Experience

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  The Office of Mia Mitchell Grandpre

  • Oakland, California

  • Attorney

    • Jul 2018 - Present
    • Oakland, California

    Legal entity experience includes forming new entities, structuring internal governance agreements, mitigating partnership disputes, negotiating business separations and dissolving entities.Corporate governance experience includes advising corporate boards and management teams on various issues, including compliance matters (e.g., SEC rules, FINRA rules), and investigations.Due diligence experience includes negotiating business sales and acquisitions; performing client, vendor, and employee background investigations.Asset protection experience includes registration and enforcement of copyrights and trademarks; negotiation of intellectual property licensing agreements; negotiation of commercial leases; supervising lawyers in specialized areas related to corporate assets (e.g., real property purchases, patent registration).Compliance experience includes representation during internal and regulatory investigations; presenting legal analysis related to securities laws; formulating compliance programs to avoid regulatory violations. Transactional experience includes drafting and negotiation of client, vendor and employment contracts; advising internal business groups on best practices. Litigation experience includes management of commercial litigation matters including employment, vendor, and customer disputes in multiple forums (mediation, arbitration, and state and federal courts); negotiated pre-litigation contract and employment disputes to settlement.

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  Women's Foundation of the South

  • General Counsel

    • Oct 2023 - Present

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  Elysian Enterprises LLC

  • General Counsel

    • Jan 2020 - Present

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  NEW ORLEANS WORKERS CENTER FOR RACIAL JUSTICE

  • General Counsel

    • Feb 2019 - Present

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  East Oakland Youth Development Center

  • Oakland, California, United States

  • General Counsel

    • Sep 2022 - Present
    • Oakland, California, United States

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  Converge Consulting, LLC

  • New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

  • General Counsel

    • Jan 2018 - Present
    • New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

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  Ivie, McNeill & Wyatt

  • Oakland, California

  • Of Counsel

    • Sep 2018 - Present
    • Oakland, California

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  Cupcakin'​ Bake Shop

  • Oakland, California, United States

  • General Counsel

    • Apr 2022 - Dec 2022
    • Oakland, California, United States

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  Office of Judondi Bolden

  • Oakland California

  • Attorney

    • May 2017 - Jul 2018
    • Oakland California

    Represents individual and corporate clients in trials, hearings and arbitration procedures before administrative agencies, tribunals and courts as a civil litigator in business disputes and unlawful detainer proceedings

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  Wedbush Securities

  • Greater Los Angeles Area

  • Corporate Counsel

    • May 2015 - Aug 2016
    • Greater Los Angeles Area

    - Manage commercial litigation matters from in a wide range of legal matters for full-service securities brokerage firm including employment, vendor, and customer disputes.- Responsible for litigating matters from inception to conclusion in multiple forums including mediation, arbitration, and state and federal courts. - Manage and settle pre-litigation contract and employment disputes.- Conduct internal client interviews and investigations related to litigation disputes and compliance matters.- Review, negotiate, draft and revise vendor and supplier contracts including service agreements, non-disclosure agreements, and engagement letters.- Manage internal client requests related to contract negotiation and litigation disputes. - Advise internal business groups on best practices related to sues and conducting the transactions at hand.Highlights:- 2nd chaired employment arbitration matter demanding $1,000,000+ in compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney’s fees and pre- and post-award interest. The team achieved a highly favorable arbitration award (significantly reduced compensatory damages without any award for attorney’s fees, punitive damages or pre-award interest). - Negotiated settlement of regulatory matter against company and employee resulting reduced fine for company and no suspension for employee. - Attended mediation which led to successful settlement of customer arbitration matter. - Successfully opposed motion to dismiss in federal bankruptcy matter.

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  Jones Walker LLP

  • 201 St. Charles Avenue, 49th Floor; New Orleans, Louisiana 70170

  • Associate Attorney

    • Sep 2010 - Apr 2015
    • 201 St. Charles Avenue, 49th Floor; New Orleans, Louisiana 70170

    Litigation experience includes representing national corporations and regional companies in state and federal litigation proceedings. Specifically, conducting initial case evaluations and establishing litigation goals; drafting settlement agreements; preparing pleadings and motions; and planning and executing discovery plans. Emphasis in the areas of consumer financial services, mortgage-related disputes, business contract disputes, intellectual property infringement (copyright and trademark), and unfair competition disputes.Intellectual Property prosecution experience includes conducting trademark searches; drafting trademark clearance opinions; preparing and filing trademark registration applications; responding to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office actions; and preparing and filing copyright registration applications. Transactional experience includes drafting copyright licensing agreements and pre-execution review of talent agency agreement.

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  Future of Music Coalition

  • Washington D.C. Metro Area

  • Legal Extern Researching Music and Performance Industry Copyright Issues

    • Sep 2008 - Dec 2008
    • Washington D.C. Metro Area

    Researched copyright issues pertinent to musicians and performers, including the legal impact of all-inclusive (360 Deals) recording contracts and termination rights in certain joint-ownership or work-for-hire situations.

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  Sony Pictures Entertainment

  • Greater Los Angeles Area

  • Music Affairs Intern, Copyright Exploitation Rights (Synch and Master Use)

    • May 2007 - Jul 2007
    • Greater Los Angeles Area

    Reviewed legal files for exploitation rights language in synch and master use licensing agreements. Analyzed language for ability to exploit compositions and master recordings as embodied in movie properties in new media products.

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  BUA, Inc.

  • Greater Los Angeles Area

  • Sales Director for Visual Artist (Maximized Revenue from Copyrights in Artwork)

    • Jan 2005 - Nov 2005
    • Greater Los Angeles Area

    Led sales and marketing operations for fine art painter; maximized revenue from copyrights in artwork through gallery agreements and licensing agreements; grew revenue by over 200% within 9 months by building wholesale demand; increased demand of original artwork by marketing to celebrity and art influencer markets; enforced copyrights in artwork by working with attorneys to investigate and pursue infringement actions.