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Overview
David is Chair of Tonkon Torp’s Corporate Finance & Transactions Practice Group, as well as a member of the firm’s Entrepreneurial Services and Mergers & Acquisitions groups.
David advises emerging, small, and mid‑market private companies with respect to their general corporate, financing, and transactional matters, and uses growth‑oriented legal strategies to help founders, managers, and investors recognize and achieve their strategic goals.
Areas of his legal experience include growth capital, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and business counseling. David is an active civic volunteer who participates in numerous community‑related events and forums.
David advises emerging, small, and mid‑market private companies with respect to their general corporate, financing, and transactional matters, and uses growth‑oriented legal strategies to help founders, managers, and investors recognize and achieve their strategic goals.
Areas of his legal experience include growth capital, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and business counseling. David is an active civic volunteer who participates in numerous community‑related events and forums.
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Featured Work
M&A and Bioscience Expertise Combine for Client Acquisition
The acquisition of Tonkon Torp client TomegaVax by San Francisco-based Vir Biotechnology marks a significant boom for Oregon’s growing role in the bioscience industry. Find details and more featured cases here.
Tonkon Torp Stays the Course in the Mississippi Avenue Lofts Project
The process to acquire, complete and sell the Mississippi Avenue Lofts involved a broad range of legal transactions from Tonkon Torp, including a funding round, multi-party loan and purchasing agreements, litigation and a final sale. Find the details and more featured cases here.
Tonkon Represents Opus Agency in Equity Investment Transaction
Tonkon Torp’s Mergers & Acquisition practice group represented client Opus Agency in a significant equity transaction with private equity firm Fan Creek Capital, providing substantial additional growth capital to Opus. Opus, a global corporate events and experiential marketing agency headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, serves Fortune 1000 clients such as Salesforce, Amazon, Intel and Alaska Airlines.
Tonkon Torp Facilitates Hood River Distillers Acquisition
Tonkon Torp attorneys Morris Galen and David Forman represented Hood River Distillers in its recent acquisition of Portland, Oregon-based Clear Creek Distillery. Hood River Distillers is the Pacific Northwest’s largest and oldest importer, producer, bottler and marketer of distilled spirits.
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Community Involvement & Activities
Angel Food (Oregon Entrepreneurs Network) Co‑Chair
Oregon Jewish Community Foundation
Earth Advantage
Oregon Jewish Community Foundation
Earth Advantage
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Professional Memberships
Multnomah Bar Association
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Awards & Recognition
The Best Lawyers in America
2013-2021, Corporate Law
2013-2021, Mergers & Acquisitions Law
2013-2021, Mergers & Acquisitions Law
Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers
2015, Recognized Practitioner – Corporate/M&A
Portland Business Journal
2004, Forty Under 40
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Recent News
8.20.2020
Best Lawyers in America® Includes 49 Tonkon Torp Attorneys on 2021 List
Forty-nine Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 36 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021. A majority of attorneys have been named to the peer-review list in past years, and most have been recognized for more…
5.28.2020
David Forman Lays out a COVID-19 Playbook for PBJ Thought Leadership Podcast
Tonkon Torp partner David Forman was the featured guest for the May 7 episode of the Portland Business Journal’s Thought Leadership Podcast. The episode lays out a CEO playbook for navigating a thoughtful COVID-19 response.
11.12.2019
Pallanch and Forman Discuss Patchwork CBD Regulations for PBJ Thought Leadership Podcast
Tonkon Torp attorneys Christopher Pallanch and David Forman are featured guests on the October 22 episode of the Portland Business Journal’s Thought Leadership Podcast. Their episode explores the complicated regulatory landscape of cannabidiol (CBD…
8.15.2019
2020 List for Best Lawyers in America® Includes 48 Tonkon Torp Attorneys
Forty-eight Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 39 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2020. A majority of attorneys have been named to the list in past years, and most have been recognized for more than five…
6.13.2019
Parna Mehrbani Speaks About IP for Food Industry Startups
On May 15, Tonkon Torp hosted the second session of the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network’s Angel Food Education series. Attorneys Tyler Harkness and David Forman emceed the event and welcomed 45 food industry entrepreneurs who are participating in OEN’s…
5.9.2019
David Forman Discusses Mergers & Acquisitions for Thought Leader Forum
Tonkon Torp attorney David Forman was featured in the latest “Thought Leader Forum” supplement published by the Portland Business Journal. The Thought Leader Forum focused on the topic of Mergers & Acquisitions and included a profile of David as well…
4.1.2019
Tonkon Torp Donates to Oregon Jewish Community Foundation
Tonkon Torp gave a donation to the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation (OJCF). Founded in 1989, OJCF’s mission is to build and promote a culture of giving in Oregon and Southwest Washington that supports a thriving Jewish community.
10.1.2018
Tonkon Torp Sponsors Street Trusts 2018 Alice Awards
Tonkon Torp was a Program Events sponsor at The Street Trust's Alice Awards on September 28. Kimberlee Stafford took the lead on filling Tonkon's table at the event and attended along with David Forman and their guests. Both Kimberlee and David are…
8.17.2018
Best Lawyers in America® Names 51 Tonkon Torp Attorneys to 2019 List
Fifty-one Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 41 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2019. Nearly all attorneys have been named to the list in past years, and have been recognized for more than five years
7.26.2018
Tonkon Torp Donates to Jewish Federation of Greater Portland
Tonkon Torp made a "builder" sponsorship donation to the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. Owen Blank organized the payment. Since 1920, the Jewish Federation has helped nourish Jewish life, enrich the community, and keep Jewish culture strong…
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Recent Alerts
6.20.2012
JOBS Act Directs SEC to Lift Ban on General Solicitation and General Advertising in Rule 506 Offerings
The recently enacted Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act) directs the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to adopt rules that remove the existing prohibition against general advertising and general solicitation in private…
4.23.2012
SEC Adopts Final Rules on Performance-Based Fees
As discussed in a previous Tonkon Tip, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued an order raising the financial thresholds of Rule 205-3 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, which provides that only "qualified clients" may be charged a…
2.6.2012
Final ERISA Service Provider Fee Disclosure Rules Go Into Effect July 1, 2012
On February 2, 2012, the Department of Labor ("DOL") issued final regulations requiring service providers to ERISA retirement plans to disclose information about the service providers' compensation and potential conflicts of interest. The final rules…
1.25.2012
SEC Overhauls Form ADV Part 1A to Conform to New Dodd-Frank Requirements
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 has significantly changed how investment advisers are regulated. Among other things, the Act (a) increased the amount of assets under management required for SEC registration and…
7.15.2011
SEC Extends Deadlines for Compliance with New Investment Adviser Registration Regime under Dodd-Frank
As we detailed in a previous Tonkon Tip, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 ("Dodd-Frank") makes significant changes to the current investment adviser regulatory regime.
6.28.2011
New ERISA Participant-Directed Plan Disclosure Rules
A discussion of the new Department of Labor rules, enumerating the plan and investment-related information that employers must furnish to participants.
2.15.2011
Get Ready Now to Comply with ERISA Service Provider Fee Disclosure Rules
On January 1, 2012, new rules go into effect that will require investment advisers, brokers and others who provide services to ERISA plans to disclose to plan fiduciaries information relating to the service provider's compensation. This disclosure is…
1.12.2011
SEC Extends Deadline for Brochure Supplements for Certain RIAs
As discussed in a previous Tonkon Tip, the SEC recently amended the requirements of Form ADV Part 2 to require registered investment advisers to provide clients with a "brochure" under Part 2A of Form ADV and "brochure supplements" under Part 2B of…
12.7.2010
DOL Proposes Broader Definition of ERISA "Fiduciary" Applicable to Investment Advisers
On October 22, 2010, the Department of Labor ("DOL") published proposed regulations that would broaden the definition of when a person is an ERISA "fiduciary" by reason of giving investment advice to an employee benefit plan or a plan's participants…
12.2.2010
SEC Amends Part 2 of Form ADV to Create New Disclosure Regime for RIAs
The SEC recently amended the requirements for the principal disclosure document that SEC-registered advisers provide to their clients and prospective clients. Under the previous Form ADV Part II, advisers were required to respond to a series of…
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Publications & Presentations
Podcast, "The CEO Playbook: Navigating the Covid-19 Response" Portland Business Journal, May 2020
Podcast, "CBD’s ‘Patchwork’ Regulatory Scheme is Causing Confusion. What are the Facts?" Portland Business Journal, October 2019
"Fundraising Masterclass," The Equity Capital Collective, July 2019
Podcast, "Mergers & Acquisitions: How to Be Investor Buyer Ready," Bush Strokes, Canvas Magazine, July 2019
“Thought Leader Forum: Mergers & Acquisitions,” Portland Business Journal, April 2019
"Private Businesses Benefiting the Public: Oregon’s Benefit Company," OSB Nonprofit Organizations Law Section Newsletter, Spring 2018
"Legal Issues Facing Startups," PSU Business Outreach Program Learn+Network, November 2016
"Demystifying the Cap Table,” November 2016
"Protecting Yourself and Others," INVENT seminar series, Oregon Health & Science University January 2015
Moderator, "Dealing with Various Investment Situations," Angel Capital Association, June 2014
"Stepping Up the Pace – Encouraging Energy Efficiency Improvements in Our County," Daily Journal of Commerce, September 2012
"Paying Extra to Plug In," Daily Journal of Commerce, June 2011