Susan Mac Cormac is a partner in the Corporate Group of Morrison & Foerster's San Francisco office. She currently serves as co-chair of the Cleantech Group and was recently appointed as co-chair of the firm's Business Department.
Ms. Mac Cormac has extensive experience representing start-up to late-stage private companies primarily in the Cleantech or Sustainable space. She provides corporate and finance advice in connection with mergers, acquisitions, asset purchases and sales, reorganizations, joint ventures, and equity and debt financings. She regularly advises boards of private and public companies, special committees, and CEOs on corporate governance and Corporate Social Responsibility ("CSR") issues and has joined the faculty (teaching on issues of sustainability and corporate governance) at both the Stanford Director's College and the Northwestern Corporate Counsel Institute. Ms. Mac Cormac also represents nonprofit corporations involved with Sustainability and CSR, providing advice to their boards on fiduciary issues, conflicts of interest, and other corporate matters.
Ms. Mac Cormac's representative Cleantech clients include Advanced Refining Concepts, Altra Biofuels, Agile Waves, Arcadia, Articulated Technologies, Bulk Handling Systems, ClimateEarth, driptech, ENXSuite, Micromidas, NextLight, OneSun, and Veristeel. Her representative sustainable and social enterprise company clients include BeDo, Digital Divide Data, 18 Rabbits, Revolution Foods, and SourceTrace. Her representative public company clients include Fujitsu and Konica-Minolta. Her nonprofit clients include the Biomimicry Institute, Business for Social Responsibility, Goodwill, Natural Heritage Institute, Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council, Rising Sun Energy, and RSF Social Finance. Her venture fund clients include Darwin Venture Fund-of-Funds, Pacific Community Ventures, Pathways Capital Partners, and RSF Social Finance.
After working in New York for three years, Ms. Mac Cormac joined the Firm as an associate in 1997 and became a partner in 2001. Ms. Mac Cormac was born in Davidson, North Carolina, and graduated in 1988 from Williams College with a degree in Political Economy. She received her J.D. and LL.M. degrees from Duke University School of Law in 1993. Ms. Mac Cormac lives in the Presidio National Park with her husband and three young boys (Eddie, Alex, and Matthew).
Ms. Mac Cormac was selected by her peers for Best Lawyers in America 2011. She was also recognized by clients in Legal 500 United States 2009 and 2010 for her expertise working with venture capitalists and emerging companies. Clients say "you cannot get a better corporate counsel," Ms. Mac Cormac "'understands the big picture, could not be more responsive, and understands the business." Ms. Mac Cormac is a co-chair of the Clean Technology & Climate Change Committee for the ABA Section of Science & Technology Law. She is on the Board of Directors of the Biomimicry Institute. She is admitted to practice in both California and New York.
Advanced Refining Concepts
Advanced Refining Concepts converts waste into energy. We provide corporate and intellectual property advice as they start manufacturing and selling into the U.S. market.
Altra Biofuels
Altra is a large manufacturer and developer of renewable biofuels. We provide ongoing general corporate advice in connection with mergers and acquisitions. Further, we advised on the sale of cellulosic technology by Altra to EdenIQ, Inc., in return for cash and stock consideration and recent restructuring and debt and equity financings.
Agile Waves
Agile Waves provides technology solutions to measure electric, gas, and water consumption at a home or business, calculates its carbon footprint in real time, and makes this information readily available on a wall-mounted touchscreen or webpage. We provide advice on corporate matters.
Arcadia
Arcadia is developing agricultural products to capitalize on opportunities to benefit the environment and enhance human health. Arcadia is specifically working to establish the groundwork for a carbon credit methodology in China and other countries applicable to nitrogen-efficient crops. We provide general corporate and financing advice and advice in connection with mergers and acquisitions.
Biosignal
Biosignal is a biomimicry company that offers antibacterial solutions across a broad range of applications, from industrial to therapeutics. We provide general corporate, intellectual property and tax advice.
Carbonetworks
Carbonetworks provides software tracking for carbon emissions and a trading platform for carbon credits. We provide general corporate, technology transaction, securities, and assisted with their Series A financing.
driptech, inc.
driptech, inc. creates affordable drip irrigation for small farmers in developing countries. We represent driptech in general corporate matters, including incorporation, start-up, financing, and intellectual property advice.
ElectraTherm
ElectraTherm is a provider of technology that captures waste heat and pressure to provide zero emissions electricity. We represent ElectraTherm in intellectual property issues and on corporate, technology, and commercial transactions.
Micromidas
Micromidas is a bio-plastics company that uses novel biological reactions to convert waste streams like municipal waste water, agricultural, and food waste, into pure-grade polyhydroxylalkanoate (PHA) that can be competitively priced compared to petroleum plastics. We represented Micromidas in the closing of its Series A financing. We also advise Micromidas on patent strategy and general corporate matters.
Photon Energy Systems
Photon Energy Systems is a nano-solar company to which we provide general corporate and financing advice.
Veristeel, Inc.
Veristeel, Inc. manufactures structural panels that are designed to provide manufacturers of mobile/modular offices, classrooms, manufactured housing, and other factory-built structures with a superior, lightweight structural sub-floor and roof panel and achieve LEED certification. We assisted this company with its formation, purchase of assets required for manufacturing, and several rounds of financing. We provide ongoing general corporate advice.
Divinely D'Lish/18 Rabbits
Divinely D'Lish/18 Rabbits produces top-quality organic granola and granola bars that are sold in Peet's Coffees, Whole Foods, and many other retail locations. We provide general corporate advice in connection with the operations of the company and private placements.
MicroEnergy Credit Corporation
MicroEnergy Credit Corporation was established by several principals of Grameen Bank to aggregate emissions reductions created by enabling customers of microfinance institutions in developing countries to improve their daily lives by purchasing clean energy technologies. We represent MicroEnergy Credit Corporation in general corporate and intellectual property matters.
Resdida Development, Inc.
Resdida Development, Inc. provides poor communities, creators of participatory media, local artists, and community focused organizations with communications platforms and devices that are focused on the needs of marginalized people in the developing world, in order to increase distribution of critical content, access to knowledge, and community voice. We reprersent Resdida Development in general corporate, financing, and intellectual property matters.
Revolution Foods
Revolution Foods transforms school food service by providing healthy food, nutrition education, and operational support for schools in California. We serve as outside corporate counsel to the company and provide intellectual property, trademark, tax, employment, and other legal support. We assisted with their Series B, Series C, and Series D private placements. Revolution Foods was recognized in 2008 by Social Venture Networks (SVN) as one of six recipients of the 2nd Annual SVN Innovation Awards.
Small Potatoes Urban Delivery (SPUD)
Small Potatoes Urban Delivery (SPUD) offers organic home food delivery services throughout Canada. We have assisted SPUD in its acquisition (through stock and asset purchases) of other organic home delivery companies in the United States.
Biomimicry Institute
Biomimicry Institute is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to naturalize biomimicry in the culture by promoting ideas, designs, and strategies from biology to sustainable human systems design. We are working with the Biomimicry Institute and the Biomimicry Guild to develop and implement their intellectual property strategy including patents, trademarks, and trade secrets with respect to the Nature's 100 Best and provide general corporate advice in connection with the commercialization of the nature-inspired ideas.
Business for Social Responsibility
Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) provides information, tools, training, and advisory services to make corporate social responsibility an integral part of business operations and strategies. We serve as outside general counsel to BSR and provide a wide array of general corporate, intellectual property, tax, and employment services. We also assisted BSR in the establishmnet of the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct, advising on anti-trust and other legal considerations.
Chemical Strategies Partnership
Chemical Strategies Partnership (CSP) seeks to reduce chemical use, waste, risks, and costs through transformation of the chemical supply chain. We are assisting CSP in preparing forms of outsourcing agreements.
Fujitsu
Fujitsu has established a $35 million fund from surplus litigation settlement funds. We have assisted Fujitsu in establishing a program to use those funds to purchase Fujitsu products and equipment and to donate the same to schools, hospitals, and other nonprofit organizations. We provide continuing corporate, tax, and other support for the grant program.
Goodwill
Goodwill has established a joint venture with the founder of Joe Boxer to manufacture and sell reconstituted clothing. We are assisting with the formation of the joint venture, including establishment of the most appropriate legal form and preparation of necessary documentation.
Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council
Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council was established to oversee and carry out the Land Conservation Committment established by the Settlement Agreement and Stipulation by and between PG&E and the California Public Utilities Commission and to provide funds for the purpose of providing a wilderness experience for urban youth. We serve as outside corporate counsel for this nonprofit corporation and provide advice on a wide array of legal issues related to the structure of the foundation, corporate governance, conflicts of interest and fiduciary duties, grant-making, employment, land use, and environmental.
RSF Social Finance
RSF Social Finance provides socially responsible investors, donors, for-benefit organizations, and social enterprises innovative investing, lending, and philanthropic services to promote environmental, social, and economic sustainability. We provide general corporate, structuring, finance and contract advice to RSP Social Finance.
Darwin Venture Fund-of-Funds
Darwin Venture Fund-of-Funds is a fund-of-funds. We have represented the managing member in the formation, structuring, and documentation of its first two funds.
Pacific Community Ventures
Pacific Community Ventures provides resources and capital to businesses that have the potential to bring significant economic gains to low/moderate, income communities. We have represented the managing member in the formation, structuring, and documentation of its second and third double-bottom-line socially responsible funds. We provide continuing general corporate, structuring, and governance advice.
Natural Heritage Institute
Natural Heritage Institute (NHI) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 1989 by a group of experienced conservation lawyers and scientists who foresaw the need for a toolkit for the next era of environmental problem-solving. NHI's core mission is to restore and protect the natural functions that support water-dependent ecosystems and the services they provide to sustain and enrich human life. We represent NHI in general corporate matters.
OneSun
OneSun has designed a new dual sided solar panel technology. We advise OneSun on general corporate matters and patent strategy.
NextLight Renewable Power
NextLight Renewable Power is a renewable energy company focused primarily on utility-scale solar development in the western United States. We advise NextLight on project joint ventures and project acquisitions for renewable energy technologies. We also advise NextLight on Department of Energy loan guarantee applications, environmental, land use, real estate, and employment aspects for the development of solar generation facilities, including compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act, the federal and California Endangered Species Act, the Williamson Act, and local zoning and related laws and regulations.
ENXSuite
ENXSuite provides energy management software solutions. We provide general corporate, technology transaction, securities, and assisted with their Series A and Series B financings.
Rising Sun Energy Center
Rising Sun Energy Center, a 501(c) nonprofit organization, based in Berkeley, California has evolved from a modest renewable energy education center into a leading green workforce development and retrofit services organization which operates programs across ten cities in the Bay Area. We represent Rising Sun Energy Center in general corporate matters.
Articulated Technologies
Articulated Technologies is a dynamic, growing company focused on the development of new manufacturing technologies and methods, and device structures that span a diverse set of OLED solar, OLED and LED lighting, displays, printed electronics, backlighting, and LED solid state lighting solutions. We provide general corporate and financing advice and advice in connection with commercial litigation.
Brightpath Capital Partners
Brightpath Capital Partners is a venture fund focused on investments in socially responsible and sustainable companies, particularly those with a focus on employment in low-income areas. We represent this venture fund in connection with its formation and investments in socially responsible and sustainable companies.
Bulk Handling Systems/Zero Waste Energy Development Co.
We represent Bulk Handling Systems (“BHS”) and Zero Waste Energy Development Co. (“ZWED”) with the formation of a new joint venture company. We represent the new renewable energy company which will develop, build, own, and operate facilities that produce and sell power, biogas, and compost utilizing thermal conversion technologies and transportation fuel technologies with organic waste, solid waste as feedstocks. We also represent BHS and ZWED regarding corporate, intellectual property, transactional, financing, and all other legal issues for the entity. BHS designs, manufactures and sells mechanical waste separation and processing systems on a world-wide basis. ZWED is a solid waste and recycling company.
Climate Earth, Inc.
Climate Earth, Inc. provides a turnkey solution for carbon accounting by looking at a company’s greenhouse gas emissions–direct, indirect, and across a companies supply chain. Climate Earth offers a subscription service to companies for detailed statements and intuitive analytics for better carbon management. We provide advice on corporate, commercial, and intellectual property matters.