Shawna specializes in corporate partnering, strategic alliances, technology protection, and licensing and commercialization of intellectual property and technology assets. Shawna focuses on strategic commercial matters, product counseling and transactional technology, IP and commercial issues related to our clients’ financing and M&A activities.

Shawna works closely with venture capital funds in connection with their investment activities. In her company-side practice, she has worked with startup companies that have sold to Proctor & Gamble, Synopsys, LinkedIn and others and continues to work with several companies that have gone public. 

Prior to joining Gunderson Dettmer, Shawna served for two years as a law clerk to the Honorable Edward J. Davila in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. She also worked for several years as a litigation associate at Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, where her practice centered on intellectual property, antitrust, and education matters.