Fenwick & West

November gave us plenty to be thankful for. M&A deals brought together exciting startups with some of the biggest names in AI and therapeutics, and more than $1.8 billion in late-stage funding is helping grow the next crop of innovators, from AI to rocket-propulsion!  #Startups #MergersAndAcquisitions #VC 

A quick JPM rewind before we fast forward!   Last year’s annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference reception captured the sector in motion, with sharper thinking on regulation, rapid shifts in drug development, and conversations that pushed the industry forward.   That momentum is carrying into 2026 as we get ready to host this year’s reception and bring new conversations to the table. Excited to see our clients and friends again soon!   #JPM2026 #FenwickforLifeSciences #JPMHealthcareConference

New year, new rules. Glass Lewis released its 2026 proxy policies.   The updates introduce closer scrutiny of mandatory arbitration provisions, a new 0–100 pay-for-performance scorecard, and clearer positions on shareholder rights and key governance changes.   Get a breakdown ahead of the Jan. 1 effective date from David A. Bell, Elizabeth Gartland, and Wendy Grasso: https://lnkd.in/eXMNchzx   #CorporateGovernance #ProxySeason #ShareholderProposals

Financing strategies every emerging biotech should have on its radar. 👇   Dive into today's fundraising landscape, uncover venture- and public-market trends, and get practical advice on what matters most in late-stage financings and strategic exits with Fenwick partners Amanda Rose, Kat Duncan, and Life Science Washington.   Join the conversation: https://lnkd.in/eP-ANMNj   #BiotechFinance #LifeSciences #VentureCapital

Fenwick partners Kat Duncan and Allison Cooper spent last week at Slush Helsinki, joining founders, operators, and investors from across Europe for one of the most distinctive gatherings in the startup world. Between founder dinners, charity poker for UNICEF, snowy runs with entrepreneurs, and time with longtime friends, the week offered a thoughtful snapshot of where the ecosystem is moving. Here are a few moments from their time in Finland! #FenwickTakesFinland #Slush #Startups

AI continued to rule the venture market in Q3 2025. Startups deploying or developing AI technologies commanded 2.5x higher valuations than their non-AI peers. However, Series A premiums for AI startups declined across most sectors compared to 2024, raising questions about the sustainability of elevated AI valuations.  Allison Cooper, Kat Duncan, and Mark Leahy explore this data and what it might mean for the future of AI investment as part of their series analyzing the Q3 2025 Venture Beacon report produced with Aumni: https://lnkd.in/e47S8Tx3 #VentureCapital #Startups #AI 

Algorithms set prices, but the DOJ sets the rules. After the DOJ sued RealPage alleging facilitation of algorithmic rental pricing, the parties agreed to a proposed settlement that would limit RealPage’s use of nonpublic, competitively sensitive information when making price recommendations. Steve Albertson, Thomas Ensign, Meredith Mommers, Brittney Dimond, and Vaibs Srikaran break down the terms of the settlement and what this means for companies that use or offer algorithmic pricing tools: https://lnkd.in/ewnCFPJc #Antitrust #AI #AlgorithmicPricing

How do you safeguard your AI secret sauce?    Unlock strategies to protect AI trade secrets with Fenwick’s Robert Counihan, Matthew Damm, and Noah Solowiejczyk. They'll walk you through how to identify, secure, and defend critical AI assets, from governance and access controls to litigating misappropriation.    Stay ahead in a rapidly evolving legal landscape (and earn CLE credit): https://lnkd.in/e5dJAUM4   #TradeSecrets #AI #DataSecurity  

New ISS policy updates are coming. Is your board ready? Institutional Shareholder Services has released updated benchmark voting policies that reshape how it evaluates board accountability, pay-for-performance alignment, non-employee director pay, equity plans, and key environmental and social proposals. These changes take effect for shareholder meetings starting Feb. 1, 2026. Make sure your company is ready for proxy season with the latest from David A. Bell, Ran Ben-Tzur, Elizabeth Gartland, Jim Hauser, Amanda Rose, and Wendy Grasso: https://lnkd.in/enbA6XUP #CorporateGovernance #ProxySeason #ShareholderProposals