April 25, 2025

From law school to leadership: ASU Law alumni drive entrepreneurial success

While many graduates of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University go on to work for firms and large corporations across the country, some have taken the leap to build their own business. Here’s a look at several alumni who founded or now lead law practices – and the paths that brought them there.

 

 

Saal & Plaskett Real Estate Law

When Sydney Plaskett and Haille Saal met during ASU Law orientation in Fall 2020, they didn’t realize their friendship would eventually lead to co-founding a law firm. But just a few years after graduating with their JD degrees in May 2023, that’s exactly what happened.

 

“We were in our 1L first semester section together and have been best friends ever since,” the duo said. “We were also roommates for about a year after law school. On graduation day, we took a photo together and wrote “Saal & Plaskett, P.C.” on it, joking that one day we would have our own law firm.”

 

After graduating, Saal worked at a small law firm while Plaskett clerked at the Arizona Court of Appeals. Plaskett later joined Saal’s firm, but the pair soon realized the environment wasn’t the right fit. Their resignation sparked the departure of other women staff members, and soon after, Saal & Plaskett, PLLC, was born, with clients and former colleagues joining them for the ride.

 

“Because we had built strong and trustworthy relationships with our clients, many of them opted to follow us wherever we decided to work next,” they said. “We were inspired by each other’s motivation to work hard for ourselves and our clients, so we asked the women who resigned with us if they would join us in starting our own firm. They agreed.”

 

They credit ASU Law professors, particularly those who guided them through the process of forming a Professional Limited Liability Company. Their Business Organizations course was especially helpful in understanding foundational concepts.

 

“Haille also has a master's in sports law and business from ASU Law, which has been extremely valuable,” Plaskett said. “Surprisingly, one of the most helpful courses we took was Professional Responsibility – we are always using the knowledge we gained in that class when taking on new clients, interacting with existing clients and marketing our practice.”

 

“ASU Law professors and faculty have been our best resources as new business owners,” Saal added. “We have been able to attend numerous ASU Law events since launching S&P, and each event has presented us with unexpected networking and marketing opportunities. We are so grateful to have graduated from a school that genuinely commits to its alumni on such a personal level.”

 

While launching a firm wasn’t originally part of their plan, the two have embraced the ride and encourage others to believe in their potential to do the same.

 

 

Law Office of Lance C. Venable

Lance Venable (JD ‘95) has spent the last decade running the Law Office of Lance C. Venable, an intellectual property practice. The story of how he founded his first firm was anything but traditional. 

 

“It wasn’t so much as inspiration – it was survival,” Venable said. “A classmate and I had been working at a small firm during school, planning to continue after graduation. But when that firm merged, we were left with nothing. Applications to work at other firms had to be submitted a year in advance, so we started our own thing.”

 

They relied on help from an ASU Law clinic, prior experience and business skills to get started. That initial firm lasted four years before Venable struck out on his own again.

 

“We made good business decisions,” he said. “We didn't want to become what we said we wouldn’t – we stayed separate. Never merged. And that made all the difference.”

 

Venable said it’s easier now for students to start their own practices, a once-taboo move in the legal field. His advice? Talk to people who have done it before, who have experience in financing, writing business plans and firm operations. 

 

“There are a lot of resources now – get guidance,” he said. “And never burn bridges. Treat other lawyers with kindness and respect.”. 

 

Venable is a 2025 Sun Devil 100 winner, a program honoring successful ASU alumni-owned or led businesses.

 

 

May Potenza, Baran & Gillespie

Taylor Gustafson (JD ‘17) began his career at May Potenza, Baran & Gillespie as a summer associate. Upon graduation, he joined the firm full-time and rose through the ranks to become an equity partner. 

 

“I feel fortunate to be part of a firm with such deep roots in the community and a strong legacy of client-focused service,” he said. “We specialize in providing strategic legal representation to businesses and entrepreneurs, with a focus on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and commercial litigation.”

 

Gustafson credits ASU Law Innovation Advancement Clinic, now known as the Entrepreneurship and Small Business Clinic, with giving him the most practical training of his academic career. 

 

“It provided the most practical, hands-on training I received as a law student, especially for someone interested in becoming a transactional attorney,” he said. “The experience directly translated to the work I do now, and it gave me a strong foundation as I started my legal career.”

 

Gustafson is also a 2025 Sun Devil 100 winner.

 

 

Seth Usifo Nwosu® Incorporated (SUN INC)

Seth Nwosu earned his Master of Legal Studies with an emphasis in Intellectual Property from ASU Law in 2021. He founded Seth Usifo Nwosu® Incorporated in 2008 to offer accessible legal services and litigation support, long before he enrolled at ASU Law.

 

Together with his wife, Cambria Nwosu, whose background is in nursing administration and medical malpractice litigation, Nwosu built a business focused on helping individuals, attorneys, businesses and government agencies.

 

“I immediately applied what I learned to strengthen our legal document preparation, paralegal services, litigation support, trial/appellate/supreme court brief writing and administrative law services, enabling us to deliver measurable results — over $1 million in client recoveries and legal cost savings to date,” he said.

 

Courses in intellectual property law, trademark and unfair competition, and U.S. legal analysis strengthened the company’s structure and credibility. His study abroad in Italy also expanded his global legal insight, including independent research at UNIDROIT in Rome. “These skills helped with securing the federal trademark for Seth Usifo Nwosu®,” he said. “They also support our brand protection and consulting services offered to other entrepreneurs and legal professionals.”

 

These alumni stories not only showcase entrepreneurial spirit and resilience but also highlight how ASU Law’s strong foundation in business and corporate law continues to empower graduates to lead, innovate and thrive in the legal industry and beyond.

Written by Crystal Jimenez