Today we’d like to introduce you to Karissa Rivera.
Hi Karissa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey to founding 222 Legal® wasn’t traditional, and that’s very intentional. Before law, I worked in experiential marketing, representing major brands and seeing how much value a strong brand really holds. With both of my parents spending decades in the marketing industry, brand recognition and protection were part of my world long before I became an attorney.
I also spent over eight years as a Miami-based freelance model, which gave me firsthand experience navigating the creative economy; Fast-moving deals, unclear contracts, and learning to advocate for myself in an unpredictable business environment. That experience taught me adaptability, confidence, and how to think like an entrepreneur, not just a creative. Fast forward to working at multiple law firms, from big law to boutique firms, and I noticed a gap that I wanted to bridge — providing white-glove service to entrepreneurs and creatives who were often overlooked, misunderstood, or underserved by traditional legal models.
Getting to where I am today came from combining every chapter of my life — marketing, creative work, psychology, and law — into one practice. I built 222 Legal® intentionally, choosing clarity over complexity and strategy over fear. The Firm is a reflection of my own path: unconventional, business-driven, and designed to help people build with confidence from day one.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road and I don’t think it’s supposed to be. Being a young, Hispanic woman, building a business while building credibility in a traditionally conservative, male-dominated industry comes with real challenges. I am still in the early stages on my Firm (having only launched in April 2025. I quickly had to learn how to trust my instincts, advocate for my value, and say no to paths that didn’t align with the attorney I want to become and the Firm I was intentionally building.
There were moments of uncertainty, like figuring out how to take on more clients without sacrificing quality, educating clients who had never worked with an attorney before, making a name for myself in any room I walked into, building my own network of professionals and referral sources, and balancing creativity with legal compliance. But all of these challenges shaped (and continue to shape) me and 222 Legal®. Daily challenges, resistance, and obstacles require me to be clear, strategic, and disciplined, while staying grounded in the people I serve and my personal and professional values. Every obstacle reinforces why this Firm needed to exist in the first place.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
222 Legal® is an intellectual property–focused law firm built to support both entrepreneurs and the attorneys who serve them. I focus on trademark strategy, brand protection, copyrights, and intellectual property-driven business structuring, helping clients protect, leverage, and scale their brands, businesses, and creations with intention.
In addition to working directly with founders and creatives, 222 Legal® regularly partners with other solo practitioners and law firms as intellectual property counsel, handling trademark clearance, trademark and copyright prosecution, enforcement strategy, and brand risk analysis for their clients. I act as a seamless extension of their practice, allowing them to offer their clients intellectual property support.
What sets 222 Legal® apart is my business-first approach to intellectual property. I don’t treat trademarks as isolated filings, I view them as assets that should align with growth, licensing, monetization, and long-term brand strategy. My work is proactive, detail-driven, and designed to reduce risk before it becomes expensive exposure.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud that 222 Legal® has quickly built a reputation for clarity and trust. Whether I’m working with founders or fellow attorneys, my goal is the same: to make intellectual property protection feel strategic, accessible, and aligned with how modern, creative businesses actually operate. I want readers to know that 222 Legal® exists to turn intellectual property into a strategic business asset, not an afterthought.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I’m big on peer networks and learning opportunities, whether it’s law-focused mastermind groups, founder forums, or creative entrepreneur communities, because nothing replaces shared experience. Some communities I am a part of are: the Trademark Attorney Facebook Group from 4L Education (Sonia Lakhany– all of her programs and meetings are amazing for any attorney looking to get into trademark law), Nada Alnajafi’s Contract Nerds (I met her at a networking event once and have been connected via LinkedIn ever since, her webinars are great for contract attorneys), and Laura Frederick’s How to Contract (another amazing contract mastermind and resource for contract attorneys). I use Calendly for consultation and meeting scheduling, I find it’s such an easy tool for automating scheduling. I use DocuSign for signing and sending out contracts, it is another great tool for automating administrative work.
I also like to read in my free time, although I usually read self-help and motivational books, I have more recently gotten back into reading fiction and I think that is an amazing personal resource for me to really escape from my work during my free-time and “turn my brain off.” (Also trash reality TV is my guilty pleasure, that is the ULTIMATE “turn my brain off” hack – I know many attorneys that agree!)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.222-legal.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/222legal/
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/karissa-rivera-esq
- Other: https://calendly.com/222-legal
Image Credits
My good friend and the very talented photographer, ASHLEY CANARIO (@ohcanario) is responsible for these amazing photos for my business. Thank you, Ash!
