Chris McGrath

Mr. McGrath provides counsel to privately-held companies and their owners at every stage of the business life-cycle. From the outset, Mr. McGrath provides advice to start-ups and new ventures to successfully set themselves up to do business and continues through the company's ongoing operation where he acts as general counsel in a variety of areas. When owners are finally looking to divest and retire, he provides planning for successful exit and wealth transfer strategies. Mr. McGrath's experience runs the spectrum and he's ever-mindful of the bottom line. His priority as a business lawyer is to maximize opportunities and limit risk without getting in the way of doing business.

At the beginning of a company's existence, he provides advice in the areas of entity selection, capitalization (including securities' laws compliance), ownership and management structure, establishing internal ownership rights and obligations, and preparing a company's principals to confidently venture out in the business world with proper legal protections.

As general counsel for small and medium-sized businesses, Mr. McGrath negotiates commercial contracts, provides counsel in employee/contractor engagement (including legal compliance), and structures incentive plans in order for businesses to retain their best and brightest people. Whether a company is looking to grow or is presented an opportunity to divest ownership, Mr. McGrath has successfully negotiated numerous asset and equity acquisitions and has assisted in planning and executing succession of ownership plans within family-run businesses as well as in those circumstances where employees are prepared to take over operations and ownership.

Mr. McGrath has an advanced degree in taxation which provides him a powerful tool and unique perspective in light of the ever-present tax considerations which are part of nearly every commercial transaction. He is especially passionate about providing counsel to the vibrant and entrepreneurial business spirit here in Denver.

Prior to joining Goodspeed Merrill, Mr. McGrath was a senior associate with a national law firm and was entrusted with its clients' most complex matters which gives him an appreciation for offering high level service with the requisite attention to detail while providing economic value.

Mr. McGrath was raised in Littleton - he and his wife, Ali, happily call Colorado home with their son, Michael, and daughter, Annemarie (and dog, Doug).