After almost five years in-house at Meraki and Cisco, I re-started my own legal practice as a contract general counsel in order to get back to working with startups and get involved with environmental work I'd been wanting to do for years. As a contract GC, I help entrepreneurs navigate a wide range of issues with a very practical, business-oriented approach I developed as an in-house lawyer. As an environmental activist, I'm working to advance the movement to ascribe legal rights to Nature.

I transitioned out of my role leading the Meraki legal team to a part-time role at Cisco in order to focus on several projects that had languished on my Important But Not Urgent list long enough that they had become Important And Urgent. Primarily related to privacy and data protection, these projects were part of an effort to increase trust and transparency related to how data is owned, used, and processed in the age of cloud-based systems and technologies.

At Cisco, I was the lead attorney for the Cloud Networking Group (the former Meraki crew) and was still "The Lawyer"​ as far as my CNG colleagues were concerned. Following the acquisition, I built and managed a team of lawyers dedicated to the CNG business unit and supported a 10x growth in bookings. The dedicated CNG legal team covers nearly all aspects of the business's legal needs, including direct sales to Cisco's largest customers, the build-out of channel sales and distribution worldwide, management of CNG's worldwide privacy compliance program, support for new products and features, employment issues, and compliance programs. The team also plays a critical role in the continued efforts to integrate the Meraki business into Cisco's broader systems while still facilitating the rapid expansion of the Meraki business.

I joined Meraki as the first (and only) in-house attorney after having represented the company as outside counsel for almost five years. In my first twelve months on the job, in addition to helping drive the $1.2 billion acquisition by Cisco from term sheet to closing in just over two months, I accomplished a few other things: * revamped and standardized Meraki's outbound licensing terms and framework; * helped negotiate and close several high value sales deals; * created an effective privacy compliance program; * assisted with the development of our IP portfolio; * developed a nuanced understanding of Meraki's system architecture; * managed disputes and active litigation; * cultivated solid relationships across the organization, from Engineering to Sales; and * joined forces with People Ops to create "Team Buzzkill."

I left the world of big firm law practice and started my own shop as a contract GC in order to roll up my sleeves and really get to know my clients' businesses. Saying goodbye to the safety net of a regular paycheck was terrifying, but becoming an entrepreneur myself was immensely valuable for me as a counsel to entrepreneurs and executives. Being in business for myself gave me a visceral understanding of the extent to which most legal risk pales in comparison to the many other risks a startup faces.

Senior Attorney in Dorsey & Whitney's Cleantech and Venture Capital/Emerging Growth practice groups. Represented primarily cleantech and alternative energy companies and assisted with the build-out of Dorsey's domestic corporate and cleantech practices in Seattle.

Represented technology startups, venture-backed private companies, and public companies throughout their lifecycle, from formation and early capital raising, through later-stage financing and partnership arrangements, and ultimately in various exit scenarios such as mergers & acquisitions, project finance deals, and public offerings.