Andrea is an experienced Partner with the Corporate and Securities Practice Team at Lippes Mathias, LLP, where she co-leads the Firm’s Startup and Venture Capital and Family Business Practice Teams. 
 
Andrea has extensive transactional experience working with founders, startups, growth-stage companies, family businesses, investors and funds across a variety of stages, sectors and geographies. Her practice experience includes advising companies in general corporate matters, debt and equity financings, and exit transactions; representing sponsors in fund formations; and extensive M&A experience. Her work with later-stage and family-owned businesses focuses on helping them develop and implement succession, governance, compensation and other plans and policies by applying strategies informed by social neuroscience and positive psychology.  She began her career in New York City at Mayer Brown LLP, a leading international law firm, where she worked on large-scale M&A transactions, private-equity financings and IPOs.

In addition to her legal work, Andrea is a Managing Director of Varia Fund 1, a Seed and Series A Venture Fund, a Co-Founder of Varia Ventures (www.varia.com), a platform for professionals and their organizations interested in venture investing, and General Counsel to Impact Capital, a Series A Venture Fund. 

In addition to her venture capital and private equity work, she has served in a variety of roles with organizations that focus on entrepreneurship, democratizing access to capital, and women’s leadership. She is an entrepreneur in residence at Columbia Technology Ventures, as well as a mentor for Founders' Institute and Endeavor. Andrea is past Chair of the WNY Women’s Foundation, and past General Counsel and Director of Upstate Capital. 

Andrea received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. from the University at Buffalo. A Fulbright Scholar (France), she also trained at Harvard Law School’s Negotiation Program.


Articles & Publications


ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
  • New York
  • Ontario Canada - Foreign Legal Consultant

Education
  • Georgetown University Law Center, J.D.
  • University at Buffalo, B.A. summa cum laude
  • Harvard Law School, Negotiation Program 
  • Fulbright Scholar, France 

Honors & Awards
  • 40 Under 40, Business First of Buffalo, 2019
  • Business First of Buffalo and Buffalo Law Journal, Legal Elite of WNY, Rising Star, 2018
  • Upstate New York Super Lawyers® Rising Star, 2015-2020
  • Upstate Venture Ecosystem Award Finalist, Community Catalyst, 2018-2019

 Professional Associations
  • American Bar Association
  • New York State Bar Association
  • Erie County Bar Association, Corporation Law Committee
  • Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York, WNY Chapter

Community Involvement
  • Upstate Capital Association of New York, Past General Counsel and Director
  • WNY Women’s Foundation, Past Chair and Director
  • Varia Ventures, Managing Director and Co-Founder 
  • Impact Capital, General Counsel
  • Columbia Technology Ventures at Columbia University, Entrepreneur in Residence
  • Founders' Institute, Mentor 
  • Endeavor, Mentor 
  • University at Buffalo, School of Management, Executive in Residence
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