Colton is an associate in the corporate group. He provides legal counsel to public, private, and emerging companies in a wide variety of industries, as well as venture capital and private equity funds.
Colton’s work with emerging companies encompasses all stages of the growth cycle, from formation and day-to-day operations to venture capital and private equity financings to exit through a range of merger transactions. He advises on the corporate governance needs of such companies under both Minnesota and Delaware law and assists clients with drafting and negotiating complex commercial and software/technology licensing agreements.
Colton is also involved in both domestic and transnational mergers and acquisitions, including managing and participating in the due diligence process for public and private company transactions involving consideration up to $800,000,000. Having lived in France for over two years, including earning his LL.M. in International and European Law from a French university, Colton enjoys managing the due diligence process for transactions involving businesses and operations in French-speaking countries.
Colton is also committed to pro-bono activities with a focus on the legal needs of non-profit arts entities. Colton’s interest in the arts is wide-ranging, having visited museums and seen over 90 operas in cities all over North America and Europe. While in law school, Colton founded the University of Washington School of Law Advocates for the Arts, seeking to empower law students as informed, efficient, and ethical leaders in Seattle's artistic communities. In Seattle, Colton worked extensively advising local arts organizations on young professional patronage, and he was selected as a 2010 Seattle Art Museum Volunteer of the Year Honoree for such efforts. Pursuant to his avid interest in opera, Colton is proud to serve as pro-bono counsel to two local opera companies: Mill City Summer Opera and Minnesota Concert Opera.