Five Questions with KO’s New Attorneys

KO Law Firm is growing again. In recent months, the firm has expanded our practice with the addition of new attorneys Logan DeSouza, Robert Donald, Charu Ganesh, Ryan Ivey and Kyle Pawlak. Not only are these additions high-caliber attorneys with a breadth of experience — they also bring unique, diverse experiences to the table, both personally and professionally.

So that our clients, partners and community can get to know them a little better, we asked each new team member a bit about themselves, including their reasons for practicing law, their proudest achievements and how they spend their spare time. Here’s what we learned:

KO Law Firm: What drew you to practice law?

Robert Donald: I was a philosophy major in college, and I loved writing and constructing logical arguments. I still enjoy these things, although applying them to technology contracts is admittedly a bit different than applying them to Hume’s Theory of Knowledge. Still, an underlying creativity of thought and desire to continue learning are, at the best of times, present in my practice and I attribute these qualities to my philosophy background.

Charu Ganesh: I’ll admit I first became interested in becoming a lawyer after watching Legally Blonde in grade school. Elle Woods was the first female lawyer I’d seen on TV or in movies, and I remember how excited I was by the potential to use my education and critical thinking skills to advocate for others (and that I didn’t have to be an older man in a suit to do it).

My understanding of what the practice of law looks like has obviously changed over the years, but those basic qualities have always drawn me to this practice. I also simply love the idea of being able to develop an understanding of a complex field, and to translate that understanding into something I can use to help my clients reach their goals.

KO: What is the best thing about being a part of the KO team?

Ryan Ivey: KO really is a family. Everyone is personable, helpful and great at what they do. It’s truly an honor to work in an environment that is equally developmental and supportive.

Kyle Pawlak: KO has some of the most intelligent people I’ve ever worked with, including both attorneys and non-attorneys.

KO: What is the most exciting or interesting thing happening within your practice area right now?

Logan DeSouza: “Dry powder” refers to the high volume of liquid assets investors need to either spend or return to backers. The sheer amount of it available right now at private equity and venture capital firms is driving one of the hottest merger and acquisition and venture capital financing markets we’ve seen in a long time.

Robert: I work with companies in the technology space, focusing on commercial and intellectual property contracting. As such, I’m emersed in my clients’ innovations, and it has been a pleasure to work with clients developing ultra-violet technologies to combat the spread of COVID-19. It has also been very interesting to see changes in how clients use data, and how international, federal and state governments are looking to regulate that use — sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.

Ryan: I practice in the commercial group, mostly in the life sciences space. There is a lot that is exciting! Many of our clients are at the forefront of research and development for technology that truly saves and improves lives, and there seems to be more collaboration among the industry than ever right now.

KO: What has been the proudest achievement of your career so far?

Charu: I didn’t know I wanted to work in privacy law when I first started practicing. After learning more about the field, I devoted a lot of time to sharpening my understanding of it, acquiring certifications and generally establishing myself as someone with expertise in the area.

When I was preparing to give my first seminar on a topic related to privacy, I was nervous I’d get questions from attendees that I wouldn’t be able to answer, but I actually ended up knowing exactly how to respond to each one (even when other panelists didn’t have the answers). That was when I first felt like I wasn’t just someone aspiring to break into this area of law – I was really doing it, and I was doing it well.

KO: What do you do in your spare time?

Kyle: Fly-fishing, golf, mountain biking and hiking (not necessarily in that order).

Logan: Distance running, as I prepare for the California International Marathon. Hiking and climbing in a bid to bag as many 14ers as I can. And, generally, enjoying the newfound freedom of the outdoors (with my wife and pup!) that a life in Colorado offers, after years spent in NYC.

Koenig, Oelsner, Taylor, Schoenfeld & Gaddis PC (KO Law Firm) is an innovative corporate and commercial law firm with a team of experienced lawyers and a practical, efficient, business-focused approach. Founded in 2003 on the philosophy that a different approach delivers better value, our business-first legal and industry expertise helps established brands and emerging companies achieve meaningful business outcomes. KO is headquartered in Denver and Boulder, Colo., and serves the software and SaaS, retail and manufacturing, professional services, energy, food, beverage and consumer goods, eCommerce and internet, healthcare and life science and ancillary cannabis industries.

Get to know the rest of the team here.