Robert W. McDonald

Rob is actively engaged in civic and professional leadership at both the national and local levels. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and is a board member of the FC Cincinnati Foundation. Reflecting the international scope of his practice, he also serves on the Board of Interlex, a global association of leading law firms. In Ohio, Rob is a member of the Executive Committee of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and has previously served as Chair of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and President of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Cincinnati.

Rob earned his bachelor’s degree from Duke University and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. During his undergraduate studies, he completed comparative law coursework at New College, Oxford University. He received his J.D. from Washington University School of Law, where he also clerked at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission during his final term. Rob grew up in Kobe, Japan.

Representative Experience

Sports and Entertainment Law

• Represents multiple NFL franchises in complex commercial matters, including stadium development, naming rights, lease agreements, concession agreements, sponsorship and marketing agreements, sports gaming, retail and merchandising, media, e-commerce, and licensing arrangements.
• Advises minority investor groups in acquisitions and investments across MLS, MLB, MiLB, and NWSL franchises.
• Represents professional sports leagues in a variety of commercial transactions.
• Advises concert venue owners and operators, including development of new and ground-up venues.

Fund Formation and Representation

• Lead counsel on the formation of multiple venture capital and private equity funds.
• Advises funds on ongoing financing and transactional matters.
• Represents newly formed funds and their general partners.
• Recognized as Best Lawyers® 2022 “Lawyer of the Year” in Cincinnati for Securities/Capital Markets Law.

Venture Capital, Emerging Growth, and M&A

• Serves as lead counsel to venture-backed and growth-stage companies throughout their lifecycle, from formation through financing and exit.
• Represents private companies, including family-owned and private equity-backed businesses, as well as funds and SPVs in buy and sell side M&A transactions.
• Named Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” for Venture Capital Law in 2023 and 2026.

Research Institutions

• Advises leading children’s hospital research institutions on venture formation, spin-outs, and commercialization initiatives.