Susan Keller

Susan’s clients include large, established corporate clients; both privately held and publicly traded, as well as start ups in various sectors. She counsels entrepreneurs on how to properly structure a new entity, manages the daily corporate governance issues and advises senior management on their strategies and transactions. Susan routinely advises private equity funds on the structuring of their investments, the management of their portfolio companies and follow-on investments. In addition to her corporate practice, Susan has extensive experience in the area of finance, including private equity financing, senior and subordinated financing from both the investor and lender side and the company and borrower side. Susan is one of the few attorneys in the United States who represents providers of precious metals consignment facilities.

Susan is the founder and chair of the Women’s Networking Group at the Firm. Under Susan’s guidance, the organization is now one of the largest networking organizations in the Northeast. Susan is a co-founder of the Women’s Association of Venture & Equity, a national organization for women in venture capital and private equity.
Notable Experience
Susan represented a U.S. public company in the $650 million sale of its business to a foreign, publicly traded company.

Susan represented a co-arranger/agent/lead financial institution in a $200 million credit facility, which included a senior and subordinated financing and a public debt offering.

Susan represented an international corporate client in a U.S. initial public offering which raised $42 million.

Susan represented a communications client in a $1.4 billion merger of its cable business, initial public offering which raised $120 million and subsequent $1.6 billion sale of its business.

Susan represented a venture capital firm in several rounds of a $37 million total investment.

More Examples…
Recent Speaking Engagements and Publications
“Ask the Experts Panel,” Springboard Private Equity Workshop, New York City, February 2005.

“Venture Capital Financing for Women Entrepeneurs,” Financial Women’s Association, November 2004.

“Creating and Maintaining Successful Women’s Networks,” Babson College Women’s Leadership Conference, October 2004.

“Recapitalization of Hedge Funds and Related Private Equity Vehicles,” 100 Women in Hedge Funds, New York, NY, December 2003.

“Limited Liability Companies: Advising Small Business Start-Ups and Larger Companies in Rhode Island,” co-presenter.

“Basic Legal Considerations When Starting Your Own Business,” Women Mean Business Guide from the Rhode Island Secretary of State.

More Publications…
Besides Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge
Susan spends a considerable amount of time counseling women business owners and women entrepreneurs. Her efforts resulted in receiving the 2002 Women in Business Advocate of the Year Award for Rhode Island and New England from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Susan was recently appointed to the Advisory Board of the Center for Women’s Business Research, a Washington, D.C. based organization that is the premier source of data about women business owners. Susan is also the chairperson of the Advisory Board for the Center for Women & Enterprise and teaches classes on corporate and venture capital law to their clients.

Susan is a Partner in Social Venture Partners of Rhode Island, a collaborative community of experienced business professionals focused on advancing the non-profit sector and effecting social change in the community. She is the chair of its Loan Fund.

Susan is also involved in Springboard Venture Capital Forum, an annual venture forum where women entrepreneurs present to the venture community.

Outside the legal community, Susan is very active in the community as a board member and Past President of First Night Providence and a board member of Vision Education & Media. She is an alumna of Leadership Rhode Island. Susan currently sits on the Board of Directors of Trinity Repertory Theater.

Susan served on the Board of Directors of Nestor, Inc., a publicly traded company that provides systems and services for traffic management and safety. She served on the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee, of which she was the chairperson.