Attorney Spotlight: Jessy Vaughn on Working as an Associate with the Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Group
Jessica L. Vaughn is an Associate at Mintz who focuses her practice on corporate and securities law and general corporate matters. She works with public and private companies in a variety of industries, including energy & sustainability, life sciences, and technology.
1. What attracted you to join Mintz’s Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Practice, and what has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned so far?
Mintz’s Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Practice felt like the right fit from the start — it combines sophisticated transactional work with a sector I’m genuinely passionate about. A big draw was the opportunity to build a venture capital practice in this space, representing both companies and investors as they deploy capital into innovative clean energy and sustainability businesses. The firm is also at the forefront of renewable energy infrastructure development, and I wanted to be part of a team that is actively shaping how these projects get financed and built. As for the most valuable lesson, it’s the importance of understanding the business context behind every deal. It’s not enough to get the legal terms right; you need to understand what the client is trying to achieve commercially, and structure advice around that.
2. How has your prior experience in litigation, public defense, and judicial externships shaped the way you approach your corporate practice today?
More than I expected, honestly. The biggest thing I took from litigation is the habit of thinking through the counterparty’s position. If you understand where they’re coming from and what they’re going to fight for, you can be much more strategic about how you advocate for your client. Public defense built on that — it reinforced what it means to truly go to bat for a client, especially when they’re navigating a process that feels unfamiliar or high-stakes. And my judicial externship rounded things out by giving me a window into how decision-makers think, which has made me a more persuasive drafter and negotiator. Those experiences might seem far removed from my day-to-day work, but I find that I draw on them constantly. I always tell law students to try out as many different areas as they can, as it makes you a more well-rounded lawyer no matter what practice area you end up pursuing.
3. Looking ahead, what are you most excited about as you continue to build your practice and career at Mintz?
I’m most excited about the growth trajectory of the sustainable energy space itself. The volume of capital flowing into renewable energy, grid modernization, and infrastructure is enormous, and the legal work that supports those investments is only going to become more complex and more interesting. I’m also looking forward to growing my role in the sector’s venture ecosystem — helping founders raise capital to scale breakthrough technologies and advising investors as they build portfolios that support the energy transition. Mintz has given me a great platform to do that, and I’m excited to keep building long-term relationships with clients whose missions I support and believe in.
4. What do you enjoy doing outside of legal work?
My favorite way to recharge is getting out to the mountains — any season, any reason — but ski season is my favorite time of year. My husband and I have been chasing snow together since we started dating. Our first trip together was a van ski trip through a major snowstorm. We got stuck in the snow more times than I’d like to admit, dug ourselves out, and got a little unexpected character building along the way. It turned out to be a pretty good preview of the adventures to come. Since then, we’ve been lucky enough to ski in Japan, the Dolomites, Canada, and incredible spots across the US.
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