Carl Valenstein focuses his practice on domestic and international corporate and securities matters, mergers and acquisitions, project development, and transactional finance. He works extensively in a variety of industries, including the life sciences, telecom/electronics, renewable energy, and maritime industries, and has worked broadly in Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Carl co-chairs the firm’s Cuba initiative. He is the former leader of the Boston office corporate and business transactions practice, former co-chair of the firm's ESG and sustainability advisory practice, and previously served as co-chair of the International Section of the Boston Bar Association.
In addition to his transactional practice, Carl advises clients on international risk management, including compliance with the foreign investment review process, export control and sanctions, and anti-money laundering, antiboycott, and anticorruption laws and regulations. He also advises on, and has participated in, internal investigations, enforcement cases, and dispute resolution proceedings relating to his transactional and regulatory practice. Carl is a member of the Morgan Lewis Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) working group. He is a frequent speaker at conferences on a variety of international compliance and transactional topics. Carl is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, and also conversant in French and Italian.
For more than 20 years, Carl has provided legal assistance to microfinance institutions and assisted public charities, foundations, social enterprises and entrepreneurs, impact investment venture capital funds, and other impact investors. He is a founding member of the Impact Investment Lawyers Legal Working Group, which holds annual conferences. Carl is an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan Law School and New York Law School International Transactions Clinics (ITCs) focusing on impact investment. He also teaches transnational finance at Boston University Law School. He serves on the advisory boards of the Michigan Social Venture Fund, which is the oldest student-led social venture fund, and the NU Impact Fund.
Life Sciences
Maritime
Chemical
Telecom/Electronics
Industrial
Latin America
International Finance
Renewable Energy
International Regulatory
Impact Investing (Pro Bono)
Pro Bono Spotlight, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2023)
Notable Practitioner, IFLR1000 Financial and Corporate (2019–2023)
Notable Practitioner, IFLR1000 United States (2018)
Recognized, International Trade and Finance Law, Washington, DC, The Best Lawyers in America (2018–2020, 2022, 2023)
Board member and pro bono counsel, Boston International Arbitration Counsel
Co-Chair, International Section, Boston Bar Association
Member, International and Business Law Sections, American Bar Association
Member, International Bar Association
Member, Maritime Law Association
Financial Times Innovative Lawyer Award for Social Responsibility for representation of Habitat for Humanity International on the MicroBuild Fund (2016)
John J. Curtin Public Service Award for pro bono efforts, including representation of Habitat for Humanity International on the MicroBuild Fund