Smith Shapourian Mignano PC is a women- and minority-owned boutique law firm in San Francisco, representing startups and small businesses. We are an innovative and enterprising law firm, utilizing up-to-the-minute technology to maximize our efficiency and effectiveness so as to offer clients a high-touch, high-quality experience.
Our clients include growth-stage tech and cannabis entrepreneurs who are forming and scaling their companies; traditional small businesses, micro-funds, and professional services firms who seek to form, buy, sell, merge or dissolve; and businesses or founders involved in disputes with their former companies, employees, partners, investors, service providers, or customers.
Our clients include growth-stage tech and cannabis entrepreneurs who are forming and scaling their companies; traditional small businesses, micro-funds, and professional services firms who seek to form, buy, sell, merge or dissolve; and businesses or founders involved in disputes with their former companies, employees, partners, investors, service providers, or customers.
upcoming events
May 13, 2021 - 9 - 10 am PST - Panel for NowCFO
Lindsey S. Mignano, Luigi Congedo of Bootstrap Labs, Asif Moosani of Gradient Ventures, Owen Carlton of NowCFO, and John Mannes of Basis Set Ventures will present for NowCFO and TriNet in a co-sponsored panel entitled "Investing in AI: Financing Predictions and Landscape in 2020." Panelists will discuss the current state of the industry for early-stage AI startup founders, including topics such as financing trends; what early-stage American VCs investing in early-stage AI companies are looking for in 2021; and strategies for raising, remotely, a pre-Seed (ex. $500K) v. Seed (ex. $1-4M) v. Series A ($5-20M+) round in 2021.
Lindsey S. Mignano, Luigi Congedo of Bootstrap Labs, Asif Moosani of Gradient Ventures, Owen Carlton of NowCFO, and John Mannes of Basis Set Ventures will present for NowCFO and TriNet in a co-sponsored panel entitled "Investing in AI: Financing Predictions and Landscape in 2020." Panelists will discuss the current state of the industry for early-stage AI startup founders, including topics such as financing trends; what early-stage American VCs investing in early-stage AI companies are looking for in 2021; and strategies for raising, remotely, a pre-Seed (ex. $500K) v. Seed (ex. $1-4M) v. Series A ($5-20M+) round in 2021.
May 26, 2021 - 12 - 1:15 pm PST - Panel for the Bar Association of San Francisco
Lindsey S. Mignano will moderate a panel entitled "Allyship and the Legal Profession in 2021: A roundtable discussion with female law firm owners on how to support diversity and inclusion efforts in the legal industry." Panelists Sophie Alcorn of Alcorn Immigration Law, Valerie Fenchel of Fenchel Family Law, Amanda Conley of Brand and Branch, and Valerie Kushel of VGK Law will discuss the statistical inequities in promotion between women of color attorneys, and how Asian and white female lawyers can be better allies to other women of color in law.
Lindsey S. Mignano will moderate a panel entitled "Allyship and the Legal Profession in 2021: A roundtable discussion with female law firm owners on how to support diversity and inclusion efforts in the legal industry." Panelists Sophie Alcorn of Alcorn Immigration Law, Valerie Fenchel of Fenchel Family Law, Amanda Conley of Brand and Branch, and Valerie Kushel of VGK Law will discuss the statistical inequities in promotion between women of color attorneys, and how Asian and white female lawyers can be better allies to other women of color in law.
May 27, 2021 - 5 - 6:30 pm PST - Speed Networking for the Bar Association of San Francisco
Lindsey S. Mignano will be a VIP at the Speed Networking for the Bar Association of San Francisco, alongside the other listed hiring law firms. Newer attorneys and law students are invited to mix and mingle with prominent attorneys and talk with them about their work and career paths, and network with lawyers from all sectors of the law.
Lindsey S. Mignano will be a VIP at the Speed Networking for the Bar Association of San Francisco, alongside the other listed hiring law firms. Newer attorneys and law students are invited to mix and mingle with prominent attorneys and talk with them about their work and career paths, and network with lawyers from all sectors of the law.
June 10, 2021 - 12 - 1 pm PST - Panel for the Alameda County Bar Association
Lindsey S. Mignano will moderate a panel entitled "Women & Minority Owned Law Firms: Addressing Intersectionality in Law Practice and Ownership of Law Firms" with panelists Ann Cun of Accel Visa Attorneys, Aravinda Sheshadri of Venturous Counsel, and Nnena Ukuku of Venture Gained Legal. This panel is being put on by the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area and Alameda County Bar Association.
Lindsey S. Mignano will moderate a panel entitled "Women & Minority Owned Law Firms: Addressing Intersectionality in Law Practice and Ownership of Law Firms" with panelists Ann Cun of Accel Visa Attorneys, Aravinda Sheshadri of Venturous Counsel, and Nnena Ukuku of Venture Gained Legal. This panel is being put on by the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area and Alameda County Bar Association.
June 14, 2021 - 9 - 10 am PST - "Got Money, Now What?: How to Scale and Build Out Startup Teams After a Financing Event"
As early stage startup financing rebounds after a slowdown in 2020 and more early stage startups get funded in 2021, the next question becomes, how to grow and scale their teams. Lindsey S. Mignano, Francesca Puccinelli of Carta, Rebekah Willetts of ADP, Robert Ravanshenas of Maven Ventures, and Glenn Gow the CEO "Therapist" will host an informative panel discussing topics such as the current state of financing for early stage startups; how to best work with your investors after a raise; what the market salary and equity compensation packages look like for founders and early stage startup employees after a raise; and how a founder/CEO can best manage the radical role changes that occur post-financing.
As early stage startup financing rebounds after a slowdown in 2020 and more early stage startups get funded in 2021, the next question becomes, how to grow and scale their teams. Lindsey S. Mignano, Francesca Puccinelli of Carta, Rebekah Willetts of ADP, Robert Ravanshenas of Maven Ventures, and Glenn Gow the CEO "Therapist" will host an informative panel discussing topics such as the current state of financing for early stage startups; how to best work with your investors after a raise; what the market salary and equity compensation packages look like for founders and early stage startup employees after a raise; and how a founder/CEO can best manage the radical role changes that occur post-financing.
June 30, 2021 - 4 -5 pm PST - Panel for the Bar Association of San Francisco
2020 and 2021 have been tough years to say the least. In light of police brutality against Africans and African Americans, and rising hate crimes/incidents against Asian Americans, how can we as a society keep ourselves mentally healthy and well? How can we talk to our children about processing these events without traumatizing them? At what point should a person of color experiencing trauma from these events reach out to a licensed psychologist for help? Lindsey S. Mignano and Ernest Hammond III of Twilio will moderate this community-based fireside chat with three psychologists to discuss these issues and more.
2020 and 2021 have been tough years to say the least. In light of police brutality against Africans and African Americans, and rising hate crimes/incidents against Asian Americans, how can we as a society keep ourselves mentally healthy and well? How can we talk to our children about processing these events without traumatizing them? At what point should a person of color experiencing trauma from these events reach out to a licensed psychologist for help? Lindsey S. Mignano and Ernest Hammond III of Twilio will moderate this community-based fireside chat with three psychologists to discuss these issues and more.
July 22, 2021 - 10 am PST - Panel for PuzzleHR
In the National Venture Capital Association's Q1 2021 Pitchbook Report, the NVCA reported that "[t]he share of female-founded companies as a proportion of total US VC deals, measured by both deal count and dollar volume, continued its downward trajectory," and that the "Q1 deal value proportion shows a sharp decline for all female-founded companies." What can we do to change this? Lindsey S. Mignano will moderate a PuzzleHR-sponsored panel entitled "Financing and Scaling Your Startup in 2021: Tips from Women in VC" with female VCs Alexa Binns of Halogen Ventures, Danielle Delancey of Wilmot Ventures, and Priya Saiprasad of Mayfield Fund. The panel is hosted by co-panelist Rich Gettings of PuzzleHR. Panelists will discuss the current state of financing for women-led venture funds and early stage startups, how startups can best locate and work with women in the venture and startup ecosystem, as well as how to tackle diversity and inclusion concerns when team building and expanding after a financing event.
In the National Venture Capital Association's Q1 2021 Pitchbook Report, the NVCA reported that "[t]he share of female-founded companies as a proportion of total US VC deals, measured by both deal count and dollar volume, continued its downward trajectory," and that the "Q1 deal value proportion shows a sharp decline for all female-founded companies." What can we do to change this? Lindsey S. Mignano will moderate a PuzzleHR-sponsored panel entitled "Financing and Scaling Your Startup in 2021: Tips from Women in VC" with female VCs Alexa Binns of Halogen Ventures, Danielle Delancey of Wilmot Ventures, and Priya Saiprasad of Mayfield Fund. The panel is hosted by co-panelist Rich Gettings of PuzzleHR. Panelists will discuss the current state of financing for women-led venture funds and early stage startups, how startups can best locate and work with women in the venture and startup ecosystem, as well as how to tackle diversity and inclusion concerns when team building and expanding after a financing event.
