Joseph R. Waala, Esq.

With almost 20 years of legal experience, Joe has broad and deep expertise in business formation and governance, investor matters, technology and intellectual property, commercial contracts and business disputes, as well as energy marketing and trading and renewable energy. He currently advises dozens of startups and mature businesses across industries, and has negotiated and documented countless commercial agreements ranging from physical and financial energy transactions to software licenses and other technology transfers, equity and debt financings, stock and asset acquisitions, employment and contractor arrangements, and many others.

He earned his Juris Doctor in 1999 at Georgetown Law, where he was an editor on the Georgetown Environmental Law Review and graduated cum laude; and his Bachelor’s degree in 1996 at Brockport College in New York, where he graduated summa cum laude.

While at Georgetown, he learned to wear many hats, working on an international environmental journal, clerking for a U.S. Federal judge, coaching an appellate moot court team, teaching test-taking skills to future lawyers at Princeton Review, volunteering for a legal aid organization, and interning for both a prominent New York law firm and the New York State Attorney General.

After graduating, he practiced tax and corporate law, commercial transactions, intellectual property, and business litigation for over 10 years at large, international law firms, before working in-house for over 6 years for a publicly-traded, Fortune 500 international hybrid energy company, and later a newly-formed, publicly-traded independent power producer. Working directly with senior management, as well as sales and marketing and operations personnel across diverse companies, he provided legal support for all supply-chain/procurement matters, sales and marketing businesses, and trading operations, as well as the tax, risk and treasury groups. He has taken on everything from law department development to corporate risk assessment and compliance, management, mentoring and process improvements.

He now serves as a high-quality, low-cost “outside general counsel” and trusted legal and business advisor for technology startups, energy companies, and a variety of small to mid-size businesses.

Joe is admitted to practice law in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., as well as the U.S. Tax Court, U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and several other state and Federal courts.​

He gives back to the community by providing pro bono legal services through Philly VIP and volunteering through other aid organizations.

When he’s not working, you can usually find him traveling, exploring Philly, biking, and watching his beloved Eagles lose football games.