Janet Braun ’85 charted an exciting career path from big law to entrepreneurial endeavors, using her legal knowledge as a foundation. Braun’s journey exemplifies one of the many ways legal education opens doors to a plethora of possibilities.   

Learning the law 

Braun studied engineering as an undergraduate student at Ohio State. The idea of going to law school was always in the back of her mind - her father was a mechanical engineer turned patent lawyer. After taking classes in business law and arbitration as electives, Braun decided to attend law school. 

As a law student at Ohio State, Braun elected classes related to business law and engaged in other broadening experiences. She worked as an extern for Judge Robert Duncan when he served on the U.S. District Court for Southern Ohio.  She also served as a managing editor of the Law Journal. As a summer associate at O’Melveny & Myers in Los Angeles, she was fortunate to benefit not only from her work experience at the firm, but also from the myriad opportunities in Los Angeles during the summer of the 1984 Olympic games and from her interactions with other summer associates and lawyers.    

Similarly, at Ohio State, Braun values the relationships she made with her fellow classmates. 

“Ohio State Law had a great community feel where people helped each other and talked through issues collaboratively,” Braun said. “Our conversations weren’t always about schoolwork - a lot of the informal interactions I had with others was meaningful, too.” 

Growing a business 

After graduation, Braun moved to Los Angeles to practice at O’Melveny & Myers where she joined the firm’s Corporate Department where she focused on securities law, mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions. She transitioned to in-house counsel positions, including as Associate General Counsel for a Kuwaiti-owned oil services company and for a publicly held pharmaceutical company which was purchased by Gilead Sciences.   Inspired by her engineering background, Braun and some of her colleagues began to think about starting their own company as well.  

“California is a very innovative environment, and I always had an interest in business,” she said. “I knew my colleagues for years, so we jumped into the start-up world.” 

Initially, Braun and her business partners focused on the application of pharmaceutical drug delivery techniques applied to nutrients in consumer products.  Later, Braun and one of her business partners created HBT Labs, a pharmaceutical company focused on injectable medicines. Due to her extensive knowledge and experience, Braun handled the legal and business operations as Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel over nine years building the company.  

“As a transactional and business lawyer, I understand how to analyze issues, solve problems, negotiate agreements and get deals done,” said Braun. 

When the decision was made to sell the company in 2021, Braun led the due diligence effort and business negotiations throughout the transaction which closed in August 2022. She remained with the company post-acquisition through 2023. 

A broad scope of opportunities 

Braun has identified effective problem solving and decision making as critical skills for lawyers.  

“Analytical thinking, problem solving, and creative solutions drive decisions,” she said. “Truly effective executives and lawyers are those who have the courage to make final decisions and have the confidence to take responsibility for them.”   

Braun also strongly encourages young professionals to “say yes” to opportunities and seek new experiences outside the legal or professional world. This mentality has served her well in her own life. For example, Braun coached all 3 of her soccer-playing children which led to an appointment to the legal commission of the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). She eventually became Regional Commissioner, then Area Director for AYSO’s West San Gabriel Valley, and was ultimately elected to the AYSO National Board of Directors. Saying yes also led to Braun’s election as a city council member in South Pasadena, a position she still holds, after having served her city on the Planning and Public Safety Commissions.  

“There are so many things you can do with a legal education,” she said. “When you look for opportunities, look outside your career field and get involved in your community. Sometimes it’s those activities outside your professional arena from which you gain tremendous insights, and you learn from others with different strengths and perspectives.” 

Braun’s willingness to step outside her comfort zone reflects her belief in the power of diverse experiences to enrich one’s life and career. She is an inspiration for anyone considering a legal education and for those who embrace the opportunities that come their way.