Olivene Makerson is a corporate attorney with over eight years of experience practicing corporate law in-house. She currently works in the technology industry as an associate corporate counsel for VMware, Inc., a leading infrastructure software and cloud services technology leader. Olivene focuses on shaping and negotiating sophisticated technology- related commercial agreements supporting the East commercial business in the U.S. She specializes in complex software licensing contract negotiations for cloud services, professional services, information security, and other technology-related agreements. She is also the global subject matter expert and legal liaison with the Global Licensing Group, helping to advise and resolve compliance matters. Liaising with strategic partners for the commercial legal team, she loves taking on challenging projects and creating operational efficiencies by identifying workflow solutions to reduce workloads and costs. Olivene also supports due diligence efforts by taking on special projects that include mergers and acquisitions integration of newly acquired companies licensing terms, and specific employment matters.
She started her career in-house in the financial services industry, working for a company that distributes term life insurance, mutual funds, annuities, and other financial products serving middle-income consumers. Olivene focused her practice on securities investigations, regulatory compliance, and general corporate matters. She served as lead counsel of all company and agent-created advertising and managed a team of analysts to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations. She also supported senior counsel in conducting due diligence for new product initiatives and lines of business.
Olivene currently serves as the VP of Communications and Membership for the Association of Corporate Counsel Georgia, a diverse community of in-house counsel that administers educational programs, public service initiatives, and fosters professional relationship building. Also, she is a member of several professional organizations including: Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA), an organization committed to advancing the hiring and promotion of diverse lawyers; Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA), an organization that nurtures, supports and galvanizes the power of Black women in the legal profession; and ChIPs, an organization that advances and connects women in technology, law, and policy.
Outside of law, Olivene is a faithful servant leader and has a passion for various local community organizations. She volunteers her time as a board member and advocacy committee member for Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia, a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve maternal and infant health through advocacy, education, and vital resources. She serves as a leader in the women’s ministry through her church, supporting women connecting spiritually, emotionally, and socially. Also, she is a former member of the Junior League of Atlanta (JLA), an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing women’s potential, and improving the community through trained volunteers’ effective action and leadership. Through JLA, Olivene served on an advocacy-based committee for generational poverty because her state had one of the highest child poverty rates, with more than one-quarter of its children living in poverty. She volunteered with the American Red Cross in local blood donation centers – initiating blood drives, and creating disaster kits for families in crisis.
Olivene received her Bachelor of Arts degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and graduated from Stetson University College of Law. In her free time, she loves to garden, play tennis, and learn to play golf. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, Rick, and daughter Harris.