Valentina E. Mendoza

Former marketing and branding professional turned Wall Street attorney (admitted in New York, registered in-house counsel in New Jersey, and pending admission in California) who traded in her white shoes for a pair of up-cycled, black-and-white striped, cruelty-free, vegan, patent leather pumps. I have 20+ years of professional experience and 8+ years as a transactional generalist practicing corporate, commercial, M&A, private equity, and data privacy law. I guide innovative, purpose-driven startups and growth-stage businesses through complex legal challenges by providing them with practical solutions that challenge the status quo in an effort to drive meaningful social change. I’m also the founder of MeVale Labs, a creative incubator whose mission it is to empower entrepreneurs to explore unconventionally ethical business strategies that push the limits of what is considered business savvy.

I’ve worked at/with everything from local artists and fashion startups, to couture designer brands, national retailers, Fortune 100 companies, international fintech powerhouses, global financial institutions, city, state, and federal government agencies & elected officials, non-profits, and top ranked law firms—in entry-level roles to leadership. Here’s what I’ve learned: it’s possible, but most people don’t have the right resources. Tired of hearing ‘that’s just how it is’? Sick of being told to ‘pay your dues’ or ‘wait your turn’? If so, and you’re ready to do things differently, let’s chat.