RVL® Launches Corporate Practice Division
Rockridge Venture Law® is pleased to announce the addition of attorney Shayn Fernandez to lead its corporate team. Shayn brings to RVL® seed-to-sale corporate experience, assisting entrepreneurs and investors in all stages of a corporate lifecycle–from formation and fundraising to exits through mergers and acquisitions. Shayn also represents government contractors with teaming strategies, contract negotiation, regulatory compliance, and protests in various state, local, and federal forums. He also guides companies through corporate structuring and governance matters to obtain and comply with various state, federal, and private certifications including SBA certifications and benefit corporations.
Prior to joining RVL®, Shayn was a corporate contract attorney at Williams Mullen in Virginia. Shayn received his Juris Doctor degree, with honors, from the Wake Forest University School of Law, where he was an editor of the Wake Forest Law Review.
We sat down with Shayn to learn more about his move to Chattanooga and Rockridge Venture Law:
1. What brought you to Chattanooga and Rockridge Venture Law?
SF: After spending a few years at a large firm, the inefficiencies and shortcomings offered by the traditional model had me seeking a better approach. It’s 2020 and most firms have failed to meet the client where they are; for instance, by providing relatable guidance or a better pricing guide than “it depends” which results in a client reluctant to seek counsel. Enter Rockridge Venture Law, a purpose driven firm (Tennessee’s first B-Corp law firm and 1% for the Planet member) led by entrepreneurs offering practical advice and fixed-fee, subscription, and transparent pricing models. And what better city than Chattanooga?
2. What is one motto or piece of advice that guides the way you live?
SF: Benjamin Graham said, “At heart, ‘uncertainty’ and ‘investing’ are synonyms.” or as I see it, with risk, there is often opportunity. Often we get too bogged down with evaluating all the possible risks that we never jump at the opportunity.
3. What business and/or technology trends are you excited about looking forward?
SF: It’s not so much a “technology trend” but it’s nice that we are starting to see the merits of working outside of a centralized brick and mortar location. The technology has been there for a while, but COVID has provided the necessary push to implement.
4. What are some common indicators that an early-stage company will successfully scale beyond a startup?
SF: Diversity. Teams that have a diversity of backgrounds and skills are often more resilient, flexible, and open to guidance.
About Rockridge Venture Law®
RVL® was launched in 2017 to become the preeminent intellectual property and technology firm across the Appalachian Innovation Corridor. We now have offices in Chattanooga, Durham, Jackson and Nashville, and represent clients and interests globally. Our services include all aspects of intellectual property, litigation, M&A, privacy, technology transactions, and ventures.
In 2018 and 2019, we were recognized as B Corp Best for the World for our commitment to triple bottom line business practices. Our pioneering environmental and social impact programs attract top-notch legal talent and assure our clients of missional alignment with their corporate values.
Rockridge uniquely addresses two modern profit drivers: innovation (uptake and development), and corporate social responsibility. We’re Building Today’s Company for Tomorrow’s Economy® by leading clients through the dizzying array of information controls, by helping them to develop and monetize proprietary assets, and by enabling their impactful products, programs, and principles.
