Karen Masterson Dienst
Karen brings a breadth and depth of legal and business experience rarely found in a boutique practice. A seasoned corporate and securities lawyer, Karen has extensive international transactional experience, both in-bound and out-bound, in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Representing U.S. and overseas start-up and emerging growth companies, entrepreneurs, and venture capital investors, Karen provides expertise in wide range of transactions across a variety of industries. She specializes in corporate formations, angel, seed and venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, and commercial transactions, including intellectual property licensing. She also serves as outside general counsel to a broad range of companies.
Her legal grounding came as a partner in the business department of Morrison & Foerster, and expanded with her experience as an international lawyer at a database software company, and as General Counsel of a publicly-traded medical device company. Karen understands the practical business challenges and imperatives that companies face, and brings this solution-oriented perspective to every client representation.
Professional Experience
ADAC Laboratories, Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary
Sybase, Inc., Director of Intercontinental Legal Affairs
Morrison & Foerster, Partner, working in San Francisco, Palo Alto, London, Tokyo and Hong Kong
Drinker Biddle & Reath, Associate, Philadelphia PA
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Law clerk to the Honorable John J. Gibbons
Education
Dartmouth College, AB in Government with Honors
Villanova University School of Law, Order of the Coif
Bar Admissions and Professional and business Organizations
California
Pennsylvania (formerly)
California State Bar, Sections on Business Law and Intellectual Property
Dartmouth Lawyer’s Association
American Bar Association, Business Law Section
ABA Women in M&A
ABA M&A Technology Subcommittee
ABA M&A Asset Purchase Agreement Subcommittee
British American Business Council
Boards
SFAsia, an initiative of Global SF, San Francisco, CA
Advisory Committee Member, 2019–Present
The Hamlin School, San Francisco, CA
Board Member, 2008–2014; Audit Committee Chair, 2012–14; Member, Audit Committee, 2014–Present
California Tennis Club, San Francisco, CA
Board President, 2011–12 ; Treasurer and Operations Committee Chair, 2009–11; Member, Operations Committee, 2012–Present
Speaking Engagements
Early Growth Financial Services, 2019 Venture Funding Outlook: “How to Stand Out from the Crowd”
CEB, Representing the Start-Up: “From Notes on a Napkin to Series A”
Dartmouth Lawyers’ Association, The Start-Up: “Advising the Company from Day One”
M31USA, Assobiomedica Entrepreneurial Journey: “Forming a US Business”