In this episode of This Legal Life, host Ben Chiriboga speaks with Karina DuQuesne—lawyer, investor, operator, and now legal tech founder—about her extraordinary career journey from Goldman Sachs to Big Law, and ultimately to launching a legal tech startup designed to empower underserved entrepreneurs. Karina opens up about the challenges of navigating motherhood in a demanding legal career, the mindset shift from employee to founder, and why she believes general counsel roles are on a natural trajectory toward CEO. Her story is an inspiring blueprint for redefining success in the modern legal landscape.
Guest Bio:
Karina DuQuesne is the CEO and Co-Founder of Encore, a first-of-its-kind legal intelligence platform built specifically for entrepreneurs. Drawing from her deep experience in both high-stakes corporate law and tech innovation, Karina has steered Encore to deliver legal solutions that are timely, efficient, and cost-effective—helping founders stay focused on building their businesses instead of wrestling with outdated legal processes.
Before co-founding Encore, Karina practiced at top-tier law firms, including Saul Ewing and DLA Piper LLP, advising fast-growth tech companies and investment funds on mergers, acquisitions, and strategic transactions. She later established the Technology and Innovation Practice at Caldera Law, shaping legal strategies for venture-backed startups, and remains a Partner there, guiding founders from seed to scale.
Karina’s passion for high-impact ventures led her to serve as Chief People Officer, General Counsel, and Interim GM (U.S.) at Ironhack, a global edtech company where she championed rapid expansion and nurtured the next generation of tech leaders. She also played a pivotal role on the executive team of a global enterprise SaaS firm, driving a merger of equals that spanned six countries. Over the course of her career, she has been involved in more than 15 leveraged buyout transactions worth over $2 billion across multiple sectors.
A Miami native who began her career as an analyst at Goldman Sachs in New York, Karina returned to her hometown to blend her expertise in finance, law, and technology. Committed to elevating underrepresented voices in the tech sector, she founded the Ironhack Women in Tech Collective and actively invests in diverse early-stage founders.
Karina earned her Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School and her Juris Doctor from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, along with a Certificate in Dispute Resolution. Recognized as “Counsel on the Rise” by the Daily Business Review, she continues to shape a more inclusive, forward-thinking startup community—one founder at a time.
