I'm fortunate to be a business advisor, legal counselor and occasional therapist to some of the greatest minds of our time. My passion is guiding them through the lifecycle of their enterprise, from formation through exit.
About Rachel
Rachel Proffitt heads Cooley’s San Francisco corporate practice and serves on the firm's board of directors. She practices corporate and securities law and represents public and private clients, as well as venture capital and investment banking firms and other institutional investors, across a broad range of industries. Her practice focuses on general corporate and complex transactional matters, including venture capital transactions, public and private securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions and other strategic transactions, and public-company disclosure and corporate governance.
Prior to joining Cooley, Rachel was a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.
Recognition:
- Recognized in the Venture Capital, Startups & Emerging Companies category of the 2017 – 2021 editions of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, with commentators describing her as "phenomenal," "thorough" and "incredibly fast to respond," and observers noting that "she does well at balancing risk"
- Recognized by the Daily Journal as one of the Top 100 Women Lawyers in California for 2015
- Recognized in the Venture Capital & Emerging Companies category of the 2021 edition of Legal 500
Education
University of California, Hastings College of Law
JD,
Member, Hastings International and Comparative Law Review
Member, Hastings Security Law Society
University of California, Los Angeles
BA, English, cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, University Honors Program
Admissions & credentials
California
Rankings & accolades
Chambers USA: Startups & Emerging Companies – Nationwide (2020 – 2023)
Chambers USA: Venture Capital – California (2020 – 2023)
The Legal 500 US: Leading Lawyer in Venture Capital and Emerging Companies (2023)