Mark Hancock
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Mark S. Hancock, Esq. brings over 30 years of experience negotiating deals and providing international representation, both in the private and public sectors. He began his career at Jones Day (Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue) in Washington, D.C., where he advised Fortune 500 companies, global banks, and nonprofit institutions on complex international mergers and acquisitions, cross-border structured finance, IPOs, and high-stakes tax controversies. Mark was later recruited by EY (Ernst & Young), where he led the nonprofit tax practice across a vast region from Northern California to Alaska and in international markets. He went on to serve as General Counsel for a global hearing technology corporation with $1 billion in annual revenue, overseeing international legal strategy, risk management, and corporate criminal investigations.
Mark previously served as the chief legal, finance, and operations adviser to a Clinton Global Initiative NGO with programs in over 30 countries. In this role, Mark negotiated transactions and led operations across East and Central Africa, the Philippines, and China, representing the organization at the highest levels of government while also working on the ground with global health delivery teams. Today, Mark co-leads Hancock Mamchur and Build Advisory, where he counsels Silicon Valley tech companies, foundations, international enterprises, family offices, and social ventures on legal structuring, governance, risk management, and cross-border transactions. He also advises high net worth families, faith-based organizations, and serves on the board of an independent media outlet. In his spare time Mark travels, reads philosophy and theology, hikes, and cooks Spanish dishes. |
Yuri Mamchur
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Yuri Mamchur, Esq. brings 23 years of experience in international business development, cross-border negotiations, the entertainment industry, and foreign affairs. He began his legal career at Yust Law Firm in Moscow before becoming the founding director of a foreign policy program at a leading American think tank in Seattle and Washington, D.C. In that role, Yuri facilitated Ex-Im Bank’s backing of a $650 million Boeing aircraft acquisition, helped introduce Fortune 500 brands—such as Starbucks and Mattel—to Eastern Europe, and worked with multiple U.S. federal agencies. A frequent presenter in international media and at major venues—including the U.S. Senate, Kazakhstan’s Eurasian Media Forum, and multiple universities and business associations—Yuri also led protocol for foreign dignitaries and U.S. Presidents.
Yuri later served as Director of Global Advancement for a multibillion-dollar corporation with facilities in 28 nations and operations in over 100 countries. He authored Sony Music’s global A&R strategy, co-created an investment fund division serving celebrity clients, each with portfolios exceeding $30 million, and co-founded and exited two startups. He has also launched and scaled public-private initiatives across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, including a partnership with 5,000 school districts and deals involving Fortune 100 companies and national governments. Yuri has advised U.S. government agencies on matters involving sanctions, asset recovery, and international enforcement. In his private legal practice, Yuri represents startups and artists in the music and film industries. His work focuses on international commercial transactions, business strategy, and intellectual property. His private practice does not include immigration matters or representation before U.S. federal agencies. In his spare time, Yuri plays piano, composes music, runs trails, swims lakes, and skis mountains. * Not admitted in the District of Columbia |
Laura Geyer
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Laura is a seasoned intellectual property attorney with over 25 years of experience guiding clients through the full spectrum of IP law. Her practice integrates deep expertise in trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, rights of publicity and privacy (including name, image, and likeness), internet and social media issues, product counterfeiting, and emerging tech-related IP matters. Laura began her career in high-stakes patent and trademark litigation, and today she’s known as a practical and insightful IP generalist—often the first call when a client has a thorny, “weird” IP issue or when “something is wrong on the internet.” With a strong focus on the corporate dimensions of IP practice, Laura advises companies across industries on IP strategy and risk in transactional contexts, including mergers, acquisitions, financings, and brand deals. She manages IP due diligence and helps structure, draft, and negotiate key deal documents, from complex licensing and assignment agreements to NDAs, co-branding and co-existence agreements, SaaS and technology contracts, and more. Her work bridges the legal, commercial, and strategic interests that drive IP value in the corporate world.
Laura brings extensive experience supporting international IP protection, enforcement, and portfolio management. She works with a trusted global network of IP firms—many of them women-owned or led—to help clients protect and commercialize their IP worldwide. She also advises on adjacent compliance issues that intersect with IP, such as FTC/FDA regulations, labeling laws, COPPA, and other online protections. In addition to her transactional and advisory practice, Laura remains active in IP litigation and enforcement matters, including proceedings before the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) and federal courts. She also coordinates with foreign counsel on cross-border disputes and enforcement actions. A committed lifelong learner, Laura enjoys choral singing, gardening, watching the Celtics, and indulging her curiosity through books and podcasts (especially about history, science, politics, and the law). She lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland with her husband David, several cats, and a rotating cast of children. At any given time she is studying at least two languages. She is conversationally fluent in German and has studied German, Latin, Russian, Swedish, and Medieval and Old English. |
