Kim Kaplan-Gross, Partner

Kimberley J. Kaplan-Gross is a partner in Cooley Godward Kronish's Venture Capital practice group and is a member of the Business department. She joined the Firm in 2008 and is resident in the Boston office.

Ms. Kaplan-Gross represents international and domestic private investment firms in fund formation, secondary transactions, management and governance issues and investment adviser regulatory matters. She represents venture capital, buyout and other direct private equity funds, as well as primary and secondary funds-of-funds. In fundraising, she advises fund sponsors on legal structuring matters, guides them in market positioning and setting proposed terms and conditions, and leads their investor negotiations. In addition, Ms. Kaplan-Gross represents institutional investors in their investments in private equity funds.

Prior to joining Cooley, Ms. Kaplan-Gross was a partner with DLA Piper's Boston office, as well as a partner in the private equity group at Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault LLP.

Ms. Kaplan-Gross received her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law in 1994, where she was also the Senior Articles Editor for the University of Miami Law Review, as well as a member of the Order of the Coif. She received her B.S. in 1989 from Boston University.

She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and is a member of the Boston Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Seminars

• Panelist, "VC Firm Founders:  When Evolving Roles Becomes Necessary," Merrill Lynch Private Equity CFO Conference, Laguna Beach, California, September 19, 2008
• Panelist, "The Fundraising Climate," 2008 Venture Capital Investing Conference, International Business Forums, San Francisco, California, June 12, 2008
• Panelist, "Fund of Funds Spotlight," 2008 Venture Capital Investing Conference, International Business Forums, San Francisco, California, June 12, 2008
• Instructor, "Private Equity Partnerships:  Legal Structures and Economic Incentives," Kauffman Fellows Program Module, Wellesley, Massachusetts, November 16, 2007
• Panelist, "Venture Capital Funds: How Fund Terms Impact Investing," Advanced Venture Capital 2007, Practising Law Institute, San Francisco, California, August 9, 2007
• Panelist, "Fundraising and the Impact of Fund of Funds on the Venture Business," 2007 Venture Capital
• Investing Conference, International Business Forums, San Francisco, California, June 8, 2007
• Panelist, "Raising a Fund: The LP View," The Private Equity Analyst Limited Partners Summit 2007, New York, New York, May 22, 2007
• Panelist, "New Trends in Partnership Terms and Conditions," The 2006 Private Equity Strategic Financial Management Conference, Private Equity International, San Francisco, California, November 14, 2006
• Panelist, "Partnership Agreement Financial Terms 101," The 2006 Private Equity Strategic Financial Management Conference, Private Equity International, San Francisco, California, November 14, 2006
• Panelist, "Anatomy of a VC Deal," Kauffman Fellows Program Module, Wellesley, Massachusetts, October 25, 2006
• Panelist, "Terms to Live By: How to Structure Success in GP-LP Negotiations," National Association of Investment Companies 36th Annual Meeting and Convention, Lake Las Vegas, Nevada, October 17, 2006
• Moderator and Panelist, "Building a Sustaining Firm: What Does it Take?," The Private Equity Analyst Conference 2006, Dow Jones, New York, New York, September 26, 2006
• Panelist, "What It Takes To Get The Attention of LP's And Successfully Close A Private Equity Fund," The Private Equity Analyst Limited Partners Summit 2006, New York, New York, June 2006
• Moderator, "Next Generation Fund Managers & The ‘Transformation' Of The Venture Industry," 2006 Venture Capital Investing Conference, International Business Forums, San Francisco, California, June 9, 2006
• Panelist, "Anatomy of a VC Deal," Kauffman Fellows Program Module, Wellesley, Massachusetts, October 26, 2005
• Moderator, "The Case for a Minority Private Equity Fund Mandate," National Association of Investment Companies 35th Annual Meeting and Convention, Carlsbad, California, October 18, 2005
• Moderator and Panelist, "Emerging Manager Due Diligence: What Limited Partners Want to Know Before Backing a New Fund," The Private Equity Analyst Conference 2005, Dow Jones, New York, New York, September 21, 2005
• Moderator and Panelist, "Fund of Funds Investing Update," 2005 Venture Capital Investing Conference, International Business Forums, San Francisco, California, July 3, 2005
• Panelist, "Preparation is the Key to Success: Succession and Liquidity Planning for the Venture Capital Firm," Ernst & Young L.L.P., Herzliya, Israel, March 23, 2005
• Moderator, "Ducks in a Row: Be Prepared for the New Fundraising Market," The 2005 North American Private Equity COOs and CFOs Forum, Private Equity International, New York, New York, January 11-12, 2005
• Panelist, "Terms and Conditions In-Depth: Innovative Strategies for Private Equity and Venture Capital Fundraising," The Private Equity Analyst Conference 2004, Dow Jones, New York, New York, September 22, 2004
• Presenter, "Managing the Offering Process; Terms and Conditions," Effectively Administering Private Equity Funds, Financial Resource Associates, New York, New York, July 22, 2004
• Presenter, "Maximizing Returns: Participating in Initial Public Offerings of Portfolio Companies," The Road to Liquidity: What a Venture Capitalist Needs to Know, Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP, Boston, Massachusetts, July 15, 2004
• Program Chair, The Road to Liquidity: What a Venture Capitalist Needs to Know, Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP, Boston, Massachusetts, July 15, 2004
• Presenter, "Public Offerings," Securities Offerings, Private Placements and Resales, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Boston, Massachusetts, January 2004 and January 2002
• Panelist, "Information Please: Why the Tussle Over Performance Data May Be Coming to a Head," The Private Equity Analyst Limited Partners Summit 2002, New York, New York, June 2002

Publications

• "When a Partner Leaves:  Navigating the Issues," Private Equity Newsletter, DLA Piper US LLP, June 2006
• "Initial Public Offering Practice," Securities Offerings, Private Placements and Resales, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, January 2004
• "Microview-Registered Investment Advisers," Venture Update, Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP, Winter 2004
• "Protecting Sensitive Private Equity Data," Client Bulletin, Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP, October 25, 2002
• "Are Fund Performance Data Really Confidential?" Venture Update, Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP, Fall 2001

Memberships

• Vice-Chair, Corporate Law Committee of the Business Law Section of the Boston Bar Association, 2000-2002 
• Coaching, Screening and Recruiting Committees, Springboard: New England 2001, 2003 and 2004

Education

• University of Miami School of Law
  JD, 1994, cum laude
• Boston University
  BS, 1989

Admissions

• Massachusetts

Memberships

• American Bar Association
• Boston Bar Association