Women in Law: an Interview with Debra Vernon

You spend a lot of your practice working with early-stage technology companies. What do you like about this sector? 

It’s exciting being a corporate and securities lawyer in Silicon Valley, advising entrepreneurs, tech companies and investors when companies are just getting started and the founding team is creating innovative technology. I advise clients on a wide range of early-stage legal needs such as formation, venture financings, M&A, public offerings and commercial transactions. I do quite a lot of international work – many of my clients are multinationals and many of the transactions are cross-border. In the last 8 years or so, I also added family law to my practice, taking a business approach to helping clients navigate the minefields of divorce.

I know you’ve worked a bit with companies based in Asia. Are there any special or interesting challenges that you help these clients handle? 

One of the biggest challenges for Asian clients seeking to do business in the U.S. is CFIUS. I help companies navigate CFIUS analysis and compliance.  

You work primarily in Silicon Valley, which is notoriously male dominated. Have you found that there are also unique opportunities for women in Silicon Valley?  

Yes, there are, and I’ve supported many women’s initiatives to create more opportunities. I helped start The Athena Alliance. Athena connects women with corporate board roles. I also served as Chair of the Women Lawyers’ Section of the San Mateo County Bar Association, to help support women lawyers, and I’ve planned many events for Women’s History Month over the years. I was a contributing author to “Changing Tides; Powerful Strategies for Female Founders,” a collection of essays focused on supporting female founders in tech, which highlighted the huge funding gap for women-led startups. Now, happily, we are starting to see more venture firms being formed to focus on women-run businesses. 

What advice would you give women coming up the legal profession? 

In Changing Tides, I wrote how women can change the tides by changing the game. In the legal world, the game that needs to change is the billable hour requirement. Lawyers working 24/7 to bill 2-3,000 hours a year live an imbalanced life. When lawyers are rewarded for maximizing billable hours, everything else has to give – dating, spouse, kids, outside interests, fitness, rest, downtime. Maybe your partner stays home to manage everything while you bill hours. That’s not balanced either. This kind of business model doesn’t support friendship, family, personal enrichment, or health. I feel fortunate to have joined Rimon where partners have a level of flexibility and independence that is unique in the legal world.  

What are your favorite things to do when you’re not working? 

I’ve been riding horses all my life. It is a great counterbalance for the corporate world. When you’re riding, you need to connect with your horse, and you can’t do that if you’re thinking about work or your to-do list. You also need to relax from the stress of the workday because if you’re tense your horse will sense it. They’re prey animals – they’ll wonder why you’re anxious and whether they should be too. You need to be completely present in the moment. Riding is great for mind, body and spirit. 

Where is the most interesting place you have ever travelled to for work? 

I travelled to Shanghai a few years ago for a partners’ meeting — an extraordinary trip. I enjoyed meeting my colleagues in China, and the food, the shopping and the museums – seeing the contrast of light shows on modern office towers against the backdrop of historical landmarks. My colleagues were fantastic hosts. I’ve always been drawn to Asian art and culture, Feng Shui and Chinese literature, so it was wonderful to experience China firsthand.  

What is one of the most interesting things you have ever done? 

I’ve supported startups for years, and now I am launching one, a company called Joynup. Our MVP is in beta. Joynup.com evolved from my combined experience in corporate law and family law, into a solution to help people build, negotiate and sustain positive relationships. Our technology facilitates discussion while encouraging transparency and information sharing. We are launching with a focus on romantic relationships, then adding other kinds of partnerships after launch. It’s all about communication.  

Read more about Debra here.

Rimon has 45 offices across five continents. The firm is widely known as being at the vanguard of legal innovation. The firm has been repeatedly recognized by the Financial Times as one of North America’s most innovative law firms. The firm’s Managing Partners were both named ‘Legal Rebels’ by the American Bar Association’s ABA Journal and have spoken on innovations in the practice of law at Harvard and Stanford Law Schools. Rimon and its lawyers have also received numerous awards for excellence, including from Best Lawyers and Chambers.