The Team
Chris Kiyan
Partner & Co-Founder
Chris is a partner and co-founder of Catalyst. His practice focuses on representing high-growth companies, venture capital, private equity and angel investors, and entrepreneurs. Chris represents clients in a variety of corporate and finance transactions and matters, including:
- Equity and convertible securities financings
- Recapitalizations
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Divestitures
- Entity formation and startup strategy
- Founders’ disputes
- Corporate governance
Prior to co-founding Catalyst, Chris was a corporate attorney in the Boston and Colorado offices of Cooley LLP. There his practice focused on representing venture capital and private equity firms and emerging growth companies. Chris is a graduate of UCLA and Boston University School of Law.
Matthew Hyde
Partner & Co-Founder
Matt is a partner and co-founder of Catalyst. His practice focuses on representing emerging growth companies and angel, venture capital and growth equity investors in various transactions and matters, including:
- Equity and convertible securities financings
- Strategic investments
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Entity formation and startup strategy
- Corporate governance and fiduciary guidance
- Recapitalizations
- Divestitures
Prior to co-founding Catalyst, Matt was a corporate attorney at Cooley LLP and two other international law firms. Before his law career, Matt served as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Navy based in San Diego, CA. Matt is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and UCLA School of Law.
Andrew Marchant
Attorney
Andy represents startups, emerging growth companies, entrepreneurs, angel investors and venture capital firms. Andy counsels clients on a variety of transactions, including equity and convertible securities financings, strategic investments, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and entity formations. He also advises on general corporate matters, including corporate governance, equity compensation, employment, and securities regulations compliance.
Prior to joining Catalyst, Andy was a Fellow at the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology and Entrepreneurship in Boulder, Colorado. Andy is a graduate of James Madison University College of Business and the University of Colorado Law School.
Zach Cookston
Attorney
Zach advises clients of all sizes on a broad range of commercial transactions and intellectual property matters. His practice focuses on licensing and commercialization of intellectual property and technology, strategic transactions, technology and intellectual property protection, data security and privacy.
Prior to joining Catalyst, Zach was an associate in the intellectual property and strategic transactions group of a Boston-based international law firm. Zach received a B.A. in Chinese and International Studies at the University of Mississippi and his J.D. from Columbia Law School.
Cassandra Grant
Senior Paralegal
Cass is a member of Catalyst’s corporate and transaction team, with more than 17 years of experience in working with emerging growth companies, venture capitalists and investment bankers in a variety of corporate and securities transactions, including VC financings and mergers and acquisitions.
Prior to joining Catalyst, Cass was a Paralegal at Silicon Legal Strategy and Cooley LLP. Cass was also Manager – Contracts, Equity and Governance at a high-growth, venture-backed technology company in Denver Colorado. She received her undergraduate degree in health and wellness from Metropolitan State College of Denver.
Matt Seligman
Attorney
Matt advises startups, emerging growth companies, and venture capital firms on a range of general corporate matters and transactions, including corporate governance, entity formations, and equity and convertible securities financings.
Prior to joining Catalyst, Matt was an associate at a Denver-based law firm. Matt graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Michigan and a JD from the University of Colorado Law School.
Elizabeth Stiles
Finance and Operations Manager
Elizabeth serves as Finance and Operations Manager, managing the firm’s operations, finance, general business processes and technical solutions.
Prior to joining Catalyst, Elizabeth worked in finance, operations, marketing, and sales for a top 20 Fortune 500 company. She holds a BA in Economics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Bob Bowman
Special Counsel
Bob is Special Counsel at Catalyst, where his practice focuses on technology-related commercial transactions, the commercialization and protection of intellectual property rights, and data privacy law across a variety of technologies spaces, including SaaS, consumer tech, IoT, blockchain and devices. Bob advises companies of all sizes at all stages of their lifecycles in a broad range of matters and transactions, including:
- Software and technology licenses
- Patent, copyright and trademark licenses and assignments
- SaaS agreements
- Software development agreements
- Data transfer and use agreements
- Privacy and data security counseling, including California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and general privacy compliance strategies
- Intellectual property protection and branding strategies
- Mergers and acquisitions
Prior to joining Catalyst, Bob was a partner in the intellectual property and emerging technology group at a national law firm. Bob is a graduate of Marquette University and Colorado State University, where he earned a B.S. and M.S. in civil engineering, and the University of Iowa College of Law, where he earned a J.D. Bob is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.