Brand Geek — Fantastic B Corps

Ever considered incorporating your practice as a B Corporation if you’re an intellectual property attorney? In 2008, The Law Office of Lara Pearson, also known as Brand Geek, became one of the world’s first Certified B Corporations. Her practice thinks outside of the IP law box, crafting brand protection strategies for soulful social enterprises and her involvement within the social enterprise community allows her to see things other attorneys might miss. What kinds of things, you might ask? Read on to find out more about Lara and her Incline Village, NV-based B Corp.

What’s my mission statement?

“Brand Geek’s mission is to cultivate brand protection strategies for other multiple-bottom-line social enterprises while inspiring others with our curiosity, passion and creativity.”

My favorite thing about being a B Corporation.

“The community! I am delighted to have spent the past 10 years among the most soulful, smart, and determined business owners on the planet and look forward to those yet to come.”

What is Brand Geek’s biggest success story?

“A publisher once came to me to ask me to help them protect one of their brands. I noticed that one of their publications was infringing on another one of my client’s federally registered service marks. This was brought this to the publisher’s attention by myself, personally. I told them I had an obligation to inform my client, whom I knew would want them to stop.

They agreed right then and there to stop. They also asked if I would please allow them to contact my client directly instead of me tattling on them. I agreed. Later that day the publisher sent a note to my client stating that I had alerted them to some unintended infringement. They immediately agreed to cease and desist and would be done scrubbing from their website by the end of the week. The client was in the middle of preparing its 25th anniversary issue and was super grateful to me for not having to devote any time or energy towards resolving the infringement matter.”

The simple thing I do to “B The Change” as a B Corp.

“Unplug everything! We don’t just turn things off after using them, we unplug things to avoid phantom loads.”

If you want to become a B Corp…

“First off, the legal structure — benefit corporations or L3Cs or social purpose corporations — are different from, though related to, B Corp Certification. Talk to your attorneys and financial advisors. Be sure you (and they) understand the obligations, benefits and risks, if any associated with the benefit corporation structure, which is a requirement for B Corp Certification. Make an educated decision for your business.”

What does the future of B Corps look like?

“Though I have been involved for the past 10 years, the movement is really just beginning to gain momentum and nationwide acceptance, so I think we will see an influx of businesses, especially those being launched by millennials, joining the movement in the next several years.”

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About Lara Pearson, Founder, Brand Geek

Lara Pearson is the lawyer who loves law. She is a soulful intellectual property attorney who crafts brand protection strategies for other social enterprises. Lara makes IP protection easy and enjoyable. Her deep involvement in the social enterprise community enables her to see things other attorneys miss. This provides immeasurable value to her clients. She once got an infringer to change trademarks before her client was aware of the infringement. In 2007, Lara’s law office was the fifteenth nationwide, and the first in Nevada, to meet the ABA/EPA Law Office Climate Challenge. Lara’s firm joined 1% for the Planet in 2006 and became a Certified B Corporation in February 2008. It maintains those memberships today. Skilled at connecting the dots, Lara thrives on connecting people, communities, and supporting others in their magic making.