Sandra J. Shepard, Esq. — Chief Legal & Business Strategist

Sandy Shepard is the founder of good solutions. She is a graduate of the University of California at San Diego, with a Masters in International Affairs from George Washington University. After a successful career in the business arena, she obtained her Doctor of Laws cum laude from Hastings College of The Law, and was a lawyer at what is now the Thelen, Reid & Priest law firm in San Francisco before transitioning in-house.

Sandy worked in the Business Affairs department at LucasArts Entertainment, and as counsel for Mindscape.  During her tenure at Mindscape, she worked on hundreds of small to multi-million dollar deals, including securing licenses from Tom Clancy, Stephen King, American Greetings, National Geographic, Beatrix Potter, and Quicken; negotiating OEM, affiliate and localization contracts worldwide; and managing due diligence and other issues during The Learning Company's acquisition of Mindscape and Broderbund, and Mattel's $3.5 billion acquisition of The Learning Company.  She screened all hard and soft advertising, PR and marketing copy, and worked cross-functionally with marketing, Q/A, product development, sales and operations to develop and implement policies and strategies, and overhauled and combined all agreements and processes after the Mattel acquisition.

She later was General Counsel for GoodHome.com, Scene7, and FurnitureFind.com. She provides immediate, personalized assistance with core legal services and a results-oriented business perspective. Having served as counsel with software and internet companies during the '90s "dot com" era of start ups, spin-offs, mergers, and acquisitions, she has extensive knowledge and first-hand, in-company experience in the rapidly changing intricacies of business transactions and their legal ramifications.  Sandy enjoys speaking and writing on a number of topics; a selected list can be reviewed here.

Sandy is co-inventor of a patent pending art registration system, a trainer for first-time triathletes, and former hot air balloon crew, sound engineer and biplane "batboy" for the Flying Circus Barnstorming Airshow in Bealton, VA.  She is an enthusiastic member of numerous non-profits, including two local land trusts, the Association for Intelligence Officers, and the Marines Memorial Association.  Sandy is a member of the City of Oakland's Small Business Think Tank, a California State Park Docent, and an Advisory Board Member of the Angel Island Association.

She can be reached at sandy@goodsolutions.com.

Chris Erspan — Assistant to the President

Chris keeps good solutions functioning in an efficient and orderly manner. With 35 years of administrative experience, including 30 years as a legal support specialist at major law firms Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison and Thelen, Reid & Priest, Chris has ‘second sight’ with respect to what is required to keep things on an even keel. A friendly and outgoing team player, Chris is usually the first contact for Good Solutions’ clients, as she handles all incoming calls, invoicing, document processing, collections, and work flow management. 

She can be reached at chris@goodsolutions.com.

 Robert C. Schmidt, Esq. — Of Counsel

Rob's expertise includes the legal and tax aspects of business formations, asset and stock mergers and acquisitions, business spin-offs and split-ups, redemptions and liquidations. Rob has been in legal practice since 1990. He began his career in business litigation, transitioning to domestic and international business and tax planning for a multinational law firm. Rob has worked with several different industry groups ranging from multi-billion dollar services businesses to telecommunication, technology and consumer product start-ups. Rob has in-house experience, including working in the international tax strategy group at Accenture, and as international counsel for Levi Strauss & Co. He helped plan and implement the incorporation and structuring of Accenture's associated partnership in the Western Hemisphere in preparation for a $15 billion public offering in the summer of 2001. Rob was also responsible for the international in-house tax strategy and planning in his position as Director and International Tax Counsel with Levi Strauss & Co. Now in private practice, Rob has associated with Good Solutions to provide dynamic, relevant and cost-effective legal and tax solutions for entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes. Rob was invited to speak before the U.S. Senate finance committee in October 2003 regarding corporate tax shelter abuse.

Rob graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. He obtained his Doctor of Law from Santa Clara University and a dual Master of Laws degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in international transactional law and tax law.

Rob swam competitively, placing 14th in the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials, and 20th in the world in the 1500 meters freestyle event. Turning his many hours in the pool into a profit venture, Rob competed professionally on an international rough water circuit, swimming in lakes, rivers and oceans across the world. He was ranked second in the world for 3 years and first in the world in 1989. He enjoys cycling, backpacking and other outdoor activities. 

He can be reached at rob@goodsolutions.com.

Jamie Shelden, Esq. — Of Counsel

Jamie is an intellectual property, litigation and licensing specialist. She has an extensive background counseling clients on a broad range of IP issues, including providing opinions as to the availability and registerability of trademarks and copyrights, coordinating U.S. and international filings and litigation, policing and enforcing trademark rights worldwide, and advising clients on a wide variety of internet, advertising and domain name issues.  She has written numerous articles on recent developments in trademark, internet and domain name law.

While a lawyer at Cooley Godward, she represented clients in retail (online and bricks & mortar), computer hardware/software, biotechnology, and telecommunications. Jamie oversaw and coordinated worldwide trademark filings for nVidia, Intel, SPARC International/Sun Microsystems and Consolidated Freightways. She also managed trademark enforcement for nationwide retailers Hot Topic, Charlotte Russe and Lucy.com, and assisted clients such as MP3.com in developing and implementing in-house educational seminars emphasizing the proper use of trademarks and diligent enforcement of rights. Jamie also worked at a German law firm, and directly with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Office of Harmonization of the Internal Market (European Trademark Office).  Jamie received her Doctor of Laws from the University of the Pacific (UOP), McGeorge School of Law, and her Bachelors in Music Management from the UOP Conservatory of Music. She also received her Diploma in International Legal Studies through the University of Salzburg and UOP, focusing on European Union law and Community and International Trademark registration and enforcement. 

Jamie has been hang gliding for 13 years and has participated in many competitions at the national and world level. With the U.S. Women's Team, she earned a silver medal in the Women's World Championships held in Chelan, Washington. In addition, Jamie recently set two women's world records for hang gliding distance. Those records are now in the process of being ratified by the FAI (the international organization governing aviation records). Jamie has been the Women's National Rigid Wing Champion for several years. She recently received her instructor and tandem pilot ratings.

She can be reached at jamie@goodsolutions.com.

Faye Rosenbaum — Corporate Paralegal

Faye comes to good solutions after six years as a Corporate Paralegal at Perkins Coie and at Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich and Rosati. Faye specializes in keeping Good Solutions’ clients’ documents and filings in order, including option plan administration, minute book maintenance, state corporate and security filings, and the like. Faye is indispensable for clients entering or considering venture funding, M&A, or other financing and due diligence. Faye left law firm life to pursue her passion for the performing arts, and is obtaining her MFA when not doing overhang analyses for Good Solutions’ clients. She can be reached at faye@goodsolutions.com.

Jake

Jake provides the good solutions team with hard-core, Border Collie assessment and critical thinking. Originally from Nevada, he comes from a long line of overachievers. Although generally shy and retiring, Jake asked to be mentioned on the website after spying his sister Fly on a website during one of his late-night Internet surfing sessions. Ah, sibling rivalry. He can be reached at jake@goodsolutions.com.