Credo
Burlison Law is founded on the simple belief that growing startups deserve access to exceptional legal service without exceptional costs. Our purpose is to support entrepreneurs and their companies by adopting proactive strategies that manage risk realistically, rather than being paralyzed by it.
Teresa Burlison has over 20 years of experience in tech as a law firm attorney, general counsel, and business executive. She created Burlison Law as a values-based firm committed to earning and preserving client trust, exercising smart judgment, and embracing a practice style that is responsive, open-minded, and results-oriented.
Practice Areas
Fractional GC
Teresa has been a senior leader and general counsel across multiple tech sectors and company stages. She applies this expertise on a fractional basis to SaaS startups that have growing legal and compliance needs but are not yet in a position to make their first in-house legal hire.
Employment Law
Teresa has years of experience practicing global employment law in California and Texas, both in-house and with respected law firms, and as the founding general counsel of an early-stage HR compliance platform.
Commercial Counsel & GTM strategies
Teresa has built commercial legal processes from the ground up for startups. She also has spent years honing her negotiation skills and the ability to assess risk through a pragmatic, business-oriented lens.
Corporate Governance + Startup Support
As a seasoned tech GC, Teresa has dealt with founders, boards of directors, and investors on an array of general corporate governance and “startup support” issues.
Regulatory Compliance
Teresa has worked with executives, operators, and policymakers alike on a range of regulatory compliance issues. As head of litigation and regulatory at Dropbox, the general counsel of digital publishing platform Medium, and general counsel of an HR regulatory compliance platform, she has developed expertise in navigating different complex legal frameworks.
“Teresa is someone you want in the trenches with you. A voice of reason, she offers creative advice that is unfazed by changing circumstances or incomplete information. She’s also an honest broker willing to speak candidly about hard and complex things. I trust her opinion and value her judgment.”
Ev Williams
“Teresa is an effective counselor capable of tackling a wide range of matters with curious determination. Well-respected by colleagues, she approaches challenges calmly and is not afraid to dig into details, calibrate risk, and make concrete recommendations with business priorities top of mind.”
Bart Volkmer
“Teresa is an invaluable partner to modern sales teams. A skilled negotiator, she works quickly to find strategic ways forward without compromising her client’s interests or causing the deal to fall apart. Teresa works collaboratively to ensure Legal is a builder, not a blocker, and is committed to helping teams see around corners as a business scales.”
Paul Park
“Teresa is a thoughtful strategic operator and great lawyer who drives results in a smart and relatable way. A trusted advisor, she brings her unique perspective and ability to read a room to all sorts of issues – big and small – and I always value her point of view.”