{"id":71595,"date":"2020-07-29T13:49:02","date_gmt":"2020-07-29T17:49:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=71595"},"modified":"2022-02-14T11:53:51","modified_gmt":"2022-02-14T16:53:51","slug":"from-entrepreneur-to-state-assembly","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/articles\/2020\/from-entrepreneur-to-state-assembly\/","title":{"rendered":"From Entrepreneur to State Assembly"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin record-block-editorial-leadin is-style-side-by-side has-media has-wider has-media-focus-center-middle\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"990\" height=\"990\" src=\"\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"NY State Assemblymember Clyde Vanel (&#039;01)\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel.jpg 990w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-636x636.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-826x826.jpg 826w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-682x682.jpg 682w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-344x344.jpg 344w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-529x529.jpg 529w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-688x688.jpg 688w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-550x550.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-710x710.jpg 710w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/07\/Clyde-Vanel-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 990px) 100vw, 990px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\">Photo courtesy of Assembly Member Vanel<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-prepress-tag\">Alumni<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFrom Entrepreneur to State Assembly\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">New York Assembly member Clyde Vanel (&#8217;01) capitalized on experiences as a solo IP law practitioner and restaurant owner to propel him into local government.<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar record-prepress-layout-metabar\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">July 29, 2020<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/authors\/jeffrey-leon\/\">K. Jeffery Leon<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-introparagraph record-block-editorial-introparagraph is-style-dropcap-outlined has-dropcap has-dropcap-color-secondary\"><div class=\"wp-block-editorial-introparagraph-content\"><p>As New York State Assembly member for the 33<sup>rd<\/sup> District, Clyde Vanel (\u201901) is driven to tackle the big challenges facing his community and to ensure that New Yorkers have opportunities to develop and grow. In addition to representing constituents in his home borough of Queens and chairing the Assembly\u2019s Subcommittee on Internet and New Technology, he manages his own intellectual property firm and several businesses.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>One of ten children born to immigrant parents from Haiti, Vanel grew up in Cambria Heights, Queens, and since his youth has carried an entrepreneurial spirit instilled by his family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe believed in working hard and going to school,\u201d he recalls of his upbringing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As an undergrad, Vanel was passionate about technology, majoring in engineering and aviation. He took an interest in law after working with an attorney while serving as student body president and found that intellectual property law would be a good fit for his technical background. After graduating, he chose Boston University for law school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe law school had a great intellectual property program, which also allowed me to use my technology and science background,\u201d says Vanel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-editorial-aside record-block-editorial-aside alignright has-secondary-background\">\n<h2>A Bronx Defender, an Assembly Member, and a Community Leader<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4>Perspectives of three BU Law alumni during a pandemic.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"wp-block-button wp-block-bu-button record-block-button has-secondary-theme icon-navigateright align-icon-right is-style-outline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/alumni\/2020\/05\/27\/bu-law-perspectives-on-the-pandemic\/\">Listen to the webinar<\/a><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p>Admitting he\u2019s not a \u201csmall city guy,\u201d Vanel enjoyed Boston\u2019s vibrancy and the University\u2019s robust intellectual communities. He threw himself into the program, serving as the editor-in-chief of the BU Law\u2019s <em>Journal of Science &amp; Technology Law<\/em> and relishing the opportunity to engage his technical side in a legal capacity. He also served as a resident advisor for undergraduates and assisted the school\u2019s hockey team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After graduating in 2001, Vanel joined the intellectual property firm Fish &amp; Neave, which jump-started his law career, but after serving two years at the firm he felt unfulfilled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI wanted to control my own destiny,\u201d Vanel remembers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He decided to establish his own practice. It was an ambitious leap for a young attorney, but Vanel stuck to his entrepreneurial mindset. He bought a house in his home neighborhood and traded classic cars to raise the capital to get the business started. Through trading, Vanel met an investor who would become one of his first clients. In 2003 he launched the Vanel Law Firm PC, a practice he continues to operate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A creative and dynamic person, Vanel is constantly trying new ventures. He has represented media businesses, worked in television and music, and maintains <strong>Trademark Ready<\/strong>, a legal services website where he connects with clients remotely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of his proudest accomplishments was opening Vanel\u2019s on First, a Southern food restaurant in the East Village. Inspired by working with restaurants in his legal career, he wanted to \u201cbe the business.\u201d The restaurant operated from 2005 to 2011 and was one of the very few soul food spots in Midtown Manhattan. Vanel recalls that the venture taught him how to cook professionally and how to work closely with a community:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was a very different experience that helped shape my view of business and people in the world,\u201d he says. \u201cI really enjoyed that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vanel\u2019s biggest challenge was his shift into politics in 2008. Frustrated with New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and the city\u2019s move to extend the mayor\u2019s term limits, and feeling like he wanted to help his community, Vanel became interested in city politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-bu-pullquote record-block-bu-pullquote alignfull is-style-pop has-secondary-theme\"><div class=\"wp-block-bu-pullquote-inner\"><blockquote><div class=\"container-lockup\"><div class=\"container-icon-outer\"><div class=\"container-icon-inner\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"container-text\"><hr\/><div class=\"quote-sizing\">Things are shifting in the world. People are fighting for change in the laws, and I sit in that seat to be able to do that.<\/div><footer class=\"caption\">Clyde Vanel (&#8217;01)<\/footer><hr\/><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was angry, I was frustrated, and so were many in the city,\u201d Vanel recalls of the moment. \u201cMy city council member voted for it, so instead of complaining and writing him letters, I ran against him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He didn\u2019t win that race for New York City Council, but it was an eye-opening experience, especially transitioning from the buttoned-up legal world to the streets and grabbing the attention of people in his neighborhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI had to be able to relate to the average person,\u201d shares Vanel. \u201cIt took me a while to learn how to be authentically who I am, but also be relatable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vanel was persistent, and in 2016 he clinched the election for the New York State Assembly. Recently re-elected to a third term, he sees the role as a blessing and an opportunity to affect positive changes for the people of New York.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs an elected official, we\u2019re dealing with all these varied situations,\u201d says Vanel. \u201cWe\u2019re working on some of the most important and fundamental issues going on today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is especially true in 2020, as Vanel and his colleagues are tackling major concerns facing New Yorkers. He is very involved in the response to the coronavirus pandemic\u2014his home neighborhood in Queens was a hotspot and the hospital where he was born was overloaded with cases. He has had weighty conversations with state legislators about how to keep residents safe and manage recovery efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vanel is also closely following the Black Lives Matter movement and advocating for change following the death of George Floyd and the protests that have taken place across the state. He\u2019s a strong advocate for economic development, ensuring more stable jobs for marginalized communities, encouraging small business growth, and establishing a task force to explore automation\u2019s potential effects on workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe have to prepare New Yorkers for tomorrow, and not try to stop progress,\u201d mentions Vanel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One success has been voter reform. In 2019, Vanel cosponsored a no-excuse absentee voting bill that passed, and is active for this year\u2019s election cycle, allowing more New Yorkers access to the ballot.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-end-of-article\">\u201cThings are shifting in the world,\u201d Vanel says. \u201cPeople are fighting for change in the laws, and I sit in that seat to be able to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories is-style-card has-three record-block-editorial-relatedstories\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-title\">Related<\/h3>\n\t\t<ul class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2560\" height=\"2551\" src=\"\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Hasan Ali\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-636x634.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-1024x1021.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-768x765.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-1536x1531.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-2048x2041.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-829x826.jpg 829w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-684x682.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-1035x1032.jpg 1035w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-1325x1321.jpg 1325w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-345x344.jpg 345w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-531x529.jpg 531w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-690x688.jpg 690w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-1062x1058.jpg 1062w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-1369x1364.jpg 1369w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-1658x1652.jpg 1658w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-1003x1000.jpg 1003w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/05\/hasan-ali-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-category\"><span>Feature<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/articles\/2020\/hasan-ali-microsoft-man-in-the-middle\/\" class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title-link\">Man in the Middle<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-date\">June 1, 2020<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"700\" height=\"500\" src=\"\/law\/files\/2020\/02\/Atkins-Kimberly.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Kimberly Atkins (LAW\/COM&#039;98)\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/02\/Atkins-Kimberly.jpeg 700w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/02\/Atkins-Kimberly-636x454.jpeg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2020\/02\/Atkins-Kimberly-482x344.jpeg 482w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-category\"><span>Alumni<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/articles\/2020\/kimberly-atkins-from-law-to-politics\/\" class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-title-link\">From Law to Politics<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-relatedstories-article-date\">February 6, 2020<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As New York State Assembly member for the 33rd District, Clyde Vanel (\u201901) is driven to tackle the big challenges facing his community and to ensure that New Yorkers have opportunities to develop and grow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11260,"featured_media":71599,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"Alumni","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"tags":[1656],"bu-publication":[3742],"record-article-category":[3744,3774,3786],"record-topic":[],"bu_edition":[],"media_type":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/71595"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11260"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71595"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/71595\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":87145,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/71595\/revisions\/87145"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71595"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=71595"},{"taxonomy":"record-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/record-article-category?post=71595"},{"taxonomy":"record-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/record-topic?post=71595"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=71595"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=71595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}