Ann L. West

Partner

Biography

Ann is passionate about helping small business owners navigate every stage of the business lifecycle—from formation and financing to growth and, ultimately, a successful exit. She regularly advises family-owned and multi-generational businesses on legal business planning, shareholder buy-sell agreements and buyouts, tax strategy, succession and exit transactions, and acts as outside general counsel to many local businesses. By combining extensive legal experience with practical business insight, Ann helps clients achieve both their legal objectives and long-term business goals.

Since 2005, Ann has worked alongside John Snow, providing strategic counsel to businesses and business owners. Before joining the firm, she practiced corporate and securities law at the Boulder office of Cooley Godward LLP (now Cooley LLP), where she represented venture capital-backed startup companies. Prior to law school, she worked as an auditor with Arthur Andersen LLP in Denver, serving clients across a variety of industries. She is also an inactive Certified Public Accountant.

Outside of the office, Ann enjoys golf, traveling, and hiking and skiing in Colorado’s mountains.

Practice Areas

Representative Transactions

Represented a workforce management consulting company in its stock sale to a leading human resources, payroll, and workforce management provider.
Represented an estate in the sale of a long-standing family-owned retail franchise and related commercial real estate to a strategic buyer.
Represented a medical materials manufacturer with substantial operations in China in its sale to a publicly traded company exceeding $90 million.
Represented a renewable energy infrastructure company in a sale to a publicly traded buyer exceeding $20 million.
Represented business consulting firm on sale to a strategic roll up buyer, including negotiation of rollover equity investment exceeding $25 million.
Advised on the sale of an LLC to a financial management firm, including a joint venture and management agreement, valued at more than $20 million.
Represented a client in the acquisition of a regional technology distributor valued at approximately $10 million.
Advised an issuer on a private securities offering under Regulation D that raised more than $15 million to support an international real estate venture.
Structured and implemented employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) financed through seller carryback financing and SBA loans for closely held corporations with stock valuations exceeding $5 million.
Negotiated and drafted multiple asset acquisition and servicing agreements for transactions valued at more than $10 million.
Advised family-owned businesses on shareholder buyouts and seller-financed carryback transactions to facilitate ownership transitions.

Education

Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, University of Notre Dame, summa cum laude, 1994

Juris Doctor, University of Colorado School of Law, 1999

Professional and Civic Memberships

Ann is a member of the Colorado Bar Association, the Denver Bar Association, including their Business Law and Mergers & Acquisitions Sections, the Colorado Women’s Bar Association and the South Metro and Denver Chambers of Commerce.