We are proud to be recognized as one of the top business law firms in California. We help small business owners and startups launch their companies, fund their ongoing activities and serve as their outside general counsel so they can focus on successfully running their business. We act as a catalyst by providing our clients with exceptional resources to help their businesses grow, and when the time is right we can help navigate a successful exit. It is like having a good friend or family member advising your business.
Team
Doug
Doug Bend
Business and Startup Attorney
Doug is the founder of Bend Law Group, PC, a law firm focused on advising small businesses and startups. He has been featured in numerous publications, including The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Fox Business, MSN, Inc., and Forbes. Raised in Omaha, Doug is a graduate of Drake University where he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with his B.A. in Political Science and History. He also received an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Nebraska and his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. When Doug is not wearing his lawyer hat, he enjoys exploring the Bay Area with his wife Joanne and their five year old daughter (Maddie) and three year old son (Billy).
Robin
Robin O’Donnell
Business and Startup Attorney
Robin O’Donnell works with small businesses and startups from a wide array of industries including tech companies and developers, food-related businesses, healthcare providers, and many others. Robin works with companies to achieve their goals through every stage of the business in all transactional matters. Robin previously served as General Counsel advising company leadership how to realize company objectives while navigating tricky legal hurdles. She received her B.A. degree in Psychology and Anthropology from Mount Holyoke College, her J.D. degree from Golden Gate University School of Law, and her LL.M. in Taxation from University of San Francisco School of Law.
Vivek
Vivek Vaidya
Senior Intellectual Property and Brand Protection Attorney
Vivek Vaidya provides legal counsel related to trademark, copyright, privacy and employment law. Vivek handles projects ranging from intellectual property registration and disputes, licensing agreements and software agreements to employment law contracts and compliance. Vivek earned his B.A. from the University of California, Irvine in Political Science with an emphasis in Public Law. He earned his law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law, obtaining an Intellectual Property Certificate with Honors.
Alyssa
Alyssa Ziegenhorn
Business and Startup Attorney
Alyssa focuses on assisting new and emerging businesses. Before attending law school, Alyssa practiced as a paralegal in Silicon Valley, working on intellectual property and product counseling issues at businesses ranging from a startup to an established enterprise software company. Alyssa received her J.D. at King Hall at the University of California, Davis, where she spent her final year interning at a publicly held utility company, working on a wide range of environmental and regulatory issues.
Hank
Hank Brown
Operations Manager
Hank arrived at Bend Law Group after working as a coordinator at a buzzing Bay Area startup that teaches computer programming skills to kids. Before that, Hank had a background as a copywriter and editor at an award-winning San Francisco creative agency.
Hank holds a degree in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University, and currently lives in Marin County with his lovely wife, dog and baby boy.
Michael
Michael Tarutis
Senior Business and Startup Attorney
Michael has advised start-ups and emerging companies as a primary practice since 1999, assisting in complex contract negotiation and contract management, business finance in pre-IPO companies through Regulation A, D and SCOR offerings, corporate governance, and litigation management, representing companies in state and federal courts in Colorado, California and Florida. He is an experienced arbitrator and mediator, and had the pleasure of teaching Entrepreneurial Studies at Washington and Jefferson College. Michael has represented Fortune 500 companies, has appeared before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, represented entities and individuals in SEC matters in Washington, D.C., and has argued in courts of appeal. His heart, though, is in advising, assisting and counseling entrepreneurs in all facets of launching, maintaining and ultimately gaining success through a focused business model. His undergraduate work was at Boston University, leading to a Juris Doctor degree conferred by Southwestern University College of Law in Los Angeles. In law school, Michael won American Jurisprudence Awards for the highest grade and rank in his courses on Business Transactions & Finance and Civil Litigation. He plays tennis regularly, writes for automotive publications like BarnFinds.com and the large auction houses, and is an accomplished cabinetmaker and luthier. His daughter, Ashley, was co-captain and setter for the University of Notre Dame volleyball team also playing on the Los Alamitos (CA) High School team that won the California state championship.
