Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP has announced the expansion of its Corporate and Securities practice group with the addition of partner Richard Blake to the firm’s Silicon Valley office. Mr. Blake brings substantial expertise in counseling public and growth-stage private technology companies and particular experience in corporate governance and public offering transactions.

“Richard is a talented attorney and corporate adviser with an impressive background representing public technology companies. We have had terrific growth in our client base these last two years and more and more of our maturing clients are exploring options in the public markets,” said chairman and founding partner, Robert V. Gunderson, Jr. “Richard will strengthen our position as the leading law firm for start-up companies and reinforce our ability to support them through their entry into the public markets and as public companies.We are thrilled to welcome him to the team.”

Mr. Blake specializes in public securities offerings, public company representation, and corporate governance counseling. His practice includes preparing companies for initial public offerings, as well as counseling public companies and their boards on complex governance and disclosure issues.Richard also has extensive experience representing investment banks, private equity funds and venture capital firms in capital markets transactions. He is a frequent speaker on securities law, regulatory and governance issues.

Mr. Blake earned his J.D. from Brigham Young University summa cum laude. He also graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.A. Before joining Gunderson Dettmer, Mr. Blake was a partner in the Silicon Valley office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.