Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is pleased to announce a new partnership with Dallas-based Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center (VWEC) to provide transactional and intellectual property-related pro bono work to help the nonprofit scale and expand nationwide. The VWEC in Dallas is the first and only model facility for this national initiative designed to help women veteran-owned businesses scale for success.
“We are deeply committed to seeking out, encouraging and supporting meaningful pro bono work, community activism and volunteer opportunities to protect the rights and improve the lives of veterans and their loved ones,” said Jason Mueller, a Dallas-based Sheppard Mullin partner, veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard and Chair of Veterans At Sheppard. “We were particularly drawn to VWEC’s mission to help veteran women entrepreneurs grow their businesses, literally transforming them to the next level with a stable strategy for long term continued success. We’re thrilled for the opportunity to be able to support an organization in our own backyard, and one that is central to Veterans at Sheppard’s mission.” The Sheppard Mullin pro bono team is led by Dallas partners Jason Mueller and Yvette Mabbun, and Dallas associates Kelly Vazhappilly, Patrick Quine, Robert Hough and Adnan Qazi.
VR Small, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of VWEC, added, “Everything for us is about laying a foundation that is sustainable and scalable. We want to create policies and procedures that can be implemented consistently across our organization as we grow, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the guidance and assistance Sheppard Mullin is providing. We want to reach as many women veteran entrepreneurs as we can, so replicating our model in cities across the country is the next step in continuing our mission.”
Launched in 2017 as a pilot initiative for a national model, the VWEC offers women veteran business owners a CEO suite of services, from a renowned female exclusive co-working space and tailored networking opportunities to a range of critical business support services. The center engages a broad range of women veteran business owners and is designed to create measurable, socio-economic impact by promoting entrepreneurship and economic development focused on increased revenue generation, access to growth capital, collaborative contracting opportunities, and the development of social capital via key community connections.
Sheppard Mullin has a long tradition of providing legal services to people and community organizations who could otherwise not afford access to legal representation. Attorneys and staff are encouraged to contribute to their communities in many ways, including through the provision of pro bono legal services.
Veterans At Sheppard is an affinity group that strives to positively impact the veteran community by encouraging Sheppard Mullin attorneys and staff to participate in pro bono projects that serve veterans and their families; foster the success and development of veterans in the legal field; lead outreach initiatives to serve veterans in the community; raise awareness of topics, experiences and skills unique to veterans; participate in job fairs and events designed to integrate veterans into the workforce; and partner with clients and other organizations to serve the needs of veterans.
About the Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center
The Veteran Women's Enterprise Center is a national initiative designed to help women veteran-owned businesses (WVOBs) scale for success. From our renowned female exclusive co-working space to tailored networking opportunities to a range of critical business support services, we strive to keep our clients connected to the resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit https://veteranwomensec.org/.