Delivering Superior Legal and Interim Management Services

Svetlana Attestatova is an accomplished lawyer and business executive.  Svetlana’s most recent engagements include serving as general counsel to an artificial intelligence start-up company, overseeing its corporate, IP, employment and contracting functions, from the company’s early concept stage to the commercial launch of its product, as well as serving as general counsel to a mature retail business experiencing stifling litigation that predated (and was the reason for) Svetlana’s engagement.

Svetlana previously served as general counsel and chief legal officer of a highly regulated business with over 5,000 employees where she built the inhouse legal and risk management team from zero to 18, as well as general counsel of a captive insurance company that Svetlana oversaw from its inception to its sale to a third party. In addition, for over two years, Svetlana served as the interim chief executive officer of a real estate holding company, developing strategy, managing, structuring and guiding the company and its subsidiaries through exit and winddown, consisting of the sale of real estate and negotiation with complex multi stakeholder groups, in and out of the bankruptcy proceedings.

Formerly, Svetlana was a partner with Reed Smith LLP, where she was a member of the Financial Industry Practice Group, the California Deputy of Global Financial Transactions and the Global Chair of the Russia Business Team. Before joining Reed Smith LLP, Svetlana was counsel at O’Melveny & Myers LLP.

Over a decade of big law firm training in substantive law and delivering superior legal service and years of in-house and leadership executive service taught Svetlana to creatively account for business considerations, to turn legal constructs into simple, practical advice, and to put herself into her clients’ shoes, helping them manage their legal risks while meeting their business goals.

Svetlana is a published author and speaker at various events and private seminars.

In addition to being a mother to three lovely children, Svetlana is a start-up and real estate investor, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Harvest Court Homeowners Association.

J.D., University of Washington School of Law, with honors; Order of the Coif; Washington Law Review, Managing Editor; Moot Court Honor Board

B.A., San Francisco State University, summa cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa; Honor Hood Recipient for the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

General Counsel Engagements

• Serving as general counsel to start-up and small mature companies.
• Served as general counsel to a captive insurance company, overseeing it from its inception to sale to a third party.
• Served as general counsel and executive officer to a 5,000+ employee mature business that consisted of two hospitals and several physician groups.
• Served as general counsel to a 20-person middle market company specializing in health system management.

Interim Management Engagements

• Served as the interim chief executive officer of a real estate holding company, where Svetlana developed strategy, managed, structured, and guided the company and its subsidiaries through exit and winddown, consisting of the sale of real estate and negotiation with complex multi stakeholder groups, in and out of the bankruptcy proceedings.

Debt Financing Engagements

• Represented companies (borrower-side) in ABL, first and second lien and DIP credit facilities, ranging from $1 million to $1.25 billion.
• Represented lenders (banks, hedge funds and private equity firms) in ABL and first and second lien and DIP credit facilities, ranging from $5 million to $2.1 billion.

Mergers & Acquisitions Engagements

• Represented a privately owned company in a $170 million acquisition of assets of a public company.
• Represented a public company in a $2.33 billion acquisition of a private company.
• Represented a public investment company in an $80 million acquisition of a private company.

Other Engagements

• Represented a leading manufacturer of data and storage networking equipment in structuring and developing its sales and lease transaction program documentation with the U.S. government.

• “Emerging Technologies – A threat to our Privacy and Ethics, or do the benefits outweigh the risks?”,  The Master’s Conference, Panelist, San Francisco, February 22, 2023
• “Anatomy of a Deal: a Look Back at Actual M&A Deals”, Association for Corporate Growth, Moderator, San Francisco, September 24, 2015
• “Women in Operational Excellence”, Association for Corporate Growth, Event Organizer/Sponsor, San Francisco, May 7, 2014
• “The Equity Players vs. the Turnaround Professionals—Which Should Middle Market Companies Rely On, and When?”, Association for Corporate Growth and Turnaround Management Association, Panelist, Oakland, April 23, 2014
• Women in M&A Forum: “A New Generation of Women Dealmakers”, Association for Corporate Growth, Panelist, San Francisco, March 18, 2014
• “What to Consider When Considering an Exit”, The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Global, Panelist, Santa Clara, January 16, 2014
• Roundtable Discussion: “The Role of Financial Institutions of Russia and APEC Countries in the Realization of the Economic Potential of the Russian Far East”, Association of Regional Banks of Russia, Panelist, Vladivostok, October 4, 2013
• SmartMoney Roundtable, Startup Monthly LLC, Panelist, Moscow, September 22, 2013
• Roundtable Discussion: “Current State of the Bank Regulatory Environment in the United States and the State of the Economic Environment in Russia”, Reed Smith and Association of Regional Banks of Russia, Event Organizer/Sponsor, San Francisco, April 30, 2013
• Conference: “Russian Market: Legal and Business Perspectives”, Berkeley Center for Law, Business and the Economy and LegalConnect RU, Moderator/Event Sponsor, San Francisco, February 5, 2013
• Client Training Presentations on the following topics: “Multicurrency Lending and Recent Issues related to LIBOR and Mandatory Costs”; “Credit Agreement Walk-Through 101”; “Security Agreements and Guaranties 101”; presented to Bank of America and Wells Fargo Bank, over 10 presentations during 2012 and 2013
• “Going into India and Doing Business with Indian Companies: Case Studies & Trends”, Global Ideas Exchange, Moderator, San Francisco, June 28, 2012
• “ESOP: An Alternative Exit Strategy”, Event Organizer/Sponsor, Pleasanton, September 14, 2011
• “What In-House Counsel is Looking for in Outside Counsel”, The Business, Commercial & Bankruptcy Law Section, Bar Association of San Francisco, San Francisco, August 2, 2011

• A Swap Provider’s Guide to Syndicated Loan Documents That Incorporate Bilateral Swap Facilities (co-authored with William L. Harvey), 127 Banking L.J. 642 (2010).
• A Guide to California Government Code Section 65915: Density Bonuses and Incentives for Affordable Housing, 23 Cal. Real Prop. J. 3 (Spring 2005); New Legislation Expands Density Bonuses and Other Incentives for Multifamily Housing, Cal. Real Est. J., Dec. 27, 2004.
• The Bonds of Joint Tax Liability Should Not Be Stronger Than Marriage: Congressional Intent Behind § 6015(c) Separation of Liability Relief, 78 Wash. L. Rev. 831 (2003), reprinted in The Monthly Digest of Tax Articles (Newkirk Products, Inc. 2004).