Paul Klimos guides entrepreneurs through every stage of their ventures—from ideation to exit—and advises investors on structuring and managing investments across industries, growth phases, and jurisdictions. He counsels private and public companies on corporate structuring, governance, venture capital financings, and domestic and cross-border M&A. His practice also spans a broad range of strategic transactions, including joint ventures, acquihires, international flips, spin-outs, spin-offs, and carve-outs. Additionally, he advises venture capital funds, sovereign wealth funds, corporate venture arms, and family offices on fund formation, investments, and liquidity events.
Before joining Sheppard, Paul served as general counsel at a venture-backed technology company specializing in zero-knowledge proofs for privacy and security applications. Previously, he practiced at leading global law firms in Silicon Valley. Earlier in his career, he held legal and compliance roles at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Central Bank of Lebanon, where he co-founded and led a legal research and intelligence unit focused on technology governance and regulatory frameworks.
Paul has authored numerous publications at the intersection of law, technology, and policy and is a frequent speaker on the legal and regulatory challenges surrounding entrepreneurship and emerging technologies—including AI, blockchain, and FinTech. He is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, and a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council, Expert Network, and Global Shapers Community. Additionally, he is an alumnus of the U.S. State Department's IVLP and the European Union's EUVP, both prestigious invite-only leadership programs. Paul is a "40 Under 40" awardee and a BMW Foundation "Responsible Leader."