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Samuel Asher Effron

Member / Co-chair, Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Practice

[email protected]

+1.212.692.6810

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Sam’s practice focuses on venture capital and other private securities transactions, counseling startups and emerging growth companies, funds, and crowdfunding platforms. Sam is heavily involved in the startup community in New York and regularly advises and mentors young companies and entrepreneurs regarding the legal and business issues that they face, and speaks at many of the local accelerators, incubators, and co-working spaces.

Sam is a co-editor of MintzEdge, an online resource for entrepreneurs that includes useful tools and information for starting and growing a company, and is the co-editor of MintzTech Connect, Mintz’s periodic newsletter on "all things technology" in the legal and business world.

Sam provides counsel to private companies and venture capital funds operating and investing in a diverse range of industries, including biotech, fintech and financial services, media, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, CPG, insuretech, and SaaS, among many others. Sam’s pro bono experience includes assisting asylum seekers apply for permanent asylum in the United States, representing not-for-profit clients to obtain federal tax-exempt status and providing legal services to victims of domestic abuse.

Prior to joining Mintz, Sam worked in the film and television industry on productions shot in and around New York City. He later served as a project manager at an online marketing and strategy agency, where he led a team of designers, writers, and programmers to create websites for clients including musician Sting. Subsequent to his agency work, Sam was the third employee of a startup specializing in liquidation of technology assets for downsizing dot-com companies.

During law school, Sam was a staff member of the Cardozo Law Review and worked as an intern at the legal departments of This Is That Films and DC Comics.

viewpoints

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MintzTech Connect: All Things Technology — October 2026

October 13, 2026 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron

This edition of MintzTech Connect leads with a look at the evolving role of Delaware public benefit corporations (PBCs). We also spotlight our partnership with A Good Option and our client Retro.

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MintzTech Connect: All Things Technology — July 2026

July 14, 2026 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron

This edition of MintzTech Connect explores key issues shaping the venture capital and emerging companies landscape, and includes a client spotlight and a guide to being an effective board member.

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MintzTech Connect Client Spotlight: Conductive Ventures

February 4, 2026 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron

Mintz client Conductive Ventures became the first to use Mintz’s innovative Series SAFE Preferred Stock structure in a recent AI startup investment. Developed in part by Mintz Member Amit Singh, the structure blends SAFE efficiency with preferred equity protections.

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MintzTech Connect Feature: Series SAFE Preferred

February 4, 2026 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron

This issue of MintzTech Connect introduces the Series SAFE Preferred, a new early‑stage financing instrument developed by the Mintz VC & Emerging Companies team to address QSBS uncertainty in traditional SAFEs, and concludes with a spotlight on Mintz client Conductive Ventures’ first use of the structure in an AI startup investment.

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Introducing Series SAFE Preferred: A New Venture Financing Tool

December 5, 2025 | Article | By Thomas R. Burton, III, Sahir Surmeli, Samuel Asher Effron, Amit Singh

Mintz has launched Series SAFE Preferred, a newly designed early-stage financing security that blends the efficiency of a SAFE with the structural clarity of preferred stock.

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MintzTech Connect Industry News: Spotlight on Conductive Ventures

October 21, 2025 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron

Mintz client Conductive Ventures became the first to use Mintz’s innovative Series SAFE Preferred Stock structure in a recent AI startup investment. Developed in part by Mintz Member Amit Singh, the structure blends SAFE efficiency with preferred equity protections.

Read more

MintzTech Connect: All Things Technology — October 2025

October 21, 2025 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron

This issue of MintzTech Connect includes an analysis of OBBBA changes to the QSBS rules, continues with a deep dive into the tax benefits available when converting an LLC into a C corporation that is issuing QSBS, and concludes with a spotlight on our client Conductive Ventures.

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Mintz Venture Watch — Volume 8: A Report on Deal Trends from 2024 and H1 2025

July 30, 2025 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron, Jeremy Glaser

This edition of Mintz Venture Watch provides a 2024 Year in Review and an overview of VC transactions in the first half of 2025, as well as a look at Mintz’s work with clients in the technology, life sciences, and sustainable energy and infrastructure sectors.

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MintzTech Connect: All Things Technology — July 2025

July 15, 2025 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron, Jeremy Glaser

This issue of MintzTech Connect leads with a terrific article about negotiating a letter of intent from the seller’s perspective. It continues with an article about a common problem regarding Delaware franchise taxes. The issue concludes with a spotlight on Coworker.ai, a cool new company that has created an AI “teammate” that can perform complex work at the level of an experienced colleague.

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MintzTech Connect Industry News: Spotlight on Coworker.ai

July 15, 2025 | Article | By Daniel DeWolf, Samuel Asher Effron, Jeremy Glaser

Our Client Spotlight this month features Coworker.ai, a cool new company that has created an AI “teammate” that can perform complex work at the level of an experienced colleague.

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News & Press

Press Release Thumbnail Mintz

Mintz has earned top rankings in the 2025 edition of Legal 500 United States and Canada guides. The firm is recognized in 20 practice categories, and 78 of its attorneys are individually ranked in the guide, with several receiving recognition in more than one category. Additionally, two attorneys are featured in the "Hall of Fame," seven attorneys are named "Leading Lawyers," and five attorneys are recognized as a "Next Generation Lawyers."

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podcasts

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MintzEdge 101: FDA for Start-Ups

January 14, 2020 | Podcast | By Samuel Asher Effron, Benjamin Zegarelli

In this episode of MintzEdge’s From the Edge podcast, Sam Effron speaks with Ben Zegarelli of Mintz about considerations for new medical device, pharmaceutical, or other health regulated start-ups and strategies for how to prepare for FDA oversight.
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MintzEdge 101: IP Strategies for Start-ups - Sean Grygiel (Mintz)

October 24, 2018 | Podcast | By Samuel Asher Effron

Sam Effron, a Member in the Mintz Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Practice and co-editor of MintzEdge, sits down with Sean Grygiel, a Member in the Mintz Intellectual Property Practice, to discuss key IP considerations and strategies for new companies.
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Events & Speaking

Speaker
Jul
30
2019

TechGC Roundtable

San Francisco, CA

Speaker
Apr
10
2019

TechGC Roundtable

New York, NY

Speaker
Apr
3
2019

The First Most Important Decision for the Entrepreneur: How to Choose the Right Corporate Entity for Your Startup

BioLabs@NYULangone

BioLabs@NYULangone, 180 Varick St., 6th Floor, New York, NY

Speaker
Mar
27
2019

Lunch and Learn at JLABS @ NYC

JLABS @ NYC, 101 6th Ave, New York, NY

Speaker
Speaker
Mar
15
2018

Legal Clinic

NYC MediaLabs

Moderator
Aug
2
2017

New York Business Clinic: Finance, Funding & Legal

Cleantech Open Northeast

New York, NY

Speaker
Aug
2
2017

New York Business Clinic: Finance, Funding & Legal

Cleantech Open Northeast

New York, NY

Speaker
Mar
17
2017

Corporate Formation Workshop

NYC Media Lab

New York, NY

Panelist
Sep
13
2016
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Recognition & Awards

  • New York Super Lawyers: Rising Star – Securities & Corporate Finance (2011 – 2017)

  • Legal 500 United States: Recommended for Venture Capital and Emerging Companies (2025) 

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Involvement

  • Guest Lecturer, High-Growth Corporate Transactions, Cornell Law School at Cornell Tech
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Samuel Asher Effron

Member / Co-chair, Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Practice

New York