@venturelawyer
June 23rd, 2009
M&A, corporate transactions and corporate finance lawyer
Counsel at Sands Anderson Marks & Miller, PC
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Today we’re tweeting with @VentureLawyer, cyclist and business, finance and real estate lawyer in Richmond, Virginia
- @VentureLawyer, thank you for joining us today on Twitter. Tell us: who is @VentureLawyer?
Thomas L. Bowden, Sr., Counsel at Sands Anderson Marks & Miller, in the Business Transactions Team
- - Tell us about your law practice.
It is mostly a mix of transactions and general legal counseling – some Venture deals, angel deals, private M&A
- - What type of clients do you represent?
I represent entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses – people with drive and vision, and who interest me
- - What is the single most important legal issue affecting your clients?
Capital – finding it, attracting it, closing the deal, prtecting it and investing it
- - Tell us about one of the more significant client representations you’ve had.
I helped a company grow from $3 million in sales to $4 billion. I helped buld a company that won a $400MM contract
- - What do you tell every new client before you start working for them?
Clients should expect me to share my experience as an entrepreneur in addition to my legal counsel
- - Why do your clients hire you?
Easy to deal with, not just a technician. I get on their side of the table and think like an owner/general counsel
- - How are you and your firm responding to financial difficulties your clients may be experiencing?
We help them find funding, work with their struggling customers, make adjustments & tough choices
- - Your career has been split between in-house and private practice. How does this help you better advise your clients?
It’s invaluable. I have walked in their shoes, experienced the challenges, frustrations, joys and pains of entrepreneurship
- - That’s valuable experience. 15 yrs ago you were Racing Across America on a bike. How did that impact your practice?
I learned that I could accomplish what at first seemed impossible, and not to see limits as absolutes – to never give up
- - It’s a tremendous accomplishment! What would you say has been the most satisfying aspect of being a lawyer?
Seeing a client succeed in their business, achieve their dream, or survive a threat to their existence
- - How do you market your practice?
Word of mouth, networking, and increasingly, social media. And we have a terrific marketing team!
- - I read a few years ago that “cycling is the new golf” for biz dev. Do you cycle with your clients?
–Yes! in fact one of my clients is building a velodrome! He is faster for now, but not for long..
- - Now THAT’S dedication to the sport! Besides Twitter, what other Web 2.0 tools do you use?
LinkedIn mostly – just started a Facebook page. Some blogging starting discussions in LinkedIn groups.
- - What specific impact on referrals and/or client engagements have your Web 2.0 activities provided?
It’s really to early to tell – I am fairly new at this. But I am adding followers even as we are doing this! Cool!
- - How much time do you spend each day developing / enhancing your brand?
.5 to 2 hours, depending on events, my reactions to them and whatever is on my mind
- - Let’s switch gears: what’s the most significant issue currently facing the legal profession?
We must align our interests more with clients needs and goals Clients want results, they don’t care about our timesheets
- - Indeed. What will the legal landscape look like in 10 years?
Flatter – technology will continue to level the playing field and larger firms will have to adjust or die
- - Interesting perspective. What would you do if you weren’t a lawyer?
Start another company, maybe technology related, maybe not. Probably less about an invention, more about service
- - You’ll keep us posted if you do that in your spare time, won’t you? How do you want to be remembered?
As a good husband, father, friend and counselor, both professionally and on a personal level
- - What do you do when you’re not working?
Cycling, photography, kayaking, boatbuilding, a little inventing here and there
- - Perhaps we can have you back to talk about your inventions… What advice do you have for people in law school today?
Decide what you want to be, not what Biglaw wants you to be. Then make it happen.
That’s useful advice. This was a great twitterview; thank you very much for answering our questions today
You are most welcome!
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