High Tech

Steve is a founding partner of Beck Reed Riden LLP – Boston's newest litigation boutique. BRR lawyers have years of experience at large law firms, working with clients ranging from Fortune 50 companies to start-ups and individuals. We focus on business litigation – including contract, copyright, trademark, unfair competition, and healthcare litigation – as well as labor and employment, trade secrets, noncompetes, and alternative dispute resolution. We are experienced litigators and counselors, helping our clients as business partners to resolve issues and develop strategies that best meet our clients’ legal and business needs – before, during, and after litigation. Specialties Employee-lawsuit defense (including discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination, and wage & hour), noncompete litigation, employee-raiding litigation, labor relations.

Paul Cohen is a business lawyer with over 20 years of experience in many aspects of corporate law, including contracts, intellectual property, licensing, litigation management, advertising and corporate communications. Paul has previously served as in-house counsel to Emptoris, Inc. (a technology leader in the areas of sourcing optimization, intelligent procurement systems and contract management), as in-house counsel to BroadVision, Inc. (a leading, publicly-traded provider of personalized, self-service e-business applications) Dragon Systems Inc. (a pioneer developer and marketer of speech recognition technology products), NEC Computer Systems Division (the US subsidiary manufacturer and marketer of desktop, notebook and server computer systems of a Japanese corporation), Data General Corporation, and General Electric. Paul has a J.D. degree from Suffolk University, and an M.B.A. and B.A. from Clark University. He has also completed course work at the Harvard Negotiation Project. He is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell and listed in Who's Who in American Law.

Wayne Johnson – Senior Executive GROWTH – TURNAROUND – DIVERSIFICATION – VALUE CREATION My expertise is moving businesses forward—identifying opportunities, creating strategies, and leading execution to drive stalled organizations to vibrant growth. My experience spans multiple industries and the full range of business challenges from start-up to turnaround, exit strategy, and ownership transition. Career Synopsis: • CEO/COO, Plymouth Quarries, Inc.: Delivered annual growth in a declining industry; pioneered new product line that grew to 20% of revenues. • PRESIDENT, Marane Oil Heat, Inc., and Marane Oil, Inc.: Led a turnaround and divisional divestiture; orchestrated an ESOP; grew revenues 50% in 2 years and sold the company at double its purchase price. • DIVISION MANAGER, Oxbow Corporation: Scaled up business from zero to $750 million revenue in less than 4 years. • STRATEGIC PLANNER, Texaco, Inc.: Helped develop the company’s first computer-simulation model and futures-trading activities; advanced through marketing, market analysis, and general management positions. I earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Massachusetts and an MBA from the University of Hartford. I am an instrument-rated pilot and an avid cyclist, having completed the 192-mile Pan-Massachusetts Challenge eleven times.

My expertise is at the intersection of: * Organization Development * Management & Leadership * Human Resources * Entrepreneurship