Joel Ruffini

Special Counsel

  • Joel Ruffini
  • Phone: +1 215 979 1219

    Joel Ruffini - LinkedIn Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    30 South 17th Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19103-4196
    USA

Joel Ruffini practices in the area of corporate law, representing entrepreneurs and emerging growth companies from entity formation through exit, and investors in financing transactions. 

Mr. Ruffini regularly represents startups and investors in capital raising transactions, including angel, seed, venture capital, growth equity, and strategic financing transactions. He has counseled startups and investors in hundreds of early-stage financing transactions using convertible notes, SAFEs, and preferred equity structures. As counsel to emerging growth companies, he helps companies with commercial contracts, corporate governance, and other issues they face in their business operations.

A significant portion of Mr. Ruffini’s practice involves advising venture capital funds, private equity funds, crossover funds, and other institutional investors in connection with their investments in startups and other growth stage private companies. His private equity experience includes growth equity investments, secondary sale transactions, recapitalization transactions, structured equity investments, buyout transactions, minority equity investments, and other complex financing transactions.

In addition to his experience in investment transactions, Mr. Ruffini also represents buyers and sellers in a variety of mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions.

Areas of Practice

  • Corporate Law
  • Venture Capital/Private Equity
  • Emerging Companies
  • Mergers and Acquisitions

Representative Matters

    Private Equity and Growth Equity Transactions

  • Represented institutional investor in an equity investment in a regulated financial institution with total transaction proceeds in excess of $600 million.

  • Represented institutional investor in a growth equity financing round for a carrier rocket and launch systems technology company.

  • Represented institutional investor in a $175 million financing transaction for a pharmaceutical development company.

  • Represented investor in a recapitalization and $150 million pay-to-play financing transaction for a company in the on-demand delivery space.

  • Represented strategic investor as a co-lead investor in a $150 million capital raising transaction for a lithium-ion battery cell manufacturer.

  • Represented crossover fund as lead investor in a $105 million preferred stock financing for a vacation home rental company.

  • Represented a company in the non-fungible token (NFT) space in multiple rounds of financing transactions totaling over $100 million in invested capital including a $65 million growth equity financing transaction.

  • Represented health and fitness company in corporate reorganization and $73 million secondary transaction in preparation for a SPAC transaction.

  • Represented financial lending company and its subsidiary as target in private equity transaction involving approximately $63 million in debt and equity financing.

  • Represented private equity fund as a lead investor in a growth equity financing and debt recapitalization transaction.

  • Represented enterprise software company in a growth equity and secondary financing transaction.

  • Represented healthcare software company in a $21 million growth equity financing transaction including $6 million of secondary transactions.

  • Represented private equity fund in connection with a debt and equity issuance transaction.

  • Represented crossover fund in a $15 million preferred stock financing for a financial services and technology company.

  • Represented internet of things company in a change of control transaction involving $8 million in growth equity financing and secondary transaction proceeds.

  • Represented enterprise software company in $7 million growth equity financing and secondary transaction.

    • Venture Capital Financing Transactions

  • Represented autonomous flight system company in financing transactions totaling $21 million from strategic investors in the aerospace, defense, and construction industries.

  • Represented data analytics company in financing transactions totaling $18 million.

  • Represented telemedicine company in financing transactions totaling $13 million in invested capital.

  • Represented a publicly traded retail company in a $12 million strategic investment in an esports company.

  • Represented insurtech company in a $10 million Series A financing transaction, $1.76 million Series Seed financing transaction, convertible debt financing transaction, and venture debt financing transaction.

  • Represented event planning software company in multiple rounds of financing transactions.

  • Represented venture capital fund in a $10 million Series B financing transaction for a consumer facing software company.

  • Represented consumer brand focused venture capital fund as lead investor in a Series B financing transaction for a makeup company.

  • Represented blockchain technology company in financing transactions raising over $10 million.

  • Represented artificial intelligence technology company in $10 million Series A financing transaction.

  • Represented healthcare technology company in multiple rounds of financing transactions totaling over $10 million in invested capital.

  • Represented ecommerce company in financing transactions totaling over $10 million.

  • Represented furniture marketplace company in financing transactions totaling over $10 million.

  • Represented personal safety technology company in financing transactions totaling over $10 million.

  • Represented organic food company in $9 million convertible security financing transaction.

    • Mergers and Acquisitions

  • Represented healthcare data analytics company as target in a $30 million acquisition.

  • Represented technology company as target in a merger valued at $30 million including roll-over equity with a subsidiary of a private equity backed platform company.

  • Represented technology company as target in a sale of equity interests to a private equity backed platform company.

  • Represented an engineering software and consulting company as seller in a $17 million asset purchase transaction to a private equity backed platform company.

  • Represented software company as target in a merger valued at $15 million including roll-over equity.

  • Represented seller in the sale of equity interests to a public company purchaser with total sale proceeds of approximately $12 million plus earnout amounts.

  • Represented software company with operations in the US and Mexico in an acquisition by an Australian buyer.

  • Represented linen service company as a buyer in a series of multi-million dollar acquisitions.

  • Represented medical practice as seller of certain assets to a private equity backed healthcare management company. 

  • Represented private equity fund in a series of acquisition proposals, and as seller in the disposition of a portfolio company.

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania
  • New Jersey

Education

  • Drexel University, Thomas R. Kline School of Law, J.D., 2014
  • University of Minnesota, B.S., Psychology, 2011
  • University of Minnesota, B.A., History, 2011

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Special Counsel, 2024-present
    - Associate, 2021-2024
  • Cozen O’Connor
    - Associate, 2020-2021
  • Baer Crossey McDemus LLC
    - Associate, 2016-2020
  • Ruffini Law LLC
    - Attorney, 2014-2016

Professional Activities

  • Philadelphia Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
    - Business Law Section