معرفی
J. Brad Bernthal is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Colorado Law School and serves as the Director of the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology and Entrepreneurship. He is also the Founder and Director of the Silicon Flatirons Center's Entrepreneurship Initiative, which he launched in 2008 to foster connections between the CU campus and the Front Range's high-tech entrepreneurial community.
Professor Bernthal earned his JD from the University of Colorado Law School and his BA from the University of Kansas. His educational background has prepared him for his specialized focus on the intersection of law, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Bernthal specializes in startups, entrepreneurial law, and early-stage finance, including angel investment and venture capital. His current research examines finance instruments used in startup investment, building on his earlier work studying investment accelerators, which provided legal scholarship's first comprehensive analysis of this topic. He has established himself as a leading expert in entrepreneurial law, with particular expertise in the legal frameworks governing startup ecosystems, venture capital, and innovation policy. His research bridges the gap between legal theory and practical application in the fast-paced world of technology entrepreneurship.
Through his scholarly work, Bernthal has explored the evolution of entrepreneurial finance, contract dynamics within investment accelerators, and innovation policy at regulatory bodies like the Federal Communications Commission. His research demonstrates a consistent focus on how legal structures can support or hinder technological innovation and entrepreneurial activity, with particular attention to the practical implications for founders and investors.
Professor Bernthal is actively engaged in experiential learning, co-leading the Entrepreneurial Law Clinic with Professor Keith Olivia, where law students provide legal services to startups. He also teaches Venture Capital and Private Equity with Professor Jason Mendelson, bringing real-world expertise into the classroom. His teaching directly connects students with the entrepreneurial community through initiatives like the CU New Venture Challenge, Startup Colorado, and the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network.
Bernthal's work extends beyond the classroom through the Entrepreneurship Initiative, which creates high-velocity interactions between the CU campus and the Front Range's high-tech entrepreneurial community. This initiative plays a vital role in connecting students, faculty, and local entrepreneurs, fostering an ecosystem where legal education directly supports business innovation.
