Andrea C. Liburdi - Partner
Andrea C. Liburdi is a Partner at Axiom Advice & Counsel, leveraging over 15 years of diverse in-house and law firm experience to benefit her clients. With a focus on AA&C's Fractional General Counsel Services, she provides counsel across a broad range of legal matters, including commercial contracts, corporate governance, M&A, regulatory compliance, litigation, employment, and real estate. Her clients include private equity-backed portfolio companies, venture-backed entities, and high-growth small businesses, as well as mid-market companies.
As the General Counsel at BASIS Independent Schools and BASIS Educational Ventures and as the Associate General Counsel at Spring Education Group, a network of over 200 schools across 19 states, Andrea honed her skills in both closely- held and private equity-backed settings. This diverse corporate experience enables her to provide nuanced, practical legal advice that accounts for the complex realities of business operations and growth for these companies.
Drawing on her significant in-house leadership experience, Andrea brings a deep understanding of the "in-house ethos" and how legal departments can serve as both value creators and risk managers. Her career spans from establishing legal functions in startup environments to guiding established teams through significant growth and acquisition phases. Throughout her legal career, Andrea has built comprehensive capabilities in crucial areas of corporate law, including contract negotiation and oversight, licensing and compliance management, litigation supervision and dispute resolution, and stewardship of intellectual property (IP) portfolios.
Her ability to collaborate seamlessly with business partners across various departments, including HR, finance, operations, marketing, communications, and IT, allows her to provide efficient and business-oriented legal counsel. This collaborative approach ensures that her legal strategies align closely with her clients' strategic objectives, investment sponsor priorities, and operational realities, effectively managing risk while maximizing value.
Practice Areas
- Corporate Law
- General Counsel
- Intellectual Property
- Labor & Employment
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Commercial & Contract Law
Admissions
Arizona
United States District Court, District of Arizona
Education
- J.D.
University of Virginia School of Law, 2010 - B.S. in Economics
Arizona State University, 2001, Summa Cum Laude
Experience
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University
- Adjunct Professor
2021–2023
Spring Education Group
- Associate General Counsel
2020–2023
BASIS Independent Schools
- General Counsel
2015–2020 - Senior Counsel
2013–2015
BASIS Educational Ventures
- General Counsel
2016–2019
Snell & Wilmer, Associate Attorney
- 2010–2013
Representative Matters
Representative Experience
Leads Fractional General Counsel engagements by assessing risks and legal needs, advising on strategy and implementation, and partnering with Axiom lawyers seconded to numerous clients, including:
- Multiple tech portfolio companies of a private equity investment fund on commercial contract templates and negotiations, employment policies, trademark disputes, corporate filings, international acquisitions, and cybersecurity assessments.
- A manufacturing company on distributor template agreements, commercial contract templates and negotiations, claims related to state biometric laws and product labeling, plant closings and union negotiations, and trainings for finance and sales teams on contract negotiations.
- A non-profit organization on governance, grant compliance, donor activities, privacy issues, and day-to-day legal matters including employment severances and vendor disputes.
- An alternative investment fund on loan transactions, credit facilities, investor relations, fund registration, and compliance matters.
Leads Interim General Counsel engagements, partnering with Axiom lawyers seconded to clients during GC transitions or leaves of absence, prioritizing and aligning legal advice and activities with business needs. Recent engagements include:
- Two-month leave coverage for an educational institution during the General Counsel's leave of absence, focusing on Board meetings, employment matters, and ADA issues.
- Interim General Counsel for a non-profit museum for four months, overseeing litigation, donor trust and estate inquiries, vendor and exhibition agreements, and artwork provenance matters.
- Interim General Counsel for an international manufacturing company for four months, managing commercial and construction agreements, employment issues, ongoing litigation, environmental agency matters, and equipment disputes.
Mentor and train junior attorneys and staff in client legal departments, support legal department strategy and budgeting, develop departmental policies, lead early dispute resolution strategies, advise on trademark portfolio management, and develop contract templates and review key agreements.
Led legal strategy and supervised Axiom attorneys for multiple start-up and high-growth companies, focusing on comprehensive employment law matters including handbook development, employment agreements, employee relations, terminations, leave management, and ADA compliance.
Led trade secret protection and monetization strategy for healthcare provider client, overseeing development of NDAs and licensing agreements to secure intellectual property assets.
Speaking Engagements
- Moderator, “Mastering Compliance: Strategies for Private Equity Firms in a Dynamic Regulatory Landscape,” Association of Corporate Growth (ACG) and AA&C Webinar (October 15, 2024)
- Panelist, "In-House Recruiting," National Association of Legal Search Consultants Annual Conference (March 4, 2022)
- Panelist, "Ethical Challenges for In-House Counsel," State Bar of Arizona CLE Seminar (March 11, 2020)
Affiliations
- Adjunct Professor, Corporate Counsel Law, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, 2021-2023
- Top Pro Bono Attorneys in Arizona Award; Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education, 2013
- Advisory Board, Special Advisor, Volunteer Lawyers Program, 2012-2013
