Overview

Philippa "Pippa" J. Balestrieri is a corporate and M&A attorney in Holland & Knight's San Francisco office and a member of the firm's International and Cross Border Transactions Practice. Having lived and worked on three continents, Ms. Balestrieri brings her international experience to national and multinational business matters, advising clients on corporate governance, automotive regulatory compliance and licensing, acquisition and investment strategy, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) compliance and general business transactions. Her practice includes work for privately and publicly held startup, emerging growth and Fortune 500 companies in the automotive, technology, healthcare, financial services and energy sectors.

Ms. Balestrieri regularly counsels automotive dealers, investors and technology companies with respect to their ongoing relationships with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), negotiations of loan facilities, state motor vehicle dealer laws and state licensing, including with respect to autonomous transportation.

Prior to receiving her law degree, Ms. Balestrieri served as a judicial intern for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch while he was a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. In addition, she was an associate editor at the University of Colorado Law Review and achieved membership to the international Order of the Coif, graduating in the top 10 percent of her class.

Within the firm, Ms. Balestrieri serves as co-leader of the Holland & Knight Women's Initiative for the San Francisco office as well as an active member of the firm's Innovation Committee.

Ms. Balestrieri is a citizen of multiple countries and enjoys serving as a legal and cultural ambassador for her clients.

Credentials

Education
  • University of Colorado School of Law, J.D., Dean's List
  • Oxford University, M.A., Philosophy, Politics and Economics, with honors
  • Oxford University, B.A., Philosophy, Politics and Economics, with honors
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • California
  • Virginia
  • Colorado
Memberships
  • American Bar Association
  • British American Bar Association of Southern California
  • British American Business Council (Rocky Mountain), Founding Member
  • State Bar of California, Business Law Section 
  • State Bar of California, International Law Section
  • Oxford Entrepreneurs Network, Executive Board
Honors & Awards
  • Rising Star, Business & Corporate Law, Northern California Super Lawyers magazine, 2024
  • Rising Star, Healthcare Law, Colorado Super Lawyers magazine, 2023
  • Holland & Knight Pro Bono All-Star, 2018-2020
  • Order of the Coif
Spoken Languages
  • English
  • French

Publications

Speaking Engagements

News