Speaking - Dodge Legal Group, SPC

Tisha Dodge, JD

Business attorney · social enterprise pioneer · nationally recognized speaker
Dodge Legal Group, SPC | StartUp Greater Good, PBC | Dallas, Texas

First TX social purpose law firm SBA national trainer 2012–2025 Texas A&M Law Fellow

Texas Rising Star alumni

SPEAKER BIO

Tisha Dodge is a Dallas-based business attorney, social enterprise pioneer, and nationally recognized speaker with over 25 years of legal experience and nearly two decades as an entrepreneur herself. She is the founder of Dodge Legal Group, SPC — the first Social Purpose Corporate Law Firm in Texas — and StartUp Greater Good, PBC, the first and only Texas Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to social entrepreneurs.

Tisha brings a rare combination to the stage: the authority of a seasoned attorney who has litigated in 15+ states and the earned credibility of a business owner who doubled her income in her first six months. She was hand-selected by the U.S. Small Business Administration to train Small Business Development Professionals at the national level from 2012 to 2025, reaching advisors across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America — and is the only lawyer selected to train on social enterprises at the national level.

She currently serves as a Adjunct Professor–Clinical Benefits Specialist at Texas A&M University School of Law, where she trains law students in the Community Development & Entrepreneurship Law Clinics, lecturing on Business Entities, Creating & Operating Nonprofits, the Corporate Transparency Act, and Drafting Transactional Contracts. In that role she also conducts research and policy analysis on licensed mental health treatment facilities for foster care children in Texas.

Known for making the law accessible, actionable, and even entertaining, Tisha speaks to entrepreneurs, lawyers, business advisors, nonprofits, and corporate teams — leaving every room more informed, more confident, and ready to act.

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BY THE NUMBERS

30+

Years of legal practice

13

Years training SBA advisors nationally

15+

States where she has litigated

3

Pioneer businesses she founded

WHO SHE SPEAKS TO

Small business owners & entrepreneurs In-House Professionals SBA & business development professionals Chambers of Commerce

Lawyers & legal professionals Nonprofits & social enterprises Corporations & HR teams Business Students

SAMPLE TOPICS

Profit and purpose: the case for social enterprises

Why purpose-driven structures aren’t just ethical — they’re strategically smart. For entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and impact investors.

Protect your business from day one

LLCs, corporations, contracts, and liability — the legal foundations every entrepreneur needs before they need a lawyer.

Employee vs. independent contractor: don’t get it wrong

A plain-language breakdown of IRS, DOL, and Texas Workforce Commission rules — and how to stay compliant as the law shifts.

Contracts 101: handshakes, invoices, and the law

When you need a contract, what makes it enforceable, and how to avoid the disputes that sink businesses.

Internet law & protecting your brand online

Domain name disputes, cybersquatting, IP basics, and proactive brand defense for entrepreneurs.

Starting a business the right way

Entity formation, certifications (woman-, minority-, veteran-owned), and the legal checklist for new entrepreneurs.

SPEAKING CLIPS

WHAT EVENT ORGANIZERS SAY

“Tisha is an engaging and relatable speaker who knows how to genuinely connect with her audience. She also has a gift for taking complex legal jargon and making it easy to understand as well as relevant to everyday business owners. Her presentations are thoughtful, informative, intentional for her audience while leaving you with real action steps that can be implemented immediately. I continually look forward to attending Tisha’s sessions.”
-Dr. Tiffany Laursen, Business Owner and Adjunct Lecturer, Fort Worth, TX

“Tish has the ability to explain legal concepts in a way that helps me understand why and how they apply to my business. She’s an extremely relatable and engaging speaker, and you can tell she truly cares about the success of her audience. I’ve been attending her workshops since 2008 and always walk away motivated and with something I can use right away.”
-Paula Hill, Business Owner, Fort Worth, TX

“I’ve heard Tisha speak several times over the years and it always amazes me how she can take complicated “legal speak” and translate it into a concept I can easily understand. I used to find business law very confusing, but when Tisha explains it, I can easily see how it relates to my business and what I need to do to make sure I’m keeping everything legal. As a bonus, her presentations aren’t just educational – they’re fun and entertaining. ”
-Gerry Rubendall, Business Owner, Colorado Springs, CO

KEY CREDENTIALS

JD, SMU Dedman School of Law (1995) · BA in Political Science, George Washington University
SBA national conference trainer for Small Business Development Professionals, 2012–2025 (U.S., Canada & Latin America) — only lawyer selected nationally to train on social enterprises
Law Fellow–Clinical Benefits Specialist, Texas A&M University School of Law (Community Development & Entrepreneurship Law Clinics) — trains law students, lectures on Business Entities, Nonprofits, Corporate Transparency Act, and Transactional Contracts; also conducts policy research on mental health facilities for foster care children
Founder, Dodge Legal Group, SPC — first Social Purpose Corporate Law Firm in Texas
Founder, StartUp Greater Good, PBC — first and only Texas Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to social entrepreneurs
Named “Texas Rising Star” by Texas Monthly Magazine (2004 & 2005) — top 2.5% of up-and-coming Texas attorneys
Featured in the ABA Journal for expertise in legal technology apps for lawyers
Selected under the CARES Act to provide educational seminars and legal advice at no cost to Texas small businesses during COVID-19 recovery
Certified Professional in Enneagram Applications (International Enneagram Association)
Licensed, TX Dept. of Insurance — Property & Casualty General Lines Agent (2007–2026)
Admitted: all Texas state courts, U.S. District Courts (N, S, W & E Districts of Texas), Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

Book Tisha for your next event

Available for keynotes, workshops, panels, and training sessions. Custom topics welcome.