FACULTY
Joel M. Birken, ReesBroome, PC / Tysons
David J. Charles, ReesBroome, PC / Tysons
Matt Whitaker, Quantive Advisors / Tysons
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Joel M. Birken, ReesBroome, PC / Tysons
Joel Birken is a founding shareholder in the Tysons law firm of Rees Broome, PC, where he specializes in merger and acquisition transactions, corporate and general business, employment, and technology law. He earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from The George Washington University. Mr. Birken is a member of the American Bar Association and the Fairfax Bar Association, a member of the Virginia State Bar and a former chair of its Standing Committee on Lawyer Discipline, and a fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation.
David J. Charles, ReesBroome, PC / Tysons
David Charles counsels clients on corporate, securities, finance, and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions for public and private companies operating in a variety of industries, such as energy, defense, health care, e-commerce, information-technology products and services, financial services, and consulting services. He counsels clients of public and private entities involving complex business issues, including the alignment of corporate strategy to accomplish corporate goals. He has substantial experience with structuring complex transactions, negotiating financial and legal deal terms, and drafting definitive documentation. He has advised clients on more than 100 M&A transactions.
Prior to joining Rees Broome, as a shareholder, Mr. Charles was a partner with the international law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman and General Counsel and Vice President of Business Development for think XML, Inc. In that capacity, he provided general legal and business advice to a 50-person, private software company.
Matt Whitaker, Quantive Advisors / Tysons
Matt Whitaker is a Managing Director of M&A at Quantive Advisors (www.goquantive.com). Quantive provides Valuation services, M&A Advisory services, and Exit Planning, or “Value Engineering” services for companies in the lower middle market. His practice is concentrated in the government contracting sector, with a focus on technology companies.
Mr. Whitaker has worked on transactions in multiple industries including Civil Engineering, Management Consulting, Health Care, EdTech, and Sports Tech. He is the owner of Intelligent Office of Alexandria, an executive office suite that provides administrative and telephone receptionist services to small businesses and solo practitioners. Previously, he was the COO of iFinance, Business Manager at Capital One, a Manager at AT Kearney Management Consultants and a production manager at a Procter and Gamble manufacturing facility.
Mr. Whitaker started his career by serving four years as an officer in the U.S. Navy, primarily as Gunnery Officer on USS Comte de Grasse (DD 974). He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BSE in Mechanical Engineering and from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business with an MBA with High Honors.