Profile

Michael Melfi is a partner in Taylor English’s corporate department, where he represents innovative and entrepreneurial businesses in a wide array of technology, intellectual property, and corporate matters. He serves clients in a broad range of industries, including technology, software, big data, healthcare, manufacturing, publishing, automotive, and aerospace, as well as transportation, retail, food and beverage, and construction. Mr. Melfi has extensive experience working with these companies on financing and fundraising, tax planning, and acquisitions and dispositions.

Mr. Melfi serves as a trusted advisor to clients, mentoring, counseling and securing funding for entrepreneurs, inventors, start-ups, and small businesses and their disruptive technology. He advises inventors on how to secure, protect and commercialize their intellectual property. Additionally, he uses his entrepreneurial spirit to collaborate with entrepreneurs from an inventions’ journey to commercialization, guiding clients through assessment, strategic planning, business development, execution and fundraising.

Prior to joining Taylor English, Mr. Melfi served as a partner in one of the Midwest’s leading business law firms that provides counsel to some of the region’s most successful companies and individuals. He also has experience as the founder, chief operation officer and general counsel of a multimedia company, where he created cutting-edge experiential and digital marketing campaigns for Fortune 500 clients, and worked with industry-leading, national products and brands to monetize and grow their web-based businesses.

Mr. Melfi frequently writes and speaks on a wide range of legal issues impacting entrepreneurs, including, startups, leadership, business, social media, crowdfunding, and IP portfolio management. Additionally, he has authored four books aimed at helping entrepreneurs gain a better understanding of complex areas of business.

To further support the entrepreneurial community, Mr. Melfi founded Investable Mastermind. The Mastermind provides professionals and business owners with a community to address challenges and obstacles faced in growing their business. Members of the Mastermind receive the tools, resources and connections to help them solve problems. The Mastermind is dedicated to empowering the lives of the like-minded entrepreneurial community. Members collaborate with the community to pursue their vision in a fulfilling and abundant way, so that, they can accomplish together what they couldn’t have done alone.

Affiliations

  • 1871, Chicago’s Center for Technology and Entrepreneurship, Mentor
  • Detroit Regional Chamber, Leadership Detroit, Class XXV
  • National Crowdfunding Association, Founding Member, 2012-2016
  • Small Business Association of Michigan, Member
  • State Bar of Michigan, Member
  • University of Michigan Kinesiology Alumni Society (KAS), Board of Governors, Member, July 2014 – July 2017; Alumni Engagement Committee, Member; Student Engagement Committee, Member

Bar Admissions

  • Michigan

Education

  • Michigan State University College of Law, JD, 2002
  • Wayne State University, MBA, 2003
  • University of Michigan, BA, 1999

My Insights

The Power of Incorporation: Understanding the Advantages and Structure of Corporations

Over 4.4 million businesses are started each year. This means, there are a lot of entities that need to be formed. While there are…

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LLCs Demystified: Understanding the Advantages and Uses of Limited Liability Companies

So you have a business or an idea, maybe an investment and you are buying an asset, and you want a “company”. What does that really mean?…

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Creating an Effective Advisory Board: Tips and Strategies for Early-Stage Entrepreneurs

For an early stage company, it can be challenging to navigate the many decisions and challenges that come with building a successful…

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From Clients to Colleagues: The Impact of Strong Relationships in Professional Services

As a professional service provider, such as a lawyer, it is important to have strong relationships with clients, colleagues, and opposing…

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Legal Must-Haves for SaaS Startups: Ensuring Compliance and Protection

When launching a Software as a Service (SaaS) company, setting up a comprehensive and legally compliant website and platform is crucial….

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Three Keys to Building Abundant Relationships

We interact with people on a daily basis. The question is what is the quality of your interactions?  If you really think about it, the…

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Demystifying Startup Financing: What You Need to Know About SAFE, Convertible Note, and Equity

A lot of startups feel that if they just had money, everything would be better. While funding certainly provides fuel to growth and…

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Success is Not Always Fun

Success is not defined by how fun it is. Rather, success at whatever you do in life comes down to an individual, team, company or even a…

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Rocketfuel for Emerging Companies

They say that fundraising is the fuel for the rocket ship of emerging companies, so the quest is on to find the rocket fuel they call…

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The Anatomy of a Pitch Deck

Do you have questions about what it takes to get funding?  Have you ever considered what happens to everyone who does not end up in a…

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