John Vernon
Tech Innovator | Attorney | Former White House Intern
Washington, District of Columbia
Overview
Work Experience
Associate
2023 - 2024
• Assisted in handling complex corporate legal matters, financings, mergers, and intellectual property issues. • Drafted and reviewed legal documents facilitating transactions as part of the Business and Financial Systems Practice Group. • Participated in due diligence processes for corporate transactions, analyzing financial records and identifying potential risks. • Collaborated with internal teams, including marketing, accounting, and management, to ensure our business objectives were met. • Acquired five new clients for the firm and engaged prospective clients through networking programs and presentations. • Served on the Information Systems Committee and participated in the roll out of new legal technologies for the firm, including artificial intelligence tools.
Associate
2019 - 2022
Portfolio Companies: Calypso AI, Inscripta, Scythe, Conceal.io (formerly NetAbstraction), Ursa, Nisos, and Adventr. • Provided analysis and enacted solutions to the operations and business challenges presented by current portfolio companies during Board meetings helping them accomplish their strategic goals. • Initiated new deal sourcing and evaluations of potential companies for the Paladin portfolio that align with the investment thesis in computer science, cybersecurity, and bioengineering. • Performed due diligence review including business, legal, competitive and market landscape, and operational efficacy of six new companies for the recent $372M fund. • Planed and developed an expansion of Paladin’s investment thesis in the areas of Safety Tech and AI and co-authored a market research report explaining our new thesis. • Contributed to the overall professional operations of the firm through financial reporting, fundraising, innovation enhancement, marketing, and speaking engagements. • Supervised several graduate interns and provide training consistent with their educational goals and program requirements.
Policy Intern
2019 - 2019
- Assisted policy advisors with the execution and monitoring of science and technology directives and Executive Orders. - Drafted memos on artificial intelligence, mental health, big data, job automation, and technology transfer. - Collaborated with interagency and private sector groups to support the Director’s initiatives for advancing the President’s goals.
Intern - Domestic Policy Council
2018 - 2018
- Supported members of the DPC with the development, coordination, and execution of domestic policy for the Executive Branch. - Collaborated with industry experts and agencies to collect and articulate policy proposals ensuring interagency implementation. - Worked closely with staff on specific policy areas and legal issues involving education, healthcare, technology, and immigration.
Council on Environmental Quality works in the development of environmental policies.
Legal Intern
2017 - 2017
- Provided legal support for the closing of several business and real estate transactions and acquisitions. - Helped draft and distribute communications among parties. - Planned the development of new intellectual property practice.
Liff, Walsh & Simmons is a full-service business law firm serving the legal needs of small businesses and privately held companies.
Innovation Consultant
2015 - 2016
- Worked as a client lead on several projects in specialized areas including healthcare and education. - Organized a project plan to measure the impact of hospital community health services projects. - Managed undergraduate interns to carry out statistics and data analysis.
enFocus is a nonprofit organization that helps to build better communities through talent attraction, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Business Strategist
2015 - 2016
- Helped start a retail business in South Africa focusing on women’s empowerment through skills and business training in product design and delivery. - Completed a business plan submitted and was a Semi-finalist in the 2016 ND McCloskey Business Plan Competition. - Acted as a technical consultant and business advisor directing the group on their launch strategy.
Founder
2014 - 2016
- Produced a mobile application that helps South Bend, IN save money by promoting volunteer efforts to fix code violations in the city. - Interviewed 100+ potential customers and users of Find-n-Fix to develop the prototype and prove customer validation.
Research and Development Coordinator
2013 - 2016
- Assisted with research and data collection for our application to detect neurological disorders through speech. - Helped write and submit several grant applications that resulted in funding from NSF, NIH, and NFL. - Created a commercialization plan to deliver our intellectual property to the public market. - Contributed to research planning and business pivots to for our start-up company.
Contect is a simple app that runs on your mobile device and recognizes the changes in speech acoustics that occur with concussions.
Raised $224,918.00 from National Science Foundation.
Founder
2012 - 2016