Robert W. McDonald

Summary

Rob is the Chair of Taft's Cincinnati Business practice group where he has garnered a reputation as a leading advisor to growth-minded companies, venture capital funds, family offices, government entities, research institutions, and sports franchises. Rob partners with his clients to develop and implement the appropriate strategies to achieve their organizational goals; whether it be growth, efficiency, or risk mitigation. In doing so, he leads mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financings, securities offerings, and other strategic initiatives. In addition, Rob assists his clients with fund formation, IP commercialization and tech transfer, and on developing programs to manage recurrent litigation.

Most recently, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted has named Rob to the executive committee of InnovateOhio, a new state government innovation initiative where Rob Chairs the Ohio IP Promise workgroup. Civically, Rob is currently the Board Chair of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, a 125-year old institution, and serves on the executive committees of the Dan Beard Council (Boy Scouts of America) and the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Cincinnati. He is also on the board of MORTAR Cincinnati and Main Street Ventures, which are creating opportunities to build communities through entrepreneurship.

Rob received his bachelor's degree from Duke University and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. While an undergraduate, he completed comparative law course work at New College, Oxford University. He earned his J.D. from Washington University School of Law, and during his last term of law school, he clerked at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Rob grew up in the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Japan and Belgium.

Awards

  • Award Image

    Honoree, Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2017 - 2019)

  • Honoree, Best Lawyers in America, Mergers & Acquisitions, Securities/Capital Markets, Venture Capital

    (2016 - present)

  • Honoree, Leading Lawyers, Emerging Companies/Venture Capital (2016 - present)

  • Whitney M. Young Service Award Honoree, Boy Scouts of America (2016)

  • Silver Beaver Award Honoree, Boy Scouts of America (2015)

  • Innovation Award Honoree, Cincinnati Business Courier (2013)

  • Gentlemen of Style & Substance Award Honoree, Cincinnati Magazine, Saks Fifth Avenue and Cincinnati Parks Foundation (2013)

  • Forty Under 40 Honoree, Cincinnati Business Courier (2012)

  • Dealmaker Award Honoree, Association for Corporate Growth (2012)

  • Award Image

    Honoree, Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America®, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Cincinnati (2022)

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Education

  • Washington University School of Law in St. Louis
  • Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
  • Duke University

Admissions

  • State - Ohio

News

Professional Affiliations

  • Association for Corporate Growth

    Member, Executive Committee

  • The Brandery

    Co-Founder

  • InnovateOhio

    Member, Executive Committee

  • Main Street Ventures

    Member, Board of Directors

  • The Interlex Group

    Taft Representative

Community Involvement

  • Boy Scouts of America, Dan Beard Council

    Member, Executive Committee

  • Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

    Board Chair

  • MORTAR Cincinnati

    Member, Board of Directors

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