Venture Capital
John Clendenin
Partner, Cooley LLP · Palo Alto, CA
John Clendenin is a Cooley LLP partner in Palo Alto who chairs the firm's global fund formation practice group and represents venture capital and private equity funds.
John Clendenin is a partner at Cooley LLP in Palo Alto and chair of the firm's global fund formation practice group. According to the firm, his practice focuses on the representation of domestic and international investment funds — including venture capital, private equity, fund of funds, secondary funds, and special opportunity funds — in connection with their formation, operation, and investment activities.
The firm states that he has represented sponsor organizations in the formation of more than 125 fund programs, ranging from multibillion-dollar investment firms to smaller firms forming seed and early-stage venture capital, angel, and similar microcap funds. In addition to his fund formation practice, the firm notes that he represents emerging growth companies in financing transactions and general corporate matters. Recent matters listed on his bio include advising Scribble Ventures on the close of its $80 million third fund and Invictus Growth Partners on raising $574 million for its second fund and related co-investment vehicles.
Clendenin is admitted to practice in California, with State Bar admission listed in 2005 and an active license. He has been ranked by Chambers USA for Venture Capital: Fund Formation, including Band 1 for California in 2024-2025, and by The Legal 500 US for investment fund formation and management from 2020 to 2025.
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Profile information is compiled from public records and the sources listed above. Last updated June 5, 2026. Listing in this directory is not an endorsement, does not constitute legal advice, and creates no attorney–client relationship.