Rahul Kapoor

Emerging business and technology, corporate

Kapoor advised Toyota Motor Corp. on a major deal in May to invest $50 million in Tesla Motors Inc. and cooperate in the development and manufacture of electric cars.

Before entering law, Kapoor was an electrical engineer at a Pittsburgh-based startup called Formtek Technologies, which was later bought by Lockheed Martin Corp.. Kapoor rose through the ranks to become a project manager, where he got his first taste of contractual matters and deal making.

Today, his legal colleagues say his background in technology and business allows him to put himself in the shoes of his clients and understand what's at stake for a small company throwing it all on the line for one patent.

He also advises SanDisk Corp., the Apollo Group Inc., Palm Inc. and Cisco Systems Inc. on transactions, patent licensing and joint ventures.

When he isn't advising high-tech companies, he teaches a class on intellectual property strategy at the Berkeley School of Law.