Tricia Meyer

What inspired you to start Meyer Law?

I’m an entrepreneur at heart and knew I wanted to start my own firm, but wanted to get solid experience before venturing out on my own.

After graduating law school, I worked at Encoda Systems, a global broadcast software company, negotiating contracts in the United States, Europe and APAC. Then, I worked at HSBC and Discover supporting the Business Technology group negotiating commercial contracts in the U.S. and abroad. Then, I went on to Reliance Globalcom, a global managed service provider, where I was the sole U.S. legal counsel for a period of time supporting the business with the day-to-day from contract negotiations to employment issues to corporate matters and providing assistance to colleagues in Europe.

Naturally, when I started Meyer Law in 2010 in Chicago, I focused on helping technology companies given my experience. I had zero experience building a book of business and didn’t know the first place to start or what to do, but I knew the experience I had was valuable and my entrepreneurial mindset and fast-pace were different than most lawyers. I began meeting with hundreds of people each month that were so kind, making countless introductions to more and more people in the tech community. This all happened to be when the technology community in Chicago was starting to boom, incubators and accelerators were popping up everywhere, and it was a community that I didn’t realize existed coming from big corporate.

Given my passion for entrepreneurship, I decided to focus on helping early-stage and scaling tech companies, in addition to continuing to support mid-sized businesses with the day-to-day in an outsourced General Counsel capacity along with helping in-house legal teams at large corporations with commercial contract negotiations, creations of playbooks, templates, and due diligence for mergers and acquisitions. We expanded to Denver in 2013 and Los Angeles in 2019, and have helped thousands of clients across the United States and mentored thousands of companies at incubators and accelerators such as Techstars, WeWork Labs and 1871.

We’re a great fit for early-stage and scaling businesses because we move at the speed of a startup, promote fee transparency and have helped our clients avoid many roadblocks and creatively get around other roadblocks to help move the business forward. Mid-sized companies and in-house teams at large corporations appreciate our experience negotiating on behalf of and against some of the largest companies in the world, our responsiveness and ability to drive matters forward.

Why do you love what you do?

I was fortunate to gain really great experience at large corporations and find this great tech community of passionate entrepreneurs like myself. I have almost twenty years of experience negotiating technology contracts and dealing with various corporate, commercial, employment and intellectual property matters. Overall, I enjoy helping our clients make sure they understand the realistic risks involved with the day-to-day issues that arise and avoid making unnecessary mistakes. I love working with startups and scaling companies for the fast-paced nature, and the mid-sized companies and large corporations for the complex issues requiring creative solutions.

I’m very lucky to have my incredible team that shares my passion for helping technology companies, making it happen on a daily basis and taking a genuine interest in the success of our clients.

What organizations are you involved in?

I’m a mentor at 1871, WeWork Labs and Techstars and regularly hold office hours and workshops at incubators and accelerators across the United States. In addition, I’ve had the opportunity to speak about tech, entrepreneurship, and legal issues at several events, including Denver Startup Week, Boulder Startup Week, FUND Conference, Angel Capital Summit, Techweek and more. I’m also one of the forty founding women of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Institute launched in 2019 in conjunction with DePaul University to support female-founded businesses.

What recognition have you received?

I’m honored that I’ve been selected for various honors and awards throughout my career. I have also been featured in Inc., Crain’s, Chicago Tribune, NBC Chicago, American Express OPEN Forum, and more. 

Meyer Law has also been recognized as a top startup law firm, Best Woman-Owned Boutique Law Firm, Leader in Intellectual Property Law and most recently as one of the Fastest Growing Law Firms in the United States for the third year in a row. Go team!!

Most recently, I was honored to be named one of the GenX Leaders in Law, one of the Most Notable Female Attorney’s in Chicago and one of the Most Influential Female Attorney’s in Chicago by Crain’s. I have been chosen as a Leading Lawyer in Computer & Technology Law and Closely & Privately Held Business Law for several consecutive years. Earlier in my career, I was selected as an Emerging Lawyer in Computer & Technology Law and Closely & Privately Held Business Law and named a Rising Star in Technology & Outsourcing by Super Lawyers, an honor given to less than three percent of lawyers. I have been featured several times in Chicago Magazine as one of the Top Women Attorney’s in Illinois and I was selected as Top Corporate Counsel by First Chair.

I love what I do, and it shows! 

Where did you go to undergrad and law school?

St. Ambrose University and John Marshall Law School.