About

Career Overview

Mark Radcliffe retired in August 2023, concluding over forty years of legal practice in Silicon Valley. His career was marked by a deep commitment to startups and multinational companies alike, focusing on the intersection of law and innovative technologies.

Innovations in Legal Framework

Throughout the decades, Mark has played a pivotal role in shaping the legal landscape for technology:

1980s: Spearheaded the development of legal frameworks for software protection and licensing.
1990s: Developed the first domain dispute resolution policy for Network Solutions, a cornerstone of today’s ICANN policy.
2000s: Assisted in the “open-sourcing” of Sun Microsystems, Inc.’s Solaris operating system and served as outside general counsel (pro bono) for the Open Source Initiative (the organization that determines which licenses are “open source”).
2010s: Assisted in developing some of the legal frameworks for financing crypto companies, including issuing tokens to comply with the evolving law. He started and served as Co-Chair DLA Piper’s Blockchain and Digital Assets practice.
2020s: Co-authored the “Can’t Be Evil” licenses on behalf of a16z for NFTs and advised startups and multinationals on the integration of NFTs into their business strategies.

Impact on Startups and Corporations

Mark’s legal expertise spans intellectual property and finance matters, where he has:

Represented hundreds of startups and multinational corporations.
Participated in approximately 750 venture fundings.
Attended over 900 board meetings.
Started and led the Corporate Venture Capital practice at DLA Piper, growing it into the world’s largest CVC practice.
Served on the board of Innovaro, a NYSE company, focusing on spinning out corporate innovations to found startups.
Served on the Board of Trustees of the Private Shares Fund (formerly the SharesPost 100 Fund), a publicly traded mutual fund investing in late-stage venture capital startups with nearly $1 billion in assets. He has chaired the Valuation Committee since the fund’s beginning.

Global Influence and Contributions

Mark’s influence extends beyond the United States:

Worked extensively with startups from outside the U.S., understanding the unique challenges they face in Silicon Valley.
Contributed to the development of international startup practices at DLA Piper, leveraging the firm’s global offices.
Played a significant role as the US Private Sector Co-Chair for the US-Japan Innovation and Entrepreneurship Council organized by the Department of State and METI. He was instrumental in studying and proposing enhancements to the Japanese venture ecosystem.

Mark Radcliffe’s career is a testament to his focus on the intersection of legal and business aspects of technology and innovation, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to the growth and support of innovative businesses around the globe.