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 (2018-2024)

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

Publication

Nonprofit Basics: Unpacking Prudent Investments, PRIs and MRIs

Welcome to  EO Radio Show - Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . Episode 73 discusses frequently used terms in the nonprofit world pertaining to investment activities. Public charity and private foundation directors and officers need...

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Publication

Corporate Transparency Act: A Guide on Beneficial Ownership for Nonprofit Executives

The Corporate Transparency Act, enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, represents a significant shift in regulatory requirements for entities across the United States. This act, set to...

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News

Farella Announces 2024 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Pathfinders: Taylor Rottjakob and John Ugai

Farella Braun + Martel is proud to announce that senior associates  Taylor E. Rottjakob and John M. Ugai have been named 2024 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Pathfinders. Pathfinders have been identified as...

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Publication

Achieving Compatibility Between Solar Project Developers and Mineral Estate Holders

By Dirk R. Mueller , Alyssa Netto , and Will Russ Texas and California lead the country in terms of solar energy generating capacity while also maintaining major oil and gas production operations, which...

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News

Winston Liaw Named a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow

Northern California legal powerhouse Farella Braun + Martel is proud to announce that Winston Liaw has been named a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellow for 2024. Winston joins a select group of...

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News

Lawdragon Names 7 Farella Lawyers Among “Leaders in Environmental Law”

Northern California legal powerhouse Farella Braun + Martel is pleased to announce that seven lawyers were selected to The Lawdragon Green 500: 2024 Leaders in Environmental Law . Farella lawyers selected for inclusion: Sarah...

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News

Brookfield Forecloses on 2,150-Unit Veritas Portfolio With Uncontested $464M Bid

Restructuring, insolvency, and creditors rights partner Gary Kaplan provided expert commentary in The Real Deal  article, "Brookfield forecloses on 2,150-unit Veritas portfolio with uncontested $464M bid." Read the full article  here  (subscription may be...

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Publication

California AI Proposal Rethinks Consumer Scope and Recordkeeping

The California Privacy Protection Agency will revisit its  draft  regulations for automated decision-making technology on March 8, including use of artificial intelligence to process personal information. Comment periods should be coming soon in 2024...

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News

Scraping Battles: Meta Loses Legal Effort to Halt Harvesting of Personal Profiles

Alex Reese spoke to Matt Fleischer-Black of  Cybersecurity Law Report about the Meta v. Bright Data decision and its impact on U.S. scraping case law. Read the article here (paywall or trial).

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Publication

Employment Law Update for Nonprofits With Holly Sutton

Welcome to  EO Radio Show - Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . Charities, foundations, and their founders often request help addressing employment practices and compliance questions. In this episode, host Cynthia Rowland is joined by Holly...

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