Gene Rhough
Startups · Contracts · Corporate · M&A · IP & SaaS
California
CA, DC, Patent Bar, Privacy Certification
"Gene is so great. I will be having him as my legal rep moving forward without hesitation"
About
I focus on LLC and corporation formations and operating/shareholder agreements, business sales, founder and partner arrangements (including buyouts and separations), commercial contracts (NDAs, MSAs, privacy policies), and IP/SaaS ownership and licensing tied to those deals.
Clients describe me as “the antidote to Big Law inefficiency,” “a legal sniper,” and say I’ve “potentially saved hundreds of thousands” by catching gaps… read more other lawyers missed.
I do all my own work, explain options in plain English, and give clear scope and hour ranges before I start. Harvard Law (cum laude), MIT, former Wilson Sonsini attorney, and GC/VP Legal for media and tech companies and venture‑backed startups, with a 5.0 rating and repeat clients on this platform.
clients
upcounsel
experience
Representative Clients
Practice Areas
Client Reviews
"I was so impressed with how thoughtful and thorough Gene is in his work. I would highly recommend him!"
"I engaged Gene for a contract review and he did an exceptionally thorough job identifying gaps and potential issues. His deliverable included two documents: a redlined contract with recommended edits and additions, and a supporting document that clearly explained the rationale behind each suggestion. While his initial estimate was for 4 hours, the work ultimately took 7.5 hours. Despite this, Gene gave me the option to pay for the additional time, stick with the original estimate, or choose something in between. He respected the decision I made given my financial constraints, without ever compromising the quality of his work. What stood out most to me was his dedication — even knowing he might not be fully compensated, he still delivered an extremely detailed and high-quality review. This speaks volumes about both his professionalism and his commitment to his word. Overall, I strongly recommend Gene and his services."
"Gene was great to work with - very knowledgeable and helpful throughout the process, offering great advise to make sure I was protected and that everything was in order."
"Gene is fantastic to work with. He takes issues to heart and shows great stewardship through the legal process. It's refreshing as a small business owner to have a legal professional that understands the business side and is willing to tackle problems creatively. I can't recommend him enough!"
"Helpful, and informative. Was a pleasure discussing plan’s forward in securing a patent."
"Gene has been fantastic!! He helped me navigate a complicated contractual disagreement for a difficult client. He also reviewed our contracts (which were drafted by a very expensive business attorney) and flagged potential loopholes and vagueness regarding possible client rejection of deliverables, termination, and other scenarios wherein a client might claim dissatisfaction with our performance. These issues were not clearly addressed in our previous contracts, but unfortunately they have come up. With his counsel we now have the knowledge and support going forward. We have revised our agreements to address the issues Gene flagged. He has potentially saved my company hundreds of thousands in future losses. I highly recommend him for any help with business contracts and IP issues. I’ve been so happy with him that I recommended him to a friend needing counsel for their tech start up. Worth his weight in gold!! Alexandra R."
Work History
Legal Laboratories
Attorney
Mar 2016 - Present
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Sony
VP, Global Digital Business, Business & Legal Affairs
Apr 2014 - Mar 2016
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News Corp.
GC & SVP Business Development
Mar 2010 - Mar 2014
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Time Warner / Viacom
VP, Global Digital & New Media
Jan 2008 - Feb 2010
Test