David H. Kaplan

With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of transactional tax, corporate law, and startup strategy, I help founders, early-stage ventures, and growing businesses scale, fund, and structure with clarity and confidence. I work closely with companies navigating formation, expansion, and exit transactions—bringing legal, financial, and operational insight to every stage of the business lifecycle.

My background spans venture capital financing, mergers and acquisitions, cross-border structuring, and joint ventures. I’ve advised both high-growth startups and established businesses on how to structure deals, minimize tax exposure, and position themselves for long-term success.

Simplifying Complexity, Enabling Opportunity
Good lawyers simplify complexity. I help clients think strategically—not just about legal compliance, but about timing, growth, and opportunity. Whether that means:

Structuring a funding round or joint venture,
Avoiding tax pitfalls that could jeopardize an exit,
Or providing seasoned, day-to-day guidance as outside general counsel,
…my goal is always the same: to offer practical, forward-looking legal advice that clients can act on with confidence.

Deep Transactional Experience, Startup Focus
Before joining Avisen Legal, I was a transactional tax partner at Sullivan & Worcester LLP, where I advised Fortune 500 companies, closely held businesses, and innovative startups on complex, high-stakes transactions. I later joined New Counsel, PLC, where I focused more deeply on early-stage companies and entrepreneurial ventures—the work I find most meaningful and energizing.

At Avisen, I continue that focus: providing business-minded legal counsel to startup founders, growth-stage companies, and investors, all while contributing to a collaborative team that shares my belief in practical, relationship-driven lawyering.

Outside the Office
I live in the Twin Cities with my amazing wife, our two clever boys, and our unforgettable Bergamasco Sheepdog. Outside of work, you’ll find me biking local trails, playing poker or board games, or making dozens of jars of homemade pickles with my family every August.