DIRECT PHONE: 512.480.5604
DIRECT FAX: 512.536.9904

About

Jeff Racho is a business-focused attorney with over ten years of experience in guiding emerging entities. He has experience in venture capital and early stage investments, intellectual property, as well as mergers & acquisitions. He also practices in the law governing small unmanned aircraft systems (drones) and holds a remote pilot sUAS certification.

Representative Experience

Intellectual Property law

  • Represented wine companies regarding trademark registrations, trademark infringement, and coexistence agreements; also represented these companies regarding import laws and logistics for the import of wine from Europe
  • Prosecuted patents before the USPTO in the arts of material engineering, electric devices, processes, and compositions of matter
  • Licensing agreements for trademarks, patents, and software, including “Software as a Service” (SaaS) access agreements, End-User License Agreements (EULAs), software development agreements, and functional specifications
  • Drafted and reviewed privacy policies; registered as a Certified Information Privacy Professional
  • Handled copyright and trademark matters and “work made for hire” agreements for film production companies
  • Represented clients in domain name disputes

Early-Stage/”Startup” Corporations

  • Represented startup companies in the fields of electronic/mobile payments, online education, real estate technology, and “fintech” regarding corporate formation, corporate governance, equity compensation, employment agreements, general contract matters, and “company-side” financing agreements
  • Represented “investor-side” financings of startup companies, including financings by convertible notes, Simple Agreements for Future Equity (SAFEs), and early-stage “priced” equity rounds
  • Performed due diligence for angel investor groups related to contract review, corporate governance, and intellectual property
  • Developed plans for product compliance with banking/financial regulations (including the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and the Payments Card Industry Data Security Standard) and real estate compliance (including with various Multiple Listing Services in numerous states)

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

  • Admitted: Texas; Pennsylvania, U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.
  • Education: Cornell University (M.B.A, 2004); Villanova University Law School (J.D., 1998); University of Notre Dame (B.S., 1991).

PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS

  • Registered Investment Adviser (FINRA Series 65), 2015
  • Certified Information Privacy Professional (IAPP), 2019
  • Notre Dame Club of Austin, Treasurer, President, and Board Member, 2009-2013

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

  • Co-author, Computer Agreements Volume, Rabkin & Johnson: Current Legal Forms (LEXIS-NEXIS, 1998–2002)
  • Contributing author, Data Security and Privacy Law (West Group, 2002)
  • Sole Inventor, U.S. Pat. No. 7,357,082
  • Sole Inventor, U.S. Pat. No. 7,525,203
  • Sole Inventor, U.S. Pat. No. 8,784,172
  • Sole Inventor, U.S. Pat. No. 9,737,060

AWARDS AND HONORS

  • Tabbedout – Employee of the Month, 2011
  • Irish Angels investment Group – Due Diligence Award 2013; “Team Player” Award, 2019
  • Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition, 2nd Round Placement, 2019