We’re entrepreneurs,
just like you.
Menlo Law Group™ is uniquely run by lawyers who value relationships over the standard legal model. Proudly un-law-firm-ish, we’re always responsive but never in the way.
George Portugal
Our founder, George Portugal, has over twenty years of experience working with innovative technology companies of all stages. George has served as Chief Legal Officer for a publicly traded company, and held senior legal positions in leading technology companies. George prides himself on his ability to provide solutions-oriented legal advice in a way that clients can understand, evaluate and apply. A true technologist at heart, George is passionate about technology and enjoys helping clients navigate legal challenges to reach business goals.
Education
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
Juris Doctor, 1997
University of San Francisco
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, 1993
Bar Admission
California State Bar Member, 1997
Dani Fontanesi
As a seasoned Silicon Valley attorney, Dani is redefining the legal industry across the startup and tech world. Her innovative approach to navigating legal risk allows her clients to move quickly, scale efficiently, and minimize exposure, all while minimizing costs.
Dani’s portfolio of clients includes early stage and rapid growth companies backed by some of the top investors in the world -- Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Y Combinator, Redpoint, Sound Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and Founders Fund.
Dani’s in-house experience includes serving as Associate General Counsel of a multibillion dollar, publicly traded company. She was also lead in-house counsel of an Andreessen Horowitz backed tech company in San Francisco. Dani has had a distinguished legal career, beginning in 2007 when she was awarded the Scholar in Law Award, a $90,000 merit-based scholarship, from a top tier law school. Since then, Dani has focused her career helping businesses of all sizes navigate their legal risk -- from startups to multinationals.
Donna Fabian
As a Registered Patent Attorney with an extensive background in both business and IP-related issues, Donna brings a unique perspective to Menlo Law Group’s Legal team. With over 12 years experience in technology law, intellectual property matters, patents, trademarks, and general business and legal matters, Donna is well-versed in the critical legal issues that startups and founders need to propel their business to the next level. Whether she’s negotiating tech transactions or advising on patent portfolio creation, growth, management, and strategy, Donna delivers exceptional quality work and outstanding legal services to our clients.
Donna’s technical expertise includes cloud-based data analysis software, IoT/bluetooth device hardware and software, navigation software, robotics, mechanical devices, nanotechnology, quantum dots, nanowires, electronics, mechatronics, optics, optoelectronics, biosensors, biotechnology, medical devices, fluidics, mechanical devices, among others.
Chris Sozzi
Chris is a seasoned lawyer who has advised some of the most strategic and notable companies in the high technology sector. Prior clients include Google, Meta / WhatsApp, NetApp, Extreme Networks, Sun Microsystems, Ariba, Acer and many others. Chris holds extensive legal experience supporting varied and complex high-tech business, compliance, commercial, licensing and corporate initiatives.
Chris’s specialties include technology / IP licensing, including cloud computing, SaaS / CPaaS and associated complex sales / channel sales model design and negotiation. Chris has also led various inhouse legal initiatives in areas including corporate governance and SOX compliance management; M&A and related integration management; global trade and compliance (incl. anti-corruption, export control and competition law); product counseling; data privacy / data governance and related compliance program design and integration. He also has overseen implementation and lobbied in relation to governmental contracting and compliance work (both US federal, state / local / education and international) and within target vertical markets such as security and fintech sectors.
Emerson Whatley
As a startup attorney, Emerson Whatley brings extensive real-world experience in technology and entrepreneurship to a law practice that spans entity formation, mergers and partnerships and intellectual property. Emerson often acts as outside counsel to startups and emerging growth businesses—a trusted advisor on transactions and litigation.
Prior to practicing law, Emerson served in executive and founder roles that included being principal in a technology consulting firm and a contract Chief Technical Architect who specialized in storage and virtualization across platforms like Citrix, Oracle and VMWare. He was also a Principal Engineer for the City and County of San Francisco’s IT department. Emerson has also presented on Data Protection Strategies at Storage World and authored training modules for the IEEE on Software Defined Networking, and the ONOS Open Source SDN Controller.
Emerson earned American Jurisprudence Awards in Corporations and Constitutional Law while attending the University of California Hastings College of the Law. He clerked at the California Supreme Court in the Criminal Division. At the same time, Emerson worked in the Court’s technology department and wrote articles for the department newsletter.
Neelakshi Govind
Neelakshi is a seasoned attorney with over 10 years of experience, having worked as a sole legal counsel at a startup, as Product Counsel at a publicly traded company, and as outside counsel for venture-backed startups. This diverse background has provided her with a deep understanding of the legal issues and unique challenges faced by businesses at different stages of growth. Neelakshi strives to understand business goals and challenges, allowing her to provide guidance that enables companies to make informed decisions while minimizing legal risks.
