Walter Chen Email & Phone Number

San Francisco, Ca, Us

• Provide expert legal advice and counsel to senior management on a wide range of legal issues relating to LIIF’s business and operations.• Manage the relationship with, and draft and negotiate inbound and outbound grant agreements for, LIIF’s Early Care & Education team, resulting in a 3x increase in grant dollars awarded and 20x increase in number of grants awarded year-over-year.• Negotiate lending agreements with national and international banks and foundations resulting in over $150,000,000 of available capital for LIIF’s lending business. • Advise LIIF’s program team on the creation of the Black Capital Developers Initiative, a special purpose credit program (SPCP) designed to assist black developers expand their businesses and serve their communities.• Preside over firmwide compliance with LIIF’s personally identifiable information (PII) and other cybersecurity policies as a member of LIIF’s PII oversight committee. • Managed the legal aspects of a M&A transaction with another non-profit resulting in the addition of a new business line.• Develop processes and present firmwide training for compliance with Anti-Money Laundering laws and employment laws like worker classification under California Assembly Bill 5.• Oversee LIIF’s insurance coverage and work cross-functionally with finance, human resources, and lending teams to complete applications for LIIF’s annual insurance policy renewals.• Facilitate increased vendor diversity spend and increased awareness regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues as a member of LIIF’s Social Justice and Racial Equity team.

St. Louis, Missouri, Us

Prior to the acquisition of Loring Ward, I was the head of the legal team and corporate secretary, directly reporting to the CFO. I advised executive management and the Board of Directors on all corporate governance, investment advisory, employment, and commercial issues, including contract negotiation, regulatory advice, litigation oversight, administration of the company stock option plan, and management of the legal budget, including one direct report. I managed all sell-side legal aspects of the acquisition of Loring Ward, including reviewing and negotiating the merger agreement and ancillary documents, corresponding with shareholders, assigning client and vendor agreements, conducting a CFIUS analysis, attending to insurance matters, and responding to due diligence requests.Post-merger, I continued to be responsible for drafting and negotiating a broad range of commercial agreements, including investment advisory, strategic partnership, leasing, loan, licensing, and other financial services agreements; overseeing all litigation matters; advising management on regulatory compliance; and leading the development of Loring Ward's and BAM Advisor Services's compliance program for the California Consumer Privacy Act.

Chicago, Illinois, Us

I was an associate in Sidley Austin's San Francisco office and my practice focused on structured finance, with a special emphasis on asset-backed securitization. My practice included registered and private securitizations for a variety of asset classes, including auto loans and auto leases. I also regularly represented underwriters and lenders in revolving and term credit facilities and securitizations.

San Francisco, Ca, Us

My practice focused on both government contracts litigation and retail industry trade regulation, particularly with respect to environmental issues.As a member of Rogers Joseph O'Donnell's government contracts group, I have experience with bid protests and contract disputes at both the federal and state level. I also advised clients on a variety of contract management and procurement issues such as Defense Priorities and Allocation System, Buy America, and Anti-Kickback Act requirements, among others.In addition, as a member of RJO's retail industry trade regulation group, I counseled retailers on compliance with a variety of environmental laws. I have represented national clients in cases brought by private and public interest groups and District Attorneys throughout the State of California, including cases involving state and federal hazardous and medical waste laws and California’s Proposition 65. I have also represented companies before the California Air Resources Board and counseled clients on issues concerning highly regulated products such as alcoholic beverages and fluorescent and halogen lamps.

Global, Us

General corporate practice focusing on venture capital financing, mergers & acquisitions, and securities filings.

J.D., Law

B.A., Biology, Psychology

Education record

Education record