Author Profile

Nnena Ukuku is a startup attorney from Silicon Valley. She is a partner at Venture Gained Legal and Simplicity@Legal, law firms that specialize in working with innovative companies. She thrives as an attorney when law, policy, technology, and the creative, entrepreneurial spirit intersect. Simplicity@Legal is Nnena’s recent startup.  It provides small businesses with access to a whole, in-house legal team.

Nnena is passionate about creating more opportunities for underrepresented communities in technology. She is one of the founders of Black Founders Startup Community (Black Founders). She served as its CEO from 2009 to 2014 and remains an active board member. For her work with Black Founders, she was named one of Forbes 2012 Women Who Are Changing the World.

Nnena has spoken on issues regarding tech policy as a panelist at the Tech Policy Summit. She has participated in discussions on legal trends and diversity in the valley at NPR and other media outlets. She has contributed to various publications, such as Essence, writing entrepreneurship-based articles. She is one of the founding members of the Startup Clinic at Hastings Law School.

She also enjoys dancing tango, writing plays, cooking, singing, and filling her home with food and good conversation.

Nnena earned her B.A. from Georgia State University and her J.D. from Mercer University, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif.