About
David A. Bell is a trusted legal advisor with deep experience guiding public and private companies through high-stakes transactions and growth milestones. He provides strategic counsel on mergers and acquisitions, venture financings, IPOs, and intellectual property licensing, serving clients across software, hardware, games, and climatetech industries.
David’s educational background includes a B.S. in Business Administration and an M.B.A. in Corporate Financial Management and Management Information Systems from the University at Buffalo, State University of New York. He earned his J.D. from the University of California, Davis, where he was Order of the Coif, a Phi Kappa Phi member, and served as Symposium Editor of the Journal of International Law & Policy.
David supports early-stage and mature companies in navigating capital market opportunities and corporate governance. His role as practice area co-lead in corporate governance includes developing widely recognized surveys on governance, proxy season trends, and diversity benchmarks for major tech and life sciences companies.
David’s work is informed by years of collaboration with founders, executives, and engineers, offering a hands-on understanding of business models and emerging technologies. He has been instrumental in advising on complex acquisitions, such as Glu Mobile’s $2.4B sale to Electronic Arts and Cloudera’s $5.2B merger with Hortonworks.
David gained significant in-house experience as interim chief compliance officer for InVision Technologies during its FCPA investigation and integration into General Electric. This exposure enhanced his regulatory insight, allowing him to advise on sensitive compliance matters with confidence and precision.
David A. Bell continues to support companies through each phase of their lifecycle, applying his industry knowledge and legal experience to help clients achieve strategic business goals while ensuring compliance and governance excellence.
Law Office Affiliations
- Partner, Fenwick & West LLP
- Fellow, American College of Governance Counsel
Licensed State
- California
Education
- University of California
Juris Doctor (JD) - University at Buffalo, State University of New York
MBA in Corporate Financial Management & Management Information Systems - University at Buffalo, State University of New York
BS in Business Administration
Awards & Badges


- Corporate and incorporation
- Licensing
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Venture capital