About - Gregory Rutchik California Shareholder and Business Divorce Attorney

About Gregory Rutchik

Cooley Godward and Loudcloud trained.

Three decades on both sides of the table.

A Los Angeles-based business lawyer who has spent thirty years
drafting, negotiating and litigating for founders, co-owners and the
corporations they build. Fulbright Fellow. Fluent in Japanese. Member
of three state bars.

Who I Am

I am not merely a draftsman I am part of your challenge network.

I work with family-owned businesses, LLCs, partnerships and corporations on equity and debt financings, contracts, entity ownership and control issues, and mergers and acquisitions.

Some clients hire me only to review their NDAs and operating agreements with various special-purpose vehicles. My clients are technology businesses, specialty consultancies, private-equity investors, SaaS and software companies, cannabis cultivators, multi-family real-estate investors, cloud-computing managed-service providers, and creative producers — authors, photographers, web-influencers and writers. Many are angel-funded, VC- backed and do multiple rounds of financing.

I dig into a client’s business plan, formulate strategy, evaluate corporate development partnerships, stress-test assumptions and help shape the
organization and its approach.

Gregory Rutchik, Esq.

J.D., LL.M. (Tax) · West Hollywood, CA

Years in Practice

0 +

Years Federal-Court Litigation

0 +

State Bars · CT · NY · CA

Advanced Degrees · J.D. + LL.M.

Why Founders Choose Me

An expert lawyer invested in helping your business succeed.

Three lenses I bring to every engagement — drawn from three decades of sitting
across the table from the largest firms in the country, and from operating as a client myself.

Expert lawyer invested in your business

I want to know your business plan. I’ll ask for permission to understand your assumptions — and test them. My primary goal is to help you negotiate and close your transaction with an eye to an appropriate risk-reward balance.

Risk-reward perspective

Because I litigated in Federal Court for more than 15 years, I know how a particular provision plays out in front of judges, mediators and arbitrators. As an active LP investor myself, I always ask: will this deal add significant enterprise value?

Unique experience

I have negotiated patent licenses with large corporations, litigated IP in Federal court, bought and sold companies for tech-founder clients, and know the ins and outs of insurance, securities-fraud litigation and limited partnerships. As outside counsel you benefit from out-of-the-box thinking.

Who I Represent

Clients across technology, finance and the creative arts.

Technology & SaaS

Private Equity & VC

Multi-Family Real Estate

Cloud / Managed Services

Technology & SaaS

Private Equity & VC

Multi-Family Real Estate

Cloud / Managed Services

Early on I was told that a transactional lawyer could not litigate well, and that a litigator cannot do deals. They were wrong — and I am stronger because I have done both well.

— Gregory Rutchik

Education & Credentials

Trained in law, taxation and Japanese policy.

— Degrees & Fellowships

2005

LL.M. in Taxation

Golden Gate University School of Law

1992–93

Fulbright Fellow

University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Law — Licensing of technology by Japanese IT companies

1992

Juris Doctor · Dean's List

Beasley School of Law, Temple University · Philadelphia

1987

B.A., American Studies

Skidmore College · Saratoga Springs, NY

— Bar Admissions

California New York Connecticut District of Columbia · Inactive

— Languages

English Native

Japanese Fluent

French Conversational

— Published Work

Japanese Research Projects and Intellectual Property Rights
U.S. Commerce Department, 1996

A Career in Both Chairs

From Tokyo trading floors to Silicon Valley boardrooms.

Three decades of practice that started by sitting for Japan’s Series 7 in Japanese —
and ran through Federal court, Cooley Godward, Loudcloud, and the founding of an
Arts and Technology law group.

1987

Tokyo

Financial Analyst · Tokyo, Japan

Learning to read a balance sheet — in Japanese.

After college I worked as a financial analyst in Tokyo for two years. I was one of the youngest foreigners to sit for Japan's equivalent of the Series 7 securities exam — taken in Japanese.

1989

Philadelphia

Temple Law School · Japan Program

Building the Temple Law Japan program with Dean Reinstein.

I left Japan for Temple Law and was asked by then-Dean Robert Reinstein to help develop the Temple Law Japan program — now in its 30th year. Under his tutelage I wrote an analysis of Japanese politics, then applied for the Fulbright.

1992

U. of Tokyo

Fulbright Fellow · Graduate School of Law

Researching technology licensing by Japanese IT companies.

Findings were later published by the U.S. Commerce Department in 1996 as Japanese Research Projects and Intellectual Property Rights.

1993

New York City

Arts & Technology Group® · Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts

First TRO before Judge Kimba Wood.

Formed the Arts and Technology Group® combining work with clients in film, software and IT. Early work as a copyright-infringement litigator — including a TRO and injunctive relief for a Dominican Republic filmmaker before Judge Kimba Wood in the Southern District of New York.

1994

NYC

Associate · Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb & Soffen

Patent, trademark and copyright litigation.

Prosecuted semiconductor patents and trademarks, learned trademark drafting from Robert Faber and Sam Weiner, and marketed the firm to Japanese and Korean technology companies. Continued the filmmaker's case to a permanent injunction.

1991–96

USTR & DOJ

U.S.–Japan Trade Disputes · Allied Stamp / Blue Chip

Easing a Japanese anti-trust barrier alongside Senator Don Nickles.

After an internship at the USTR's office of Japan and China, I represented Allied Stamp working directly with Senator Don Nickles (Oklahoma), DOJ Antitrust, and former USTR colleagues. The non-trade barrier was folded into U.S.–Japan talks and the law was eventually eased.

1997

Palo Alto

Tech Transaction Practice Group · Cooley Godward LLP

Silicon Valley licensing, distribution and spin-outs.

Drafted, negotiated and advised on licensing, distribution, development and spin-out agreements for Silicon Valley software and tech giants.

1999

Loudcloud / Opsware

Assistant General Counsel · noosh.com → Loudcloud

Operator-side counsel inside an early cloud-services company.

Joined two Cooley Godward clients as assistant GC — noosh.com (web-based procurement) and then Loudcloud, an early cloud services company. Loudcloud became Opsware (Nasdaq: OPSW) and was ultimately acquired by HP.

2003

San Francisco

Arts & Technology Law Group · Partnership with Richard J. Idell

Merging the Arts & Technology practice in San Francisco.

Combined the Arts and Technology Law Group with Richard J. Idell to serve clients across the creative and technology sectors from San Francisco.

2007

Los Angeles

Rutchik Law · West Hollywood

Moved to Los Angeles — and have been there since.

Today I represent founders, LLCs, partnerships and corporations across technology, real estate, cannabis and the creative arts — and I serve as a part of my clients' challenge network.

Next Steps

If your partnership is broken or at risk, let's talk.

We’ll review your agreements, identify leverage, and create a plan to resolve disputes efficiently and protect your ownership. Contact me today to discuss your business situation and learn how I can help.

Let's Discuss Your Situation

Whether you’re facing a shareholder dispute, partnership conflict, forced buyout, or questions about ownership and control, getting the right advice early can make all the difference.

With over 30 years of experience, Gregory Rutchik helps founders, shareholders, and business owners protect their interests and navigate complex business disputes with confidence.

Call 310-448-6743 for a Free Consult

tell me your situation and I will respond promptly.

Licensed in California, Connecticut & New York