Skip to main content
People
Jonathan Storper

Jonathan S. Storper

Partner
(415) 995-5040

Intro

Jonathan specializes in corporate transactions. He represents investors and companies from start up through acquisition and also acts as general counsel to many companies. He founded and led Hanson Bridgett’s sustainable law practice, which focuses on developing a more sustainable economy by assisting mission driven companies and high impact investors in a variety of industries. Jonathan represents entities and their investors in connection with business and intellectual property transactions, including formation, finance, contracts, licenses, joint venture and development, mergers and acquisitions, licensing, e-commerce, technology-related matters and general corporate law. He also represents many non-profit charities, foundations, and business associations. He partners with his clients to strategize creative solutions helping them achieve their goals.

Jonathan chaired the legal working group which drafted and advocated for benefit corporation legislation in California. A benefit corporation is a new class of for profit corporation and the first that is required to create a material positive impact on society and the environment and to meet higher standards of accountability and transparency in addition to creating shareholder value. He was selected as the California Lawyer Attorney of the Year for his work on this legislation which is now the law in 36 states and several foreign countries. He is proud that Hanson Bridgett is the first law firm to become a certified B corporation. Hanson Bridgett has received the Top 100 companies Impact Award from Real Leaders for its efforts in creating a purpose-driven company as part of Jonathan's work. In addition, Jonathan has been honored as a Top Impact CEO on the MO 100 list. See http://benefitcorp.net/ and  http://www.bcorporation.net for more information about benefit corporations. 

Previously, Jonathan led the firm's Business Section as well the Corporate Practice Group.

Education

J.D. University of California, Los Angeles School of Law ( 1986 )
B.A. University of North Carolina ( 1982 )

Admissions and Courts

California
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Role

Cannabis Practice Leader

Represented MM Acquisition Co in a California based asset sale to DionyMed Brands, Inc.

Represented Project Cannabis in a major $69 million acquisition deal by Columbia Care.

Represented California-based resort hospitality company in multimillion-dollar sale of multijurisdictional resort operating business.

Represented resort hospitality concession company in multimillion-dollar sale of multistate business operations.

Represented international e-commerce company in a complex, multimillion-dollar purchase of international marketing and information services company

Represented multinational environmental engineering firm in a complex, multimillion-dollar purchase of international engineering and consulting firm focused on coastal, waterfront, and water resources projects.

Represented Alliant International University, a multi-accredited university, in its transition from a nonprofit to a venture backed for-profit benefit corporation.

Represented majority shareholder founder in the $158,000,000 acquisition of Zep Solar by Solar City.

Represented parent in a venture capital financed spin out from parent of multi-patented SaaS based water safety monitoring technology platform into a two-tiered corporate structure (Delaware LLC parent with a Delaware corporate subsidiary) with multiple ongoing post-closing commercial arrangements between parent investor and new companies.

Represented target in a venture capital financed acquisition of New Leaf Community Markets by New Seasons Market, the first B corporation to B corporation merger.

Acted as investment counsel to SJF Ventures, a high impact venture capital fund focused on resource efficiency, sustainability and technology-enhanced services sectors.

Represented Oracle Team USA as outside chief corporate counsel in connection with the 34th America's Cup.

Represented target in a merger between Software AG, a German public company and Longjump, a software company focused on cloud, mobile, social collaboration and big data.

Represented Sony Computer Entertainment negotiating multi-million dollar commercial transaction with AT&T to bring 3G service to PlayStation portable gaming device.

Represented America's Cup Event Authority negotiating various multi-million dollar e-commerce, licensing, and media sponsorship transactions in connection with the 34th America's Cup.

Represented joint venture technology company negotiating and drafting complex, strategic, high-growth technology joint ventures with AT&T, Cisco, and Hewlett-Packard.

Represented issuer in a $175,000,000 New York Stock Exchange initial public offering and secondary offerings (NYSE: ARC).

Represented borrower in a $220,000,000 senior secured high yield debt offering.

Represented taxpayer in a nine month negotiation with IRS for offer in compromise on tax settlement of 3.5 cents on the dollar.

Benefit Company Bar Association, Member

California Legal Working Group for Benefit Corporations, Co-Chair

Bar Association of San Francisco, Member

Barristers Club of San Francisco, former President

Bar Association of San Francisco Foundation, former Board of Directors Member

American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, former Executive Council Member

"Musk’s xAI Incorporates as Benefit Corporation With 'Positive Impact’ Goal," The Information (December 2023)

"Table of Experts: How to Embrace Sustainability Practices in an Evolving Regulatory Environment," San Francisco Business Times (September 2022)

Episode #41 — Benefit Corporations with Jonathan Storper,” Sensiba San Filippo / Rebooting Capitalism (July 2022)

"Cannabis Law Attorneys Stay Busy to Keep Pace with Industry Growth," Of Counsel (April 2022)

"Hanson Bridgett gets 6th B Corp certification," Daily Journal (April 2022)

Longtime Marin County Cannabis Advocate Looks Back on Legacy of California Legalization,” North Bay Business Times (November 2021)

Columbia Care Acquires California's Project Cannabis,” Cannabis Business Times (December 2020)

"Higher Law: Who Got the Work," Law.com (December 2020)

"R&D Tax Credit: A Viable Option to Reduce Tax Burdens?," Cannabis Business Times (December 2020)

"What You Need To Know About Investing In Marijuana With A Biden-Harris Win," The Fresh Toast (November 2020)

"Six Months After Legalization, Canada’s Cannabis Edibles Market is Stalled: ‘We’re Just at the Beginning of Professionalizing this Industry," Beverage Daily (April 2020)

"Publicly Traded Canadian Producers Are Fueling M&A Growth in the U.S.," Cannabis Business Times (September 2019)

"DionyMed Acquires California Cannabis Company Through REIT Transaction," Cannabis Dispensary (August 2019)

"Mark Zuckerberg May Finally Be Doing Philanthropy The Right Way," Huffpost Business (December 2015)

"Eased Capital-Raising Rules Won't Crowd Out PE Firms," The Deal (November 2015)

"Impact Investing Goes Mainstream; Is It Time You Thought About It?" Forbes (June 2015)

"Etsy's Planned IPO Brings Benefit Corps Into Sharp Focus," Law360 (March 2015)

"Hanson Bridgett handles water infrastructure company formation," Daily Journal Deals (January 2015)

"Interview: Jonathan Storper, Partner at Hanson Bridgett LLP and Involved in Passage of CA Benefit Corporation Legislation," Innov8Social (March 2013)

"Hanson Bridgett: Official Outside Counsel to the America's Cup," San Francisco Attorney (Summer 2012)

"Benefit Corporations in California,"KCUI Radio(November 2011)

"Sustainable Hanson practices what it preaches," San Francisco Business Times (July 2011)

"Making the B List," Stanford Social Innovation Review (Summer 2009)

"Silicon Valley law firms ramp up for economic recovery practices," Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal (March 2009)

"A Social Solution, Without Going the Nonprofit Route," The New York Times (March 2009)

"Seeing Green," Fast Casual Magazine (February 2009)

"GREEN PRACTICES: Green Law: Policymakers explore tariff systems," North Bay Business Journal (November 2008)

"Green Labeling: Are Products Tagged 'Eco-Friendly' Really Environmentally Correct?" Sustainability: The Journal of Record (October 2008)

"Triple Threat," Sustainable Industries (September 2008)

"Interview with Jonathan Storper, Partner, Hanson Bridgett," GreenBusinessInnovators.com (September 2008)

"California Bill Vets Triple Bottom Lines," Sustainable Industries (July 2008)

"Risks of Going Green," GC California (June 2008)

"Adding the Environment to the Scales of Justice,"GreenBiz.com (May 2008)

"Shielding the Green," The Recorder (April 2008)

"'Green' is Hot for Storage Managers," InternetNews.com and EnterpriseStorageForum.com (August 2007)

"Anywhere But Here: The Merits and Perils of Offshoring and Its Consequences for the North Bay," Northbay Biz (September 2005)

MO 100 Top Impact CEO List (2021-2024)

Lawyers of Distinction (2021)

Cannabis Law Report & Cannabis Law Journal, Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers (2020-2024)

American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell™, Top Rated Lawyer in Intellectual Property (2012, 2013, 2020) 

American Lawyer Media, Top Rated Lawyer in Northern California (2019)

San Francisco’s Top-Rated Lawyers (20122013)

Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent® (2023-2024)

Super Lawyers, Business Law (20062008)

American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, Fellow