Luxury and brand lawyer Danielle Garno has joined US boutique law firm Daniel, Ebeling, Maccia & Cohen (DEMC) after more than 20 years of practising in BigLaw. 

Most recently she was a partner and co-chair of the entertainment practice at Holland & Knight. She had previously worked at firms including Reed Smith, Cozen & O’Connor and Greenberg Traurig. She will be based in Miami. 

Her new firm, which also has offices in New York and Southern California, represents professional sports teams, athletes, media and entertainment companies, as well as sports venture capital firms.

Garno said flexibility was the reason she decided to change firms. “This move represents more than a firm change – it’s a complete redefinition of how I want to practice law,” she said. “Having the flexibility to provide high-level services at a reasonable price point is something that my clients need and very much appreciate in this uncertain economy.”

Garno’s clients include a variety of luxury and sports brands, including David Yurman, Gucci and Richemont, as well as WME/Endeavor and World Wrestling Entertainment.

DEMC managing partner George Daniel commented: “Danielle brings a wealth of dynamic experience in the fashion and entertainment industries that will be instrumental in serving our clients’ needs.”

The move also allows her to pursue her interests as chief legal officer of tech platform My Ascent AI and chief executive officer of its subsidiary, Advocate.IQ. She said that My Ascent AI is a platform that acts as the intelligence lawyer for high-impact communities. She describes Advocate.IQ as “game-changing technology” in the corporate and legal world, which “helps law firms establish an institutional knowledge base”.

Garno is also the co-founder of Être: The Attorney Brand Masterclass, a coaching and professional development platform helping lawyers build visibility. 

“We take a 360-degree look at what you do as a lawyer and help you to market that based on your unique value proposition. It’s vitally important for lawyers to be able to stand out from the masses and message that to the world,” she explained.