Two third-year law students from the Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic at Catholic Law, Sabah Vahdatshoar and Edward Reddington, served as guest lecturers in the Busch School of Business’s “Venture Lab” course, according to an April 9 announcement. The pair led a session that brought practical legal counseling into the classroom by working with Isabella Fiore, founder of InterDesign.
The collaboration aimed to help business students understand how legal frameworks shape early-stage ventures. Vahdatshoar and Reddington discussed topics such as choosing between a C-corporation or limited liability company, intellectual property protection, contract structuring, and raising outside capital. Their guidance highlighted how these decisions can impact venture capital financing and long-term scalability.
Reddington said, “It is important to choose investors whose goals, timeline, and strategy match your long-term vision.” Vahdatshoar added, “In an age of rapidly evolving technology, it is essential to understand the legal framework behind the contracts you sign and how to effectively protect your work product.”
An extended question-and-answer session allowed students to discuss their own business ideas with the presenters. Reflecting on this exchange, Vahdatshoar said, “The discussion was a great way to analyze legal aspects of a business in real time… bring our knowledge from the law school to the business school.” Reddington noted that translating complex concepts for aspiring entrepreneurs was “incredibly rewarding.” Fiore shared her perspective: “Working with the Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic was an incredibly valuable experience… It showed me how to think strategically about the future of my business—the directions I want it to take…”
Francesco Brown, VentureLab@CatholicU Assistant Director, said he found it helpful for students “to think of their businesses in a new way” during this session. He also noted that every student had an opportunity for direct engagement about their start-up.
The Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic at The Catholic University of America enables student attorneys under faculty supervision to advise student-led ventures on matters including entity formation and intellectual property. This hands-on approach allows law students real-world experience while supporting local entrepreneurship.
