Ropes & Gray Supports Bunker Labs in Efforts to Help Veteran Entrepreneurs Start Businesses

Tara Hankinson and LeAnn Darland, the founders of
TALEA Beer Co. Darland is a Navy veteran.

In honor of Veterans Day, Ropes & Gray held a series of fundraising and support events for Bunker Labs, a national network of veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs dedicated to helping the military-connected community start their own businesses. 

Bunker Labs, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, works with military veterans to launch businesses by connecting them with the people, resources and support they need to leverage their ideas and personal drive into successful companies. Service members transitioning to civil life are eager to start businesses, but often need assistance to navigate the market landscape. Bunker Labs partners with business leaders, investors, and subject matter experts to bolster the efforts of veteran entrepreneurs.

“This week, we honor the more than 18 million military veterans in the United States who served our country,” said Carolyn Vardi, partner in the firm’s New York private equity practice. “Ropes & Gray is proud to assist military veterans and their families as they transition to their next stage in life by launching and growing their own businesses.”

Over the course of the week, attorneys and support staff at Ropes & Gray participated in:

• The New York City Veterans Day Parade, walking with Bunker Labs.
• A boot camp at Equinox on West 50th St. to raise funds for Bunker Labs.
• A coffee tasting event at the firm’s New York office with Black 6 Coffee Trading Co., a veteran-owned company that raises money to fund emergency medical services teams.
• A craft beer tasting with the veteran founders of TALEA Beer Co., LeAnn Darland and Tara Hankinson. TALEA is the first female-founded beer brand in the United States.
• A New York-office wide fundraiser on behalf of Bunker Labs.

Military veterans, service members and their families often require specialized legal services to navigate complex health care and governmental systems. In addition to volunteerism and fundraising, the firm actively supports non-profit veteran organizations through pro bono legal service. Our attorneys devote many hours supporting veterans and their families on matters such as disability benefits appeals, discharge upgrades, U.S. citizenship applications, estate planning and comprehensive business support. Our attorneys have handled numerous cases on behalf of veterans through referrals from Veterans Legal Services, Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program, Swords to Plowshares, the National Veterans Legal Services Program and the Veterans Legal Clinic of the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School.