Biography

Dan Cohn’s diverse practice, which spans over three decades, includes wine and agriculture clients, sports and entertainment, and a general corporate clientele. He is one of the founders of the firm’s Wine Country office, in St. Helena, California, and a founder of our Private Client practice group. For many years, he was also chair of the firm’s Commercial and Business Department.

His wine and agriculture practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions involving closely-held or family businesses. When a purchase, sale, or other transaction requires a change in an enterprise that has been in a family for a long time, a host of other factors are implicated, including family dynamics, succession planning, and often, long standing disagreements.

Dan is skilled and experienced at guiding clients through transactions that require complex multigenerational plans and accommodation of different priorities. His approach is to seek out a solution that works for all stakeholders, often utilizing innovative financing structures or approaches to arrive at an equitable outcome. He has counseled clients through a wide range of wine and agriculture transactions, including grape purchase contracts, vineyard leases, and the purchase and sale of wineries, wine brands and wine portfolios. He also represents wine country entrepreneurs.

In his sports and entertainment practice, Dan has acted as a trusted advisor to executives and the ownership groups of professional sports teams. He has assisted clients with the purchase and sale of franchises, with contract negotiation, and with general business and legal counseling.

Dan also maintains a general corporate practice, acting as corporate counsel for business clients. He has a depth of experience in family business succession matters and substantial experience with both structuring closely held corporations and negotiating and documenting shareholder buyouts in closely held corporations.

In working with clients, Dan is a genuinely trusted advisor. He’s a really good listener. He’s able to discern objectives quickly, and is scrupulous about keeping client objectives ahead of his own. He’s proactive – he doesn’t always wait for the client to lead; but when circumstances and his judgment dictate it, will lead hand in hand with the client. Perhaps, most importantly, he’s likable, calm, and always professional, with the ability to find common ground in almost any situation. After three decades of experience, often involving some of the thorniest interfamily issues imaginable, he is a uniquely effective counselor and adviser.

Distinctions

  • The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Corporate Law for (2018-2023)

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Board of Directors, American Friends of Tel Aviv University (AFTAU) (2020-present)
  • Board of Directors, Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco (2019-2020)
  • Hospice by the Bay, Trustee, Chair of the Board of Directors (2018-present)
  • Attorneys for Family Held Enterprises
  • Family Firm Institute; Certificate in Family Business Advising, (2009)
  • American Conservatory Theatre, Trustee and Secretary (2008-2018)

Firm Highlights

News

Farella Affirms Commitment to Downtown San Francisco With Office Move

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Publication

Office-to-Housing Conversion: State and Local Efforts to Revitalize the Downtown

Originally published in The Registry . As office vacancies soar in traditional downtown areas like San Francisco’s Financial District, state and local officials are moving quickly to adopt incentives they hope will bring people...

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News

Big Tech Breathes Sigh of Relief After Justices' Terror Rulings

Erik Olson spoke to Law360 for the article "Big Tech Breathes Sigh of Relief After Justices' Terror Rulings," covering the U.S. Supreme Court's decision not to review whether Section 230 insulates online platforms from...

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Publication

Trends Guest Editorial: Wildfires and Wineries

Link to the article in Gradient's Trends  Spring 2023 newsletter. Recurring wildfires in the Napa and Sonoma Counties of California have created a set of niche problems for the surrounding wineries, on top of...

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Event

Bisnow: San Francisco State of the Market

Ashley Breakfield will moderate the panel "Revitalizing San Francisco" at Bisnow's “San Francisco State of the Market" event. Click  here  for more information.

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News

Jim Day Named Among Daily Journal’s Top IP Lawyers in California

James Day Headshot
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Publication

Nonprofit Basics: Meeting Minutes Best Practices

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . This episode focuses on documenting decisions made at meetings of a nonprofit organization's board of directors or trustees. While everyone who attends a...

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Publication

Nonprofit Basics: Federal Tax Filing Deadlines and Penalties

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . This episode focuses on the importance of meeting the federal tax filing deadlines that apply to charitable organizations. Most charitable organizations that are...

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News

Legal experts say Google, Twitter and other tech companies dodged a bullet at the Supreme Court

Erik Olson spoke to Silicon Valley Business Journal for the article "Legal experts say Google, Twitter and other tech companies dodged a bullet at the Supreme Court." The Supreme Court avoided taking a stand...

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Event

Cross Border M&A in the California Market

Drew Goodwin will moderate the panel "Cross Border M&A in the California Market" at the Association for Corporate Growth's M&A West conference.  Session Overview: Cross-border M&A transactions in California and across the United States continue to offer...

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