With a background that includes more than a decade as in-house counsel for an SEC-registered investment manager serving hedge funds and a single-family office focused on venture investing, Robert Purcell combines deep legal knowledge with a practical, commercial approach — making him a trusted advisor for founders, investors and business leaders.
Rob Purcell is a venture capital and family office attorney with more than 25 years of experience advising investors, entrepreneurs and emerging companies. He provides thoughtful, business-focused counsel across a wide variety of private transactions and general corporate matters. Rob’s work is informed by significant operational experience in the investment sector, enabling him to offer clear, practical solutions and to guide clients efficiently through each stage of the deal process.
Rob represents startups, growth-stage companies, and venture investors in venture financings, governance and equity matters, strategic transactions, and ongoing corporate advisory work. He frequently serves as outside general counsel, offering responsive and pragmatic guidance that supports informed decision-making in fast-moving environments. His balanced understanding of both company and investor considerations allows him to facilitate transactions that advance clients’ long-term objectives.
Rob advises family offices and high-net-worth individuals on the structuring, evaluation and execution of private investments across asset classes. His experience leading a single-family office provides him with a deep understanding of the practical demands associated with long-term capital deployment. He also collaborates closely with clients and their advisory teams to design and implement family office structures that ensure investment strategies align with broader wealth-preservation, governance and legacy planning goals.
Before joining Shartsis Friese, Rob served as President and COO of a single-family office, overseeing investments in early and growth-stage companies. He previously served as Associate General Counsel at a prominent investment firm and practiced in the M&A and Capital Markets groups at A&O Shearman LLP and Paul Hastings LLP. Earlier in his career, Rob served as a U.S. Army Military Intelligence officer, experience that informs his disciplined, strategic and solutions-oriented approach to client service.