Array ( [Winners] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 23 [FirstName] => New Family Organization [LastName] => - 2009 [Title] => Family, Justice and Law Initiative ) [1] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 22 [FirstName] => Practical Law Company [LastName] => - 2009 [Title] => Creating Efficiency for Business Lawyers ) [2] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 19 [FirstName] => Novus Law [LastName] => - 2008 [Title] => Documenting the E-Discovery Process ) [3] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 20 [FirstName] => Mallesons Stephen Jaques [LastName] => - 2008 [Title] => PeopleFinder ) [4] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 9 [FirstName] => Holland and Hart LLP [LastName] => - 2007 [Title] => Holland & Hart Foundation ) [5] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 10 [FirstName] => DLA Piper US LLP [LastName] => - 2007 [Title] => New Perimeter ) [6] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 11 [FirstName] => Mallesons Stephen Jaques [LastName] => - 2007 [Title] => TalentNet ) [7] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 12 [FirstName] => Raskin Peter Rubin & Simon LLP [LastName] => - 2007 [Title] => Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel ) [8] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 13 [FirstName] => DLA Piper Rudnick [LastName] => - 2005 [Title] => Venture Pipeline ) [9] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 14 [FirstName] => Simpson Grierson [LastName] => - 2005 [Title] => ) [10] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 15 [FirstName] => Masons [LastName] => - 2004 [Title] => OUT Law ) [11] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 18 [FirstName] => Blank Rome LLP [LastName] => - 2004 [Title] => Comprehensive Training Program ) [12] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 16 [FirstName] => The Law Chambers of Nicholas Critelli, P.C. [LastName] => - 2004 [Title] => Work space design ) [13] => Array ( [PeopleID] => 17 [FirstName] => Wragge & Co. [LastName] => - 2004 [Title] => Cost accountability ) ) [Winner] => Array ( [FirstName] => DLA Piper Rudnick [LastName] => - 2005 [Title] => Venture Pipeline [MainNarrative] =>

2005 InnovAction Winner

In 2005, DLA Piiper Rudnick's Chicago Office was recognized for creation of its 'Venture Pipeline' initiative. Venture Pipeline is a separate business unit, launched in 2002 and run by experienced entrepreneurs and non-lawyers, designed to help early-stage companies. The unit's representatives screen and scrub business plans, give companies feedback, and then work with the law firm's numerous contacts to find appropriate funding, benefiting both the venture capital organizations and the company.

Entrepreneurs starting businesses say that finding capital is often their first priority; but most law firms play, at best, a limited role in this process. The judges were taken with the fact that in the last two years this group has processed over 900 business plans and provided valuable input to most of these companies, regardless of whether they decided to work with them.

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