything’s in order. By focusing on the ultimate objective and not getting mired in unnecessary negotiations, our team helps move companies forward on the growth curve rather than slowing things down. This forward-looking focus means we practice law differently than other firms, but juggling and delivering just-in-time is what we do best.

Recognized by Best Lawyers 2027

Venture Capital Financing and Exit Transactions

  • Represented a provider of crowd-sourced graphic design services in its $35 million Series A investment.
  • Represented the lead venture capital firm in a $19 million Series C investment in a medical device company.
  • Represented the stockholders of an expense management software company in their exit to a reseller of travel services.
  • Represented a publicly held company in its $13 million Series A investment, and the $4.5 million follow-on investment, in an alternative energy automobile manufacturer, and its $2 million Series A investment in a wind energy generation and delivery company.
  • Represented a marketing optimization software-as-a-service business in multiple rounds of venture financing totaling over $11.5 million.
  • Represented a provider of wireless communication management services in multiple venture-style equity and convertible debt issuances totaling approximately $10 million in investments.
  • Represented the stockholders of an online ordering business in their exit to a leading online retailer.
  • Represented the lead venture capital firm in an $8.5 million Series A investment in a medical device company.
  • Represented a gift card industry software-as-a-service business in multiple preferred equity issuances resulting in over $8 million in investments.
  • Represented a telecommunications software-as-a-service business in multiple preferred equity and convertible debt issuances resulting in approximately $7.5 million in investments.
  • Represented a venture capital firm in its $6.5 million investment in a provider of call-recording and call-center solutions.
  • Represented the stockholders of a modular structural armor business in their exit to a manufacturer of force protection, flood protection and erosion control products.
  • Represented a medical device company in multiple sales of preferred equity resulting in over $5 million in investments.
  • Represented the lead venture capital firm in a $4 million Series E investment, and its follow-on investments, in an international technology sourcing company.

Traditional M&A and Private Equity Transactions

  • Represented a private equity firm in its sale of a $49 million multistate rolled aluminum operation to a publicly held producer of aluminum rolled and extruded products, recycled aluminum and specification alloy products.
  • Represented the seller in its disposition of a $40 million multistate scrap metal business to a private equity-backed scrap metal processor and broker.
  • Represented the seller in its disposition of a $23.5 million student housing development project to a real estate investment and management company.
  • Represented a publicly traded provider of energy products and services in its acquisition of a $22 million electrostatic precipitator and emissions monitoring business, its acquisition of a $13 million power plant operation and maintenance services provider, its acquisition of a $1 million filter bag cage manufacturer and producer its attempted acquisition of a power plant catalyst cleaning and service business and its attempted acquisition of a lined pipe supplier and provider of related services.
  • Represented a private equity firm in the formation of a new investment platform and related $16 million acquisition of a health care marketing and communications company.
  • Represented the seller in multiple dispositions of its automotive parts and services business, including a $14 million sale to a provider of automotive maintenance and repairs as well as a $5.5 million sale to a publicly held automotive service and repair provider.
  • Represented a corrugated packaging and display manufacturer and designer in multiple acquisitions of corrugated packaging and display manufacturing and design businesses.
  • Represented a private equity syndicate in a $7.5 million investment in a medical device design and manufacturing company.
  • Represented a private equity firm in its formation of a new investment platform and related $7 million acquisition of a precision metal stampings business.
  • Represented the stockholders in their sale of a $3.5 million specialty valve distribution and service company to a private equity-backed distributor of process flow control products.
  • Represented a private equity firm in its sale of a $2.5 million injection molding business to a major competitor and its attempted sale of a multimillion dollar air gun manufacturer.
  • Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2018-2023 for Venture Capital Law; named the Best Lawyers® 2019, 2021 and 2023 Venture Capital Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Cleveland
  • Recognized in Crain’s Cleveland Business’s “Who to Watch in Law,” 2016
  • Named a Rising Star by Ohio Super Lawyers magazine, 2013-2017
  • Recommended in The Legal 500 United States (M&A: Middle-Market), 2014
  • The American, Ohio and Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Associations

Education

  • Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D., 2003
  • The Ohio State University, B.A., 2000

Bar Admissions

  • Ohio
  • Illinois

Languages

  • Hebrew