Michael Platt

Partner in Charge – Colorado
Full contact info

I’ve been representing emerging companies since the day I left law school, providing “real world” solutions to complex business problems.

About Michael

Mike is partner in charge and head of the business and finance group in Cooley’s Colorado office. Mike represents emerging companies throughout their life cycle, with a particular emphasis on exit transactions, including complex M&A and public offerings.

Mike started his career in the Silicon Valley and is a nationally recognized venture capital and M&A lawyer, with clients extending to both coasts. He was recognized as a leading lawyer by Best Lawyers in America for Venture Capital Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, and Corporate Law; the Legal 500 US for M&A/Corporate and Commercial – Venture Capital and Emerging Companies; and Chambers USA for Corporate/M&A. Michael was recognized as a “Lawyer of the Year” in the 2026 edition of “The Best Lawyers in America” and highlighted for his high-caliber work in venture capital and leveraged buyouts and private equity law. He also was named a Colorado “Super Lawyer” in Mergers and Acquisitions.

Mike assisted in the formation of Techstars, a leading startup accelerator, and has acted as a mentor and outside counsel to some of their most successful graduates, including SendGrid, Sphero, Occipital and Next Big Sound. Mike was a contributing author to “Do More Faster” by David Cohen and Brad Feld and “Startup Boards” by Brad Feld and Mahendra Ramsinghani.

Education

University of California, Hastings College of Law
JD, Order of the Coif

University of Colorado at Boulder
BS, Business, Beta Gamma Sigma

Rankings and accolades

Chambers USA: Corporate/M&A – Colorado (2020 – 2025)

The Best Lawyers in America: Venture Capital Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law and Corporate Law (2022)

The Best Lawyers in America: Lawyer of the Year - Corporate Law (2018, 2020, 2021)

Legal 500: M&A/Corporate and Commercial – Venture Capital and Emerging Companies

Super Lawyers: Mergers and Acquisitions

Memberships and affiliations

Colorado Bar Association

The State Bar of California