Firm News

Wiggin and Dana is pleased to announce that, for the second consecutive year, the firm donated $1 million in free legal services to minority-owned businesses across the country as part of the Wiggin Opportunity Initiative. Launched in July 2020, the program seeks to donate $10 million in legal services to such businesses by 2030.

“Business ownership promotes equity,” said Tim Diemand, Wiggin and Dana’s Managing Partner. “Helping minority-owned businesses navigate the range of issues faced by new businesses is a wonderful way for us to support positive change in our communities.”

Among the clients supported by the WOI this year are DESAVO, Pawsome Pet Carrier and Locks of Liz.

DESAVO was born in 2020 in New York City out of the chaos of COVID-19 and is now a leading medical grade face mask brand selected by hundreds of professional sports teams, companies and universities, as well as thousands of live events across professional sports, concerts, award shows, and TV and film production. DESAVO has local operations across the United States, Canada and Japan and continues to innovate and grow to meet global demand. DESAVO masks have been tested by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory at 99.9% filter efficiency.

“Wiggin and Dana is invaluable to the business of DESAVO, particularly when critical legal counsel is needed most, allowing us to make well-informed business decisions in real time,” said Jonathan Malveaux, DESAVO Co-Founder. 

“Wiggin’s team has been very easy to work with, super responsive and very commercial with its legal counsel; we have relied on Wiggin to assist across a broad scope, including developing and protecting our IP rights globally, and navigating complicated regulatory regimes and general corporate matters,” said David Sajous, DESAVO Co-Founder.

Pawsome Pet Products specializes in premium pet backpack carriers, with features like front and back carry, full lumbar support, a smart device charger pocket, petting pockets and a built-in hands-free retractable leash making it great for active pet owners or pets that have trouble walking. Wiggin and Dana worked with the company to obtain a patent for the multipurpose, multifunctional pet product.   

“The WOI enabled me to speak to investors and employees about our product without having to worry about IP theft, and to speak confidently about the product and secure meetings with major retailers,” said Brandon Ross, Founder.

Locks of Liz is a haircare brand that offers plant-based hair products and accessories that take the stress out of styling, managing and enhancing all curl types. Wiggin and Dana assisted Locks of Liz in filing and obtaining its trademark, filing two patents, which are currently pending and in their final stages, and reviewing commercial real estate and manufacturing contracts.    

“Being accepted for Wiggin and Dana’s WOI program has been an amazing opportunity for me and my business. I was able to file trademarks and patents that would have been out of reach without significant growth in my company first. The lawyers have been patient, kind and courteous throughout the whole process,” said Lizbeth Marquez-Flores, Locks of Liz Founder. “As a solopreneur navigating business for the first time, it’s been an absolute godsend to have been chosen for the program and I would recommend any minority-owned small business to apply through Wiggin and Dana for their small business needs.”

Wiggin and Dana continues to seek strategic partners and businesses to support through the program. To learn more about becoming a strategic partner or if you are a minority-owned business in need of legal services and cannot afford them, contact John Doroghazi at jdoroghazi@wiggin.com.

Wiggin and Dana is a national law firm with more than 160 attorneys. We are a true partnership of highly talented, creative, and experienced lawyers dedicated to exceeding our clients’ expectations every day. With offices in Connecticut, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Palm Beach, we represent clients throughout the United States and globally on a wide range of sophisticated and complex matters. From defending the Fortune 500 in “bet-the-company” litigation to helping the next generation of inventors bring new technologies to market, to preserving the wealth that family businesses worked so hard to create, we pride ourselves in offering value-driven solutions and results.