Michael E. Pfau

Mike earned his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Cincinnati (1976) (Phi Beta Kappa). He received a law degree (J.D.) from Boston College Law School (1979), and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Georgetown University Law Center (1983). Mike was admitted to practice in Connecticut in 1979, and in California in 1986. He is a founding partner of the law firm Reicker, Pfau, Pyle & McRoy LLP, in Santa Barbara, California, which was founded in 1996. Prior to joining that firm, he was a partner in Schramm & Raddue, a Santa Barbara law firm.

He has served as outside general counsel to a number of high technology and manufacturing businesses, including businesses whose product lines are in software and multimedia, telecommunications, medical devices, and associated high technology areas. Mike has extensive experience with both public and private offerings of securities, including with, common stock and preferred stock offerings, real estate equity and debt syndications, and securities offerings to venture firms, “angel” investors, and strategic partners. He has represented many corporate and often business clients in substantial merger and acquisition transactions with public and private companies, including taxable and tax-deferred merger transactions.

Mike represents clients in complex real estate transactions, including acquisitions, tax-deferred exchanges and other dispositions, leases, equity and debt syndications, and debt financing transactions. He represents several of the leading real estate investment firms on the Central Coast.

Mike was an Army JAGC officer for four years immediately after college, during which he worked in the Army’s Government Appellate Division in Falls Church, Virginia, as an appellate lawyer.

Mike’s publications include the following:

• “Written Business Plans for the Start-Up Entity and the Lawyer’s Role,” Vol. VIII CEB Cal. Bus. Law Practitioner, No. 3, p. 176 (Summer 1993).
• “The TEFRA Amendments to Section 304.” 1983. Unpublished L.L.M. Thesis.
• “The Military Death Penalty and the Constitution: There is Life After Furman,” 97 Mil. L. Rev. 35 (1982).

Mike has been married for 41 years to Aleisa Setzer Pfau; Mike and Aleisa, who was born and raised in New York, met as students in Salamanca, Spain, while studying abroad for a semester in college, and enjoy traveling back to Spain. Mike and Aleisa have three children and two grandchildren.

Mike is active in the Santa Barbara community and the Central Coast business community, where his activities have included the following:

• Board Member of Heritage Oaks Bancorp (Nasdaq: HEOP)
• Member of Santa Barbara Angel Alliance
• Director, Past Chair, and Founding Board Member of South Coast Business and Technology Awards Dinner. Member of the Nominations Committee
• Director and Past Chair of UCSB Economic Forecast Project
• Founding Director of Business First National Bank (later acquired by heritage Oaks Bancorp)
• Past President and Former Board Member of Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce
• Past President and Former Director of Goleta Boys and Girls Club
• Former Director of United Boys and Girls Clubs
• Former Director of Santa Barbara Public Education Fund
• Former Director of Direct Relief International
• Founder and Former Director of Venture Investment Partners
• Founding Director and Past President of Santa Barbara Region Economic Community Project
• Co-Author of White Papers, “The Imperative for High Technology Employment in Santa Barbara County” (1993 & 1994)

• $1.4 billion tax-free merger of high technology enterprise in materials field
• $35.0 million Series B Equity Offering for chemistry-based technology start-up
• $45.0 million acquisition of SaaS software enterprise
• $95.0 million acquisition of ground-leased commercial property and associated CMBS leasehold loan and ground lease financing
• $95.0 million acquisition of triple-net leased commercial property and associated CMBS loan
• $40.0 million roll-up and refinancing of commercial real property with first-mortgage and mezzanine loan structures.

• Connecticut (1979)
• California (1986)