Business & Contracts AttorneyWashington, D.C.
Dara Shen is strategic counsel for high performers—legal services designed for ambitious people building legacies, purpose-driven businesses, and nonprofits.
My practice supports athletes, creatives, founders, and growing businesses through contracts, business counsel, brand protection, dispute strategy, and ongoing legal support.
My work is designed to be thoughtful, practical, and tailored to the realities of each client’s goals, risks, and growth.
Dara ShenStrategic Counsel For High Performers
Dara advises high performers navigating complex deals, business growth, and strategic decision-making. She is trusted for her intelligence, discretion, and tact in high-stakes negotiations and disputes involving athletes, founders, creatives, and growing businesses.
A former elite boxer, Dara competed as a member of the U.S. National Team and the Taiwanese Olympic Team. She developed her legal foundation through experience with Apple, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Maximus. Her background in both law and high-performance sport gives her a rare ability to navigate pressure, power, and complex human dynamics with clarity and composure.
What Sets Dara Shen ApartCounsel Built for Uncommon Clients
Most legal clients fit a familiar profile. Dara’s do not. She works with athletes managing endorsement deals, founders negotiating their first big partnership, and creatives protecting their interests in licensing arrangements. Her approach combines rigorous contract analysis with a dealmaker’s instinct: she reads not just the language on the page but also the dynamics between the parties and the risks on either side. Washington, D.C. clients come to Dara when the stakes are real, and trust is non-negotiable.
- High-Trust, Discreet Representation: Dara works with clients in sensitive, high-profile situations where privacy and professional discretion are not optional.
- Former Athlete, Strategic Thinker: Dara’s background in competitive athletics informs how she approaches deals: preparation, strategy, and composure under pressure.
- Relationship-Driven, Not Transactional: Every client gets direct access to Dara. No hand-offs, no intake forms passed down a chain. You work with her.
- Contracts Built to Hold: From early-stage term sheets to complex multi-party agreements, Dara drafts contracts that anticipate friction and protect your position.
- Dispute Resolution Without Drama: When a deal goes wrong, Dara moves efficiently toward resolution, whether through negotiation, mediation, or litigation, to protect your time and your interests.
Beyond the ContractStrategic Support When You Need It
Not every dispute should become a lawsuit. When conflict arises — whether it’s a contract disagreement, a business relationship that’s breaking down, or a deal that needs to be unwound — I help clients think strategically about what comes next. That might mean drafting a demand letter, negotiating an exit, or building a settlement strategy that protects your interests without dragging you through litigation. And when a matter does require the courtroom, I coordinate closely with litigation counsel so you’re never caught off guard. LEARN MORE
As your business grows, so do the legal questions — and you shouldn’t have to wait until something goes wrong to get advice. I work with clients on an ongoing basis as a trusted outside advisor, providing the kind of steady guidance that an in-house counsel would. That means reviewing contracts before you sign them, spotting risks before they become problems, supporting key business decisions, and coordinating with outside specialists when a situation calls for it. Think of it as having a general counsel in your corner — without the full-time overhead. LEARN MORE