Talk to us Meet Mike
What do you love most about being part of Aspiriant?
The people and the culture. Aspiriant seeks out and attracts exceptional individuals who value the alignment between clients and employees and the collaboration inherent in our business model. I greatly enjoy working with such like-minded individuals.
What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
I led the expansion of a U.S. financial services firm into the U.K. from a legal and regulatory perspective. I enjoyed learning about the U.K. legal and regulatory system and the challenges associated with being a registrant there. I also built and trained a multinational legal team from the ground up during the thick of the COVID pandemic — a challenging but incredibly rewarding experience.
What quality of yours makes you best suited to what you do?
My undergraduate background in philosophy taught me how to think critically, ask the right questions and communicate complex ideas clearly — all essential to legal and strategic thinking.
How should people think about their wealth?
I think of wealth as an incredibly powerful tool that helps people achieve their goals. Not only for themselves, but also for their families and communities.
What do you love to do outside of work?
Outside of work, I spend most of my time with my wife and three children. We travel as much as possible and enjoy cooking, swimming, hiking and playing board games together. I also love reading about medieval and classical history (which my wife and kids occasionally try to feign interest in, for my benefit).
What would you be doing if you weren’t working for Aspiriant?
I would love to teach a law school class about the history and development of financial contracts, from antiquity through the present. While I’m still waiting for surging demand from law students for such a class (maybe when I retire), I find that the historical context adds real value to understanding complex issues.
What are some of your career highlights?
Early in my legal career, I had the opportunity to work on multiple IPOs from start to finish, gaining a deep understanding of securities offerings and regulatory processes. Over the years, I’ve structured and launched private fund vehicles across various jurisdictions, including Delaware, Ireland, Luxembourg and the Cayman Islands. I’ve also negotiated content acquisition and distribution agreements across the global media landscape, including for film, TV and digital platforms.
Please recap your education and accreditations.
I received my B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Michigan and earned my J.D. with a Certificate in Business Law from the UCLA School of Law. I’m also an active member of the State Bar of California.
Bio
Mike joined Aspiriant in 2023 as General Counsel and brings more than a decade of legal experience in the financial services and media industries. As a member of the firm’s Operating Committee and Information and Cybersecurity Committee, he advises on governance, regulatory and corporate matters, and works closely with Aspiriant’s Board of Directors.
Before joining Aspiriant, Mike was Head of Legal for Wilshire Advisors, a global financial services firm based in Santa Monica. There, he led an international legal team and advised senior management on regulatory compliance and cross-border operations in the U.S., U.K. and E.U. His earlier experience includes serving as Corporate Counsel to a media production and distribution company in Beverly Hills and practicing law at Latham & Watkins in Los Angeles, where he advised multinational companies, financial institutions and private equity firms on capital markets and M&A transactions.
Mike earned a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Michigan and received his J.D. with a Certificate in Business Law from the UCLA School of Law.
He lives in South Pasadena, California, with his wife and three children. Together, they enjoy traveling, cooking and exploring the outdoors. Mike also has a deep interest in medieval and classical history, a passion he sometimes convinces his family to share — at least in theory.
