Title
Finkelman, Daniel oral historyCatalog Number
102792236Type
DocumentDescription
Daniel Finkelman grew up in New York City and received a BA in Economics at Clark University in Worcester MA in 1968. He then entered a four-year program at Columbia University, graduating with both an MBA and a law degree in 1972.He spent three years at the corporate law firm, Parker Chapin, in NYC before moving to Boston in 1975 because his wife wanted to move back to that area. Although he intended to go to work for a large corporate law firm, but was intrigued with the small firm Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault in Boston. The founder, Richard Testa, was only in his mid-thirties, but Finkelman found him and his firm to be real leaders. Testa already represented major technology companies like Digital Equipment Corp and Teradyne, as well as one of the first venture capital firms, American Research and Development Corp. (ARDC) despite the firm’s youth and small size.
Finkelman immediately stepped into an active role in the firm, representing young technology companies and learning the art of working with these companies as a businessperson rather than as a lawyer. This is the approach which Testa had developed and instilled in his new partners. The firm expanded its client base in both technology companies and private equity firms, giving Dan a broad perspective on both types of companies. Among the venture capital firms he represented at its founding was New Enterprise Associates (NEA), now one of the largest VC firms in the world.
The Testa law firm dissolved in 2005, following Richard’s death in 2002. Daniel Finkelman is now a Partner at Proskauer LLP in the Corporate Department and a member of the Private Investment Funds Group.
This oral history provides valuable historical insight into the people and practices which built the technology and private equity companies over the last three decades of the 20th century.
Date
2014-11-05Contributor
| Finkelman, Daniel, Interviewee |
| Kolker, Carole, Interviewer |
