After making history in Chicago, lawyer teaches Blacks how to protect their businesses while keeping legal costs low

At the age of 31, Shymane Robinson became the youngest lawyer to open a law firm in the Southside of Chicago. She founded True Lawyer which also offers General Counsel to Cyprus Investments, LLC., a privately held investment company in Chicago.

Robinson is also the first in America to ever offer a Trademark Guarantee and has in recent years focused on helping black businesses to gain ownership of their brand, by eliminating key barriers like expensive legal costs. 

“Ownership looks different in 2022, I’m seeing a shift and huge opportunity in ownership,” said Robinson. “Social media platforms have accelerated things by capitalizing off creator’s intellectual property.”

A report by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) notes that intellectual property protections account for more than $8 trillion in economic activity. And for Robinson, it is important that businesses gain ownership of patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

However, one of the factors affecting black ownership is legal cost. Robinson also understands how lack of legal representation contributes to the wealth gap, and to close the gap, she advocates for a great focus on ownership. 

“In an effort to increase ownership and help transform communities, True Lawyer launched Your Vision is Worth Billions. TRADEMARK IT! A DIY online Trademark course to ensure all start-ups, creators, and small businesses can gain ownership of their brand without the expensive legal cost,” Robinson explained. 

Aside from her law firm, Robinson, who grew up in Chicago, Illinois, is also a real estate investor. She created Build Your Own Wealth to provide real estate investors advice.

For potential real estate investors, Robinson’s advice is to just get started. “Never allow fear, money, or the unknown to discourage you from investing. There are many areas of real estate you can invest in. Pick one strategy, become an expert in this strategy first, invest and repeat, she told SheenMagazine.