Jorge A. del Calvo
Encyclopedia
Jorge A. del Calvo is a Cuban-American lawyer who represents high tech companies in initial public offerings, including the first Internet company IPO.
Del Calvo immigrated with his family to Miami in 1959, after the Cuban Revolution
, ultimately settling in Los Angeles
. In Cuba, del Calvo’s father Alberto del Calvo had been an attorney. In the US, after working in a framing factory, the elder del Calvo took part in a Great Society
program which turned Cuban lawyers into English teachers for native Spanish speakers. For del Calvo, becoming a lawyer for start-up companies was merely following in his father’s footsteps. "'In a sense [my father] was a lawyer for start-up companies.' The elder del Calvo represented small sugar companies and tobacco farms."
After receiving a B.A. from Stanford University
and a masters degree in Latin American History from UCLA, del Calvo filled out two applications – one to Bank of America for a job as a teller and one to Harvard Law School. He received responses from both on the same day. He got into Harvard. The bank rejected him. He received his law degree from Harvard, cum laude in 1981.
In the early 1990s, del Calvo represented Netcom On-Line Communication Services, Inc., the first Internet IPO. In 2000, he represented Network Solutions in its $2.2 billion follow-on public offering, which was the largest Internet follow-on public equity offering in history. In 2005, del Calvo represented solar energy pioneer SunPower Corporation, (Nasdaq: SPWR), in its IPO.
Since 2000, del Calvo has led the nation in representing issuers in completed technology IPOs. During his career, he has represented U.S. and foreign issuers in hundreds of public and private offerings of equity, debt and convertible securities, including initial public offerings for high-profile companies like PortalPlayer, Inc., PeopleSupport, Inc., Atheros, Inc., SiRF, Inc., SYNNEX Corporation, Magma Design Automation, Inc., WebEx, Inc., SupportSoft, Inc.,Tvia, Inc., Alliance Fiber Optics Products, Inc., Critical Path, Inc., Network Solutions, Inc., SONICblue Incorporated, Paradigm Technology, Inc., and NexGen, Inc. Del Calvo is listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2005-2010 editions in the areas of Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Securities Law and Venture Capital Law.
Del Calvo was a charter member of HispanicNet, which promotes networking among Hispanic entrepreneurs, executives, innovators and investors to advance and create market-leading companies. He is a charter member of the Silicon Valley chapter of Indus Entrepreneurs
, which promotes entrepreneurship through mentoring, networking and education.
Del Calvo immigrated with his family to Miami in 1959, after the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
, ultimately settling in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. In Cuba, del Calvo’s father Alberto del Calvo had been an attorney. In the US, after working in a framing factory, the elder del Calvo took part in a Great Society
Great Society
The Great Society was a set of domestic programs in the United States promoted by President Lyndon B. Johnson and fellow Democrats in Congress in the 1960s. Two main goals of the Great Society social reforms were the elimination of poverty and racial injustice...
program which turned Cuban lawyers into English teachers for native Spanish speakers. For del Calvo, becoming a lawyer for start-up companies was merely following in his father’s footsteps. "'In a sense [my father] was a lawyer for start-up companies.' The elder del Calvo represented small sugar companies and tobacco farms."
After receiving a B.A. from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and a masters degree in Latin American History from UCLA, del Calvo filled out two applications – one to Bank of America for a job as a teller and one to Harvard Law School. He received responses from both on the same day. He got into Harvard. The bank rejected him. He received his law degree from Harvard, cum laude in 1981.
Venturing in Silicon Valley
Del Calvo joined the American Lawyer Top 100 law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in 1982 as "of all things a litigator which he 'hated with a passion.'" A partner then suggested he try the Corporate department where he became known for representing technology companies in venture capital and securities transactions, including public offerings, private placements, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures. Jorge started representing high tech start-ups in part because it was "the natural thing to do for a Palo Alto securities lawyer." He came to feel that in small companies there was more opportunity for the young lawyer to create his own practice. In 1990, he became partner at age 34.In the early 1990s, del Calvo represented Netcom On-Line Communication Services, Inc., the first Internet IPO. In 2000, he represented Network Solutions in its $2.2 billion follow-on public offering, which was the largest Internet follow-on public equity offering in history. In 2005, del Calvo represented solar energy pioneer SunPower Corporation, (Nasdaq: SPWR), in its IPO.
Awards and rankings
Chambers USA Guide to Leading Business Lawyers has ranked del Calvo in multiple categories. The Chambers 2010 edition stated that del Calvo is "a prominent figure in Northern California", "a rainmaker for the firm","a talented and versatile business lawyer" and "a premier name in the venture capital market". The Los Angeles Daily Journal named him Northern California’s "Rainmaker of the Year" in 2009.Since 2000, del Calvo has led the nation in representing issuers in completed technology IPOs. During his career, he has represented U.S. and foreign issuers in hundreds of public and private offerings of equity, debt and convertible securities, including initial public offerings for high-profile companies like PortalPlayer, Inc., PeopleSupport, Inc., Atheros, Inc., SiRF, Inc., SYNNEX Corporation, Magma Design Automation, Inc., WebEx, Inc., SupportSoft, Inc.,Tvia, Inc., Alliance Fiber Optics Products, Inc., Critical Path, Inc., Network Solutions, Inc., SONICblue Incorporated, Paradigm Technology, Inc., and NexGen, Inc. Del Calvo is listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2005-2010 editions in the areas of Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Securities Law and Venture Capital Law.
Advising new entrepreneurs
Additionally, del Calvo serves on the board of Job Train Inc. and previously served on the boards of Berkeley Process Control, Columbitech, Riverstone Networks (RSTN), Procket Networks, Deepa Textiles, Xambala and New Path LLC. He is a coordinating editor of Venture Capital and Public Offering Negotiation, a two-volume treatise for attorneys, the de facto treatise for Corporate & Securities lawyers. In 2005, he was one of the elite founding members of the Curiosity Club, upon whose board he still sits.Del Calvo was a charter member of HispanicNet, which promotes networking among Hispanic entrepreneurs, executives, innovators and investors to advance and create market-leading companies. He is a charter member of the Silicon Valley chapter of Indus Entrepreneurs
TiE
TiE is a global nonprofit dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship. TiE has 54 chapters in 13 countries, with a total membership exceeding 13,000. TiE is most closely affiliated with the South Asian business community, and is recognized as an important networking forum for entrepreneurs and investors...
, which promotes entrepreneurship through mentoring, networking and education.
External links
- http://www.pillsburylaw.com/jorgedelcalvo Pillsbury Website
- http://venturebeatprofiles.com VentureBeat Profiles