Zach focuses his practice on the corporate and transactional needs of venture-backed companies, investors, and investment funds. He has experience working with founders at all stages, from forming and structuring entities to be ready for future investment to executing fundraising rounds and exit transactions. Zach also helps guide founders through all the operational issues that come up in between, including preparing incentive equity plans, providing board and governance counsel, and negotiating and preparing various kinds of agreements and contracts.
Zach understands all aspects of forming and operating investment funds. For six years, he served as fund manager of a series of funds that invested in early-stage companies through a Cincinnati accelerator. This gives Zach insight into the company and investor sides of fundraising and exit transactions. Zach uses this experience to assist investment funds with fund formation, due diligence of potential portfolio investments, and analysis and negotiation of potential investment deals. Zach works with individual investors and investor syndicates to execute deals as well.
Provides legal counsel to individuals and business clients of all sizes with corporate formation, capital raises, entity structure, governance, and transactions.
Served as counsel to a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company from its formation through several rounds of investment financing and ultimately to its exit more than six years later.
Formed and counseled an investment fund that made capital investments in more than 40 early-stage tech companies.
Represented the owner of a veterinary practice in the sale of his business, which included real estate and non-traditional business assets for a purchase price of more than $2 million.
Organized and executed a complete restructuring of a registered investment advisory firm, overseeing a transition from a single entity to a collection of subsidiaries dedicated to different lines of business.
Negotiated and recovered more than $130,000 of severance and benefits prior to the filing of a lawsuit for an individual who was terminated by his company allegedly for cause.
Raised and operated three investment funds to support the participants in the OCEAN Accelerator and assisted portfolio companies with financing, governance, and growth post-graduation.
Indiana University McKinney School of Law, J.D., 2009
Indiana Wesleyan University, B.S., 2005
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky
Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars® 2017-2019, 2021-2023
Cincinnati Business Courier “Forty Under 40” Award Recipient (2022)
Ohio State Bar Association
Cincinnati Academy of Leadership for Lawyers, 2020
Cincinnati Bar Association, Young Lawyers Committee, 2010-2011
Kentucky Bar Association
Volunteer Lawyers Project, Pro Bono Attorney, 2009-present
Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring Program, 2021
Reds R.B.I. Baseball Program, Coach, 2023
Oak Hills High School Mock Trial Team, Legal Advisor, 2011-2017
Girls on the Run of Greater Cincinnati, Board of Directors, 2013-2016; Chairman of the Board, 2015; Vice Chairman of the Board, 2014; Chairman of the Board Governance Committee, 2013-2015