SHANA FRIED
Attorney & Owner, The Fried Firm; Owner, Proud as Fuck
New York, NY
“Law firms are usually stuffy, uncomfortable places with antiquated practices,” Shana Fried said. “We strive to maintain a healthy balance of sophistication with modern, useful techniques.“
The Fried Firm is a full-service boutique entertainment law firm with clients ranging from “internationally touring DJs, to local restaurateurs, fashion lines, media companies and artists.” It’s all related to the work Fried has been doing for more than 15 years as a DJ, manager and producer. In 2004, she created Snapshot, a party highlighting the talents of the queer community, and later, an off-shoot called Proud as Fuck, which is also an apparel line that donates a percentage of its proceeds to LGBTQ charities.
“My inspiration is the community I live in and the people that I work with,” Fried said. “There are so many incredible people in my life, I feel lucky to share space with them.”
A self-proclaimed risk taker, Shana balanced her nightlife career with law school until graduating and starting her first firm, which she said “helps creative businesses reach their full potential by offering business development strategy, intellectual property protections such as trademarks and copyrights, and contracts and transactional assistance.” Multi-tasking seems to be a strength of hers, as is the idea that anything is achievable.
“[I] truly feel that there are no barriers in getting what you want,” Fried said. “It’s not always easy, the rules are not always equal or fair, but I refuse to let anyone or anything hold me back.”
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